Social Commentary: On Policemen

10/30/11

On Policemen

It’s probably not the best way to start a commentary; it can be seen as hedging one’s bet. But, in this case, I felt obliged to begin with a qualification: I have a healthy respect for the law and those who are charged with upholding it. They are willing to risk their lives to serve the law and the common good. Besides, my father was a law officer for over 20 years. So, I have some experience in this area. However, because of the risk they take to protect our lives and property, we too often put them on a pedestal that elevates them to a level where they may lose perspective. After all, they are human beings, not machines. Therefore, they are subject to the same human emotions as anyone, including greed, avarice, and hubris. And, because of their position of extreme and, sometimes, ultimate authority, the pressure to avoid allowing absolute power to corrupt absolutely must be intense. So intense, in fact, it overwhelms.

In addition to my experience with my father, I have an almost daily exposure to the NYPD. My job requires me to work the streets of NYC to cover breaking news stories and events throughout the City. It is here that I regularly encounter both beat cops and the specialized unit designated to deal with the media: the DCPI or The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information. I have had both good and bad encounters with the NYPD. Sometimes, they are helpful, patient, and cooperative. At other times, they are downright nasty! It can really depend on the situation and I understand that. I have found that the ONLY way to deal with the NYPD in the field is to totally defer to their judgment, wishes, whims and authority. You cannot, on ANY terms, question their authority, even when you believe that they are wrong in their demands and instructions. After all, the Press and the public do have a right to witness and document events as they are happening. But if you attempt to exercise that right too vigorously, you WILL BE intimidated until you stop. At the UN one day to cover the General Assembly meeting, an officer from DCPI ordered us to move our camera positions to another location. Of course, we would oblige but it would take a little time to execute the move. Well, we weren’t moving fast enough for the officer and he started to aggressively move people. When one female reporter objected to his rough handling, he got even more aggressive and eventually had her arrested for not having all the proper credentials to be at the UN. You just don’t fuck with the NYPD! It creates an attitude of entitlement and empowerment that can lead to nefarious behavior.

However, even though I understand that it’s a difficult job requiring a tough demeanor, there is a not-so-subtle attitude that the police can sometime be above the law they have sworn to defend. There are risks to being a police officer but there are benefits, too. And, sometimes, the police see some of those benefits as having special privileges. The latest manifestation of that attitude recently took place in the Bronx. 16 police officers have been accused and charged with a vast ticket-fixing and influence peddling scandal that has rocked the department. I don’t know if these police officers are guilty or not. That is up to the court to decide. However, I am concerned and disappointed that this type of scandal is still happening with regularity in the NYPD. And I am even more mortified by the behavior of the NYPD during the arraignment of the 16 officers at State Supreme Court in the Bronx. As reported in Saturday’s NY Times, A three-year investigation into the police’s habit of fixing traffic and parking tickets in the unsealing of indictments on Friday and a stunning display of vitriol by hundreds of off-duty officers, who converged on the courthouse to applaud their accused colleagues and denounce their prosecution. The police Union organized the demonstration. As the police officers were arraigned, the off-duty policemen disrupted the proceedings by shouting, cursing and taunting prosecutors and investigators. At one point they accosted journalists who were covering the story, preventing them from reaching the accused for photographs and videotaping. The attending officers even chanted an offensive slogan directed at people on line at the Welfare office across the street from the courthouse. Furthermore, the accused police officers were afforded preferential treatment, avoiding the so-called perp walk (parading the accused in front of the TV cameras) by secreting them away from a back door in black vans. Patrick J. Lynch, the union president, explained the union’s outrage at the charges by saying the police officers had been arrested for something accepted at all ranks for decades. The union also dubbed it professional courtesy.

WTF?!

This is entitlement in the worst sense of the word. Law enforcement has been entrusted with a sacred mission – to protect the innocent, enforce the law AS IT IS WRITTEN, and resist all temptation to abuse the power given them. Instead, this group has chosen to present itself as ABOVE THE LAW. First, they support a system of patronage and privilege that is flat out wrong. Then, when they are subject to the system of justice they’ve sworn to protect, they do everything in their power to prevent that system from moving forward! They tell the people that they arrest to trust in the justice system. However, when the tide is turned, they have no faith in that system. And, instead of protecting the innocent, they use their power and influence to bully and intimidate. This is totally UNACCEPTABLE. In fact, it’s more than that. It’s INEXCUSABLE.

