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<td>APEC World Leaders Dinner Gets Occupied</td>
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<td>Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:19:21 +0100</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>The Yes Lab <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:donotreply@yeslab.org"><donotreply@yeslab.org></a></td>
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<td><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:press@yeslab.org"><press@yeslab.org></a></td>
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November 13, 2011<br>
<p>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
</p>
<p>
<font size="+1"><strong>APEC World Leaders Dinner Gets Occupied</strong></font><br>
Within secure zone, musician sings on behalf of the many
</p>
<p>
</p>
<blockquote>
Video and photos: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.yeslab.org/APEC">www.yeslab.org/APEC</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
Honolulu - A change in the programmed entertainment at last
night's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gala left a few
world leaders slack-jawed, though most seemed not to notice that
anything was amiss.
</p>
<p>
During the gala dinner, renowned Hawaiian guitarist <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://makanamusic.com/">Makana</a>,
who performed at the White House in 2009, opened his suit jacket
to reveal a home-made “Occupy with Aloha” T-shirt. Then, instead
of playing the expected instrumental background music, he spent
almost 45 minutes repeatedly singing his <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://bit.ly/we-are-the-many">protest
ballad released earlier that day</a>. The ballad, called “We Are
the Many,” includes lines such as “The lobbyists at Washington do
gnaw.... And until they are purged, we won't withdraw,” and ends
with the refrain: “We'll occupy the streets, we'll occupy the
courts, we'll occupy the offices of you, till you do the bidding
of the many, not the few.”
</p>
<p>
Those who could hear Makana’s message included Presidents Barack
Obama of the United States of America, Hu Jintao of China, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of
Canada, and over a dozen other heads of state.
</p>
<p>
“At first, I was worried about playing ‘We Are The Many,’” said
Makana. “But I found it odd that I was afraid to sing a song I’d
written, especially since I'd written it with these people in
mind.”
</p>
<p>
The gala was the most secure event of the summit. It was held
inside the Hale Koa hotel, a 72-acre facility owned and controlled
by the US Defense Department; the site was fortified with an
additional three miles of fencing constructed solely for the APEC
summit.
</p>
<p>
Makana was surprised that no one objected to him playing the
overtly critical song. “I just kept doing different versions,” he
said. “I must’ve repeated ‘the bidding of the many, not the few’
at least 50 times, like a mantra. It was surreal and sobering.”
</p>
<p>
Makana’s new song is inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement,
which has taken root in cities worldwide. Last Saturday, eight
protesters were <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/police-make-arrests-among-occupy-honolulu-protesters-on-first-night-of-planned-demonstration/2011/11/06/gIQA7T6orM_story.html">arrested</a>
when they refused to leave the Occupy Honolulu encampment at
Thomas Square Park. Occupy Honolulu has joined other groups,
including <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://moananui2011.org/">Moana Nui</a>, to protest the
APEC meeting, and while Makana performed, <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/apec2011/apecstories/20111113_Protesters_have_their_say_with_noisy_peaceful_march.html?id=133765228">hundreds
of people protested outside</a>.
</p>
<p>
After facing <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2011/11/06/13583-a-look-back-at-past-anti-apec-protests/">large-scale
protests</a> in South Korea, Australia, Peru, and Japan, APEC
moved this year's event to Hawaii, the most isolated piece of land
on earth. In preparation for the meeting, homeless families were <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Homeless-being-asked-to-move-out-of-Waikiki/a3AzA-hSqkeoXlS-rs5Okg.cspx">moved</a>
out of sight and millions of taxpayer dollars were spent on
security—including <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2011/09/26/12961-honolulu-police-load-up-on-taser-ammo-pepper-spray-bean-bags-for-apec/">over
$700,000</a> on non-lethal weapons for crowd control. In a
bitter twist, the multi-million dollar security plans backfired
when a local Hawaiian man was <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/555247/Funeral-set-for-man-shot-in-Waikiki.html?nav=5031">shot
and killed</a> by a 27-year-old DC-based federal agent providing
security for dignitaries.
</p>
<p>
Makana’s action was assisted by <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.yeslab.org/">the Yes Lab</a> and <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.occupytheboardroom.org/">Occupy
the Boardroom</a>. In recent weeks, Occupy protesters have been
showing up at corporate events, headquarters and even on the
doorsteps of those in power. “Makana really raised the bar by
delivering the Occupy message inside what is probably the most
secure place on the planet right now,” said Mike Bonanno of the
Yes Lab.
</p>
<p>
“My uncle taught me to feel out the audience and play what my
heart tells me to,” said Makana. “That’s what I did tonight.”
</p>
<p>
Contact:<br>
Mike Bonanno: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:music@yeslab.org">music@yeslab.org</a>,
917-209-3282<br>
John Sweeney: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:hawaii@yeslab.org">hawaii@yeslab.org</a>,
808-230-0799
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