Occupy Chicago – The Revolution Will Not Be Privatized

In 1974, Gil Scott-Heron, a “spoken word soul performer,” released the song “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” that attempted to get people to wake up, get out of themselves, look at reality and do something to better their lives, other’s lives and America itself. Sadly, Mr. Scott-Heron died in April of this year.

This is dedicated to him, and to those who are in the current struggle – the 99%. I hope he doesn’t mind and I hope he’s proud that his concept lives on in a timeless way.

Update: This is now dedicated to Bernie Sanders and the People’s Revolution.

Inspired by sign displayed by Occupy Chicago, in front of the Chicago Board of Trade:
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE PRIVATIZED

The revolution will not be privatized
The revolution will not be brought to you by an offshore call center 2 continents away
The revolution will not show you pictures of Bernake blowing a bugle and
leading a charge by Chase, Citibank and Bank of America
to deposit your money so they can charge more fees
The revolution will not be privatized

The revolution will not be brought to you
by the mainstream media and will not star
Keith Olbermann, Bill O’Reilly, Oprah or Geraldo
The revolution will not be ‘fair and balanced”
The revolution will not ‘lean forward’
The revolution will not make you a better person because you
ran in a marathon sponsored by Bank of America
Because the revolution will not be privatized, brother

There will be no pictures of peaceful protesters arrested for being in a park,
or activists pushing their supplies down the street to keep moving.
Fox will not be able to predict the winner of the election at 6:32
or report from 45 districts before the polls are closed
The revolution will not be privatized

There will be no pictures of happy traders when the market makes money
There will be pictures of Palestinians dying on Gaza’s streets after Israeli bombing campaigns
There will be no pictures of Hussein being hung or Ghadaffi laying on a slab
There will be no video of Warren Buffet asking to be taxed more
There will be no pictures of Ron Paul being barred from a debate
The revolution will not be privatized

Survivor, the Great Race and Dancing with the Stars
will no longer be so damned relevant
No one will care who survived, who won the race
or who danced the best
because the 99% will be on the street looking for a brighter day
The revolution will not be privatized

There will be no highlights on the 10 o’clock news, ,
no pictures of Michelle Obama at the inaugural ball
with a plug for the designer who whose dress she wore
The theme song will not be controlled by
Sony, A&M, Capital, Columbia, Universal, MCA or Warner Brothers
the revolution will not be privatized

The revolution will not be brought back after a message
from a Gecko, talking babies or cartoon characters.
you will not have to worry about “where the vision gets built,”
‘what’s in your wallet,” “investing with confidence.” or being “world wise.”
The revolution will not put you in “good hands.”
The revolution will give you “the power to help you succeed.”

The revolution will not be privatized
The revolution will not be privatized
The revolution will not be privatized
The revolution will be no outsource, brothers
The revolution will be Made in the USA