Even though we acknowledge the humanity of those in law enforcement, we must hold them to a higher standard. We must have a police force whose members believe whole heartedly in the slogan that is emblazoned across most police cars in this country: TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE. This sense of entitlement that has been exhibited by these police officers in the Bronx is shameful and counter-productive to good community policing. The public must KNOW that those charged to protect them are not above the law and have the PUBLICS’ best interests at heart, and not their own.

Photo of the Day

Downtown Haverstraw, NY on a snowy night.

F. LoBuono/ all rights reserved

Social Commentary: Occupy Wall St./Still More

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the park, here are some statistics that will only add more fuel to the fire sparked by the Occupy Wall St. demonstrations which are now well into their second month:

The top 1% of wage earners in the US increased their wealth by 275% in the last year.

Exxon Mobile reported a 3rd Quarter profit of $10.3 Billion, an increase of 41% over last year.

The aggregate Student Loan Debt in this county is approaching $1 Trillion, or more than all the Credit Card Debt combined.

OK. So, now who are you going to believe is telling the truth about economics in the country - the whacked out hippies and malcontents at Zuccotti Park and around the country, or the suits on Wall St.?

WAKE THE F' UP AMERICA!

Stop buying the line of shit offered to you by those who support massive, powerful companies like Exxon Mobil. Of course, all corporations are not ALL bad, at least not all of the time. In fairness, they are not only expected to make a profit, they are completely ENTITLED to make a profit. But NEVER forget: THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ALL CORPORATIONS IS THEIR BOTTOM LINE!!

End corporate greed now!

How? By not supporting candidates who support BIG BUSINESS by promising to gut the EPA and remove virtually ALL other regulatory agencies that would impose checks and balances on BIG BUSINESS. They are thick as thieves. You know who you are. And, now, so do we! They must not win election. They shall not win election. Balance must be restored.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Photo Gallery for Today: Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp promotes The Rum Diary at the Red Carpet Premiere staged at The Museum of Modern Art on W.53rd St. The Rum Diary is based on an unpublished manuscript by the legendary father of Gonzo Journalism, Hunter S. Thompson. Depp, a close personal friend of Thompson found the manuscript and convinced him to have it made into a film. It has become sort of a tribute by Depp to his friend. Thompson died in February, 2005.

Do you think he has a way with the ladies?!

He stopped for every crew - and there were many!

How cool is he?

From my perspective.

He had an interesting sense of style.

He answered every question thoughtfully.

It can't be easy!

Thought for the Day

Have you ever wished that there was something you could say that would make everything all right? I believe that there is. And we have a word for it. It's called the truth. Telling the truth, ultimately, is ALWAYS the right thing to do, even when it may cause us, or others, pain. But, in the end, the pain subsides, the darkness passes, and the light returns.

Yay, brothers and sisters, the truth shall set you free . . . if it doesn't kill you first.

Creative Writing: Not Just Another Cat Story.

This is another BIG RED story. Those who read the blog know the legend of BIG RED. He's the feral cat who hopped through an open living room window of my old apartment in Nyack. I tried to get rid of him for a week - unsuccessfully! That was nearly 17 years ago. He has been a pleasure every single day of those 17 years. He has been with me longer than any other living thing except my parents. And if he keeps going the way he's going now, he will break that record, too! He's getting a little senile and his hearing is starting to fail him. As soon as the heat comes up in the radiators, he heads for a long nap on the make-shift bed we made for him on top of two of them . All the heat rising must feel great on those old bones! When he wants to go out, come in, or get attention in general, he lets out this horrific screeching nose that sounds a little like a WWII air raid siren. It DOES get your attention. He hates grooming. He always hated grooming himself or to be groomed, but he's pretty much abandoned it as a practice. So, he looks pretty ratty lately. But he eats like a horse and craps like one, too! He still insists on going outside for at least a portion of the little time he is actually awake (LOL!). He still hunts! He brought a delicious, plump mole to share with me just the other day. He's never been a "lap" cat but he has always been very social and still makes sure to greet every visitor to the house. And he was always affectionate without being "clingy". Now, as ages, he's much more willing to snuggle up next to you on the couch or on the bed. He spreads it around, too, spending time with everyone in the house.

OK. So you're saying to yourselves, "but my cat is like that, too. So, why isn't this just another cat story"? Well, I have had animals my whole life: dogs, cats, mice, rabbits, turtles, fish, salamanders, frogs, and so on (although I don't think I ever actually had a hamster!). And, from the great to the small, they have all rewarded me in some way. But, I think that, naturally, some have effected me more than others. Like ALL relationships there are those that touch us most deeply. This is one of them. When I looked at BIG RED walking across the living room floor the other day, I couldn't help but smile broadly and think about how important that stupid cat is to me. I asked myself "why"? It gave me an opportunity to think about some of the things that I value in all rewarding relationships. And mine with BIG RED remains one of most.

First, he is steadfast and loyal. He has always had a strong sense of who he is and what place he occupies in our social structure. Some might say that role is as "King" but that's not entirely true. He is secure in his role as one of "us". He often lets us know that we are important to him. When you don't see him right away, we know we never have to go far to look for him. He never strays far from his family. And he's always been that way. He is independent. Even at nearly 17, he ventures into our yard to both hunt and fend off rivals. Sometimes, because of his age, I am reluctant to let him out at certain times. But he won't take "no" for an answer. He's always gone outside and I'm sure that he will until he just can't anymore. BIG RED is never violent but never takes any shit from anybody. If strangers get a little too familiar with him, he will give ample warning (usually by whining or groaning!) for them to back off before he strikes. Male rivals who dare to venture into his territory must face his wrath! He's no pushover.But I don't need a full hand to count the number of times he has lost his temper with me. He is always patient and has an intuitive understanding when you need to hold him.

Perhaps, most importantly, it's BIG RED'S approach to life on a daily basis that teaches me the most. He is constant. He has such a strong sense of being just what he is: THE BIG RED CAT. He knows his place in the world and is completely comfortable with it. It's a good role, a strong role, a complete role. He has fulfilled his mission, continues to and will to the day he dies. He has what the French call joie de vivre. Although self explanatory, it also has a deeper, nuanced meaning. I think that meaning is: do the best you can for as long as you can and enjoy every minute of it.

When BIG RED broke his leg badly a little over a year ago, I thought that he was certainly a "goner". After all, he was pushing 16 with a shattered leg. He would never recover. He was in a cast for nearly 10 weeks but he never gave up. He never lost that joie de vivre. I marveled at his ability to adapt. When he first came home from the doctor's, he was afraid to move at all. But after a few days I watched him struggle to his feet and, eventually, drag the cast as he moved his other three legs. He looked a little like Boris Korloff in The Mummy. He dragged that leg around for weeks. After a few weeks, he found that he could be even a little more mobile if he swung the leg with cast in time with the movement of his other legs. With that movement he could even climb the stairs! After a few more weeks of that, he could walk almost normally if not, of course, due to the hard cast, stiff legged! Eventually, the cast came off and he had to learn to walk normally again. Starting slowly, he eventually built up the strength in his leg to the point where, after a few weeks, he was walking totally normally. Today, there is virtually no sign of his injury what-so-ever. Both physically and emotionally, it's like it never happened. I know of many other instances among older animals and people who would have given up. But not him. BIG RED never really missed a beat.

I know that someday I will lose him. Even BIG RED cannot escape the inevitable. But until that day comes, I will continue to learn to live within myself. A BIG LESSON learned from A BIG RED CAT.

Social Commentary: Occupy Wall St./More

While in conversation with some friends at my favorite, Friday night watering hole (The River Club in Nyack, NY), enjoying my favorite cocktail (a CC Manhattan), made by my favorite bartender (Pete), and not having been raptured (again!), I found the topic of Occupy Wall St. once again to be the most popular. It has become a movement that just won't go away. To the contrary, it, in fact, seems to be growing in influence daily. Despite the fact that right wing extremists deride the protesters as left wing extremists who can't, or won't, hold down a job, more and more so-called Main St. Americans are hearing their message.

During the course of our discussion the questions were asked, "what is the message" and "what do they ultimately hