The state of the Occupy movement is strong, protesters will claim in their own response to President Obama's State of the Union speech tonight in Washington, D.C.
"Our spring is coming," Occupy DC and Occupy Portland are expected to say in Washington, D.C's McPherson Square, according to a press release from the members of the loose protest movement.
The response won't be delivered by one person, but instead by "a group of Occupiers." And it doesn't actually mention the president, or the union.
Occupiers plan to give the speech by trading off after each person has spoken two lines (and after those lines have been repeated "people's mic" style). This may take some time, since the address is not short:
Mic check! [mic check] Mic check! [mic check]
Fellow Americans, good evening! [Fellow Americans, good evening!]
We are men and women of the 99 percent
Many of us have spent many months at Occupy Wall Street
and at other Occupations across the country and around the world
We are here tonight to report on the State of the 99 percent in America
Of course most Americans know the state of the 99 percent very well
But sometimes the one percent, on Wall Street and in Washington, need a reminder
Financially, the state of the 99% is not strong
That is an understatement.
Never in our lifetimes have so many hard-working Americans
Faced so many difficulties, so many uncertainties, so many indignities
In Occupy camps around the country
We find Americans from all walks of life
[3 personal story couplets]
Some of us have had it rougher than others
And it turns out living in camps is no picnic either
But we do not give up easily
And we take inspiration from the brave Americans who came before us
From Dr. King, who gave his life fighting for economic justice
From the Suffragettes, who insisted the voice of women be heard
From all of those brave or foolish enough to believe in America's defining idea
theidea [sic] of democracy
That we are all created equal
And we all have an equal voice in shaping the laws we all live by
America
Let’s be honest.
When our courts tell us corporations have more right to speak than we the people do
That’s not democracy.
When pepper spray and midnight raids make a joke of the 1st Amendment right to assemble.
That’s not democracy.
When defrauding clients, blowing up our economy, forging thousands of documents and seizing people’s homes illegally is not a crime
but protesting all that is a crime
That’s not democracy.
Our America is not a democracy, not yet.
We all know why: Wall street owns Washington.
Bribery is legal, and the laws we live by are for sale to the highest bidder
That is why our government serves the very rich and powerful
at the expense of the rest of us
It protects the bonuses of bankers and Wall Street executives,
while failing to keep hard-working families in their homes;
It shields offshore tax havens for the very wealthy,
while letting our bridges, schools, and infrastructure fall apart;
There have been dark periods in our nation's history, when corruption became the norm
when grave injustices stood in the way of America living up to its best ideals.
But time and time again, Americans stepped up to take back their government and correct our course.
Today Occupy Wall Street and the 99% movement step into this proud American tradition.
But fear not, one percent!
We are not here just to help the 99% at your expense.
We are here to help you too.
For when you’ve begun to think rigging the game is fair game
When you regard hard-working Americans as undeserving of a middle-class life
and unworthy of the profit their own work creates
When you treat the people who build your buildings and serve your food and raise your children and patrol your streets
without respect
You have not only lost touch with our humanity
You have lost touch with your own humanity
You need to find it again, for everyone’s sake
Real democracy will do you good
We are the 99%
We are here to create the democracy we have all been promised.
We are the 99%.
Our finances are weak, but our spirit is strong.
We are the 99%.
Our spring is coming.
According to Occupy DC member Tony Zilka, on the scene right now, there are 10 to 15 people involved in giving the speech.