Editing Phil Ochs

From ProleWiki, the proletarian encyclopedia
Warning: You are not logged in, comrade. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be instead attributed to your username.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then publish the changes below to finish undoing the edit.

Latest revision Your text
Line 134: Line 134:
Soon before he moved to Los Angeles Ochs met Andy Wickham. The two became friends quickly, and soon after Ochs moved to Los Angeles he reconnected with Wickham there. Wickham, who was a conservative, was disliked by many of Ochs' friends, but Ochs and him remained close for the rest of Ochs' life.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/137/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Wickham|chapter=The War is Over|page=135-137}}</ref>  
Soon before he moved to Los Angeles Ochs met Andy Wickham. The two became friends quickly, and soon after Ochs moved to Los Angeles he reconnected with Wickham there. Wickham, who was a conservative, was disliked by many of Ochs' friends, but Ochs and him remained close for the rest of Ochs' life.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/137/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Wickham|chapter=The War is Over|page=135-137}}</ref>  


After moving to Los Angeles Ochs reconnected with Paul Krassner, who by then was a major figure in the counterculture movement. Krassner was going to go onto Joe Pyne's television show. Pyne was a staunch conservative and known for a confrontational style of interview. Krassner was prepared for this, insulting Krassner when Krassner insulted him. After a particularly strong insult Pyne ended the interview portion of the show and started the next part, where audience members were able to ask questions to the guest. People in the audience insulted and condemned Krassner, and eventually Ochs got in the line to ask questions. When it was his turn Ochs said, "What Paul Krassner does is in the finest tradition of American journalism." Pyne began to question Ochs, asking if he was a hippie, Ochs said he was not and in response Pyne asked, "Do you play for hippies mostly?" Ochs responded to this saying, "No, I play for everybody.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?view=theater&q=%22What+Paul+Krassner+does%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=137-139}}</ref>
After moving to Los Angeles Ochs reconnected with Paul Krassner, who by then was a major figure in the counterculture movement. Krassner was going to go onto Joe Pyne's television show. Pyne was a staunch conservative and known for a confrontational style of interview. Krassner was prepared for this, insulting Krassner when Krassner insulted him. After a particularly strong insult Pyne ended the interview portion of the show and started the next part, where audience members were able to ask questions to the guest. People in the audience insulted and condemned Krassner, and eventually Ochs got in the line to ask questions. When it was his turn Ochs said, "What Paul Krassner does is in the finest tradition of American journalism." Pyne began to question Ochs, asking if he was a hippie, Ochs said he was not and in response Pyne asked, "Do you play for hippies mostly?" Ochs responded to this saying, "No, I play for everybody.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?view=theater&q=%22What+Paul+Krassner+does%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=137-139}}</ref>
 
When Ochs moved to Los Angeles a protest against the Vietnam War, the largest anti-war demonstration in Los Angeles history up until that point, was being planned. The protest was Cheviet Hills Park, where the demonstrators would spend the afternoon, before moving to picket a fundraiser Lyndon B. Johnson was attending.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?q=%22Play+for+everybody%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=139}}</ref>
 
Ochs had an idea for this protest. He proposed that they declare the war over, and that the protest would be a celebration of the end of the war. This idea was partly inspired by a Allen Ginsburg poem and was based on the idea that the common people paid for and died in the war, and as such they should be able to end it. The protest was representative of the political theater that became a large part of the anti-war movement in the United States.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?q=%22Play+for+everybody%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=139-140}}</ref>
 
Ochs began planning the protest, writing a manifesto in the Los Angeles Free Press and a song to go with the protest. The song, titled "The War is Over," satirized pro-war media and its distortion of the reality of war. Ochs also recruited cartoonist Ron Cobb to design a poster. Cobb and Ochs became close friends during this project, and their relationship would last for the rest of Ochs life.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?q=%22Play+for+everybody%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=140-142}}</ref>
 
The organizers of the protest faced a problem. Unknown to them, the protest was infiltrated by Sharon Stewart, an employee of International Investigation Systems. She reported exaggerated accounts of the protester's plans, leading to the hotel hosting the fundraiser to request an restraining order prohibiting the march. On June 23, the day of the protest, a hearing was scheduled. <ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?q=%22Play+for+everybody%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=142-143}}</ref>
 
1300 Police officers were deployed for the protest, in addition to a military helicopter. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the protesters, a judge issued the restraining order, prohibiting the protest.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?q=%22Play+for+everybody%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=143-144}}</ref>
 
Ochs' part of the demonstration occurred in a vacant lot near the Century Plaza Hotel. Protesters chanted "The War Is Over!" and Ochs performed his song of the same name on top of a flatbed truck. After he finished the song the police ordered the protesters to disperse. When they refused the do so, the police attacked, beating protesters with batons as people tried to escape.<ref>{{Citation|author=Michael Schumacher|year=1996|title=There But For Fortune|title-url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/138/mode/1up?q=%22Play+for+everybody%22|chapter=The War is Over|page=144-145}}</ref>


== Chicago Democratic National Convention and Later Career ==
== Chicago Democratic National Convention and Later Career ==
ProleWiki upholds the abolition of private property, including intellectual property, so feel free to publish any work at will.
Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)