From Democracy Now! Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Editor’s note: When you’re sitting around your Thanksgiving table tomorrow, counting your blessings, make sure you say a quick “Changellujah!” for Rev Billy and his courage in “menacing” various banks on behalf of our environment and the now-extinct Central American golden toad. Turkey with a side of truth — a dish that should grace every table. Below is the rush transcript; you can watch the video here. — Susan
For more than a decade, Reverend Billy, along with his Church of Stop Shopping, has preached fiery sermons against recreational consumerism — and more recently, against climate disaster. You can often find them greeting the crush of shoppers at Macy’s in New York City on Black Friday. That may not be the case this year. That is because in September, Rev. Billy was arrested after staging a 15-minute musical protest at a JPMorgan Chase bank in Manhattan to highlight the bank’s environmental record and the extinction of a Central American golden toad. He now faces a year in prison for misdemeanor charges of riot in the second degree, menacing in the third degree, unlawful assembly and two counts of disorderly conduct. Despite this, he and The Stop Shopping Choir are performing in New York City every Sunday through December 22. Rev. Billy is also featured in the film “What Would Jesus Buy?” and in the book of the same name.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: As a Northeast braces for major holiday storm, we turn to a story about a prominent New York performance artist and activist who faces a possible jail sentence for preaching about climate change and the fossil fuel industry. For more than a decade, Bill Talen Reverend Billy has preached fiery sermons against recreational consumerism and more recently, against climate disaster. You can also find Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping greeting the crush of shoppers at Macy’s here in New York on Black Friday. That may not be the case this year. That is because in September, Reverend Billy was arrested after staging a 15 minute musical protest at a JPMorgan chase bank in Manhattan. This is part of a video made a similar protest in June in a JPMorgan Chase bank lobby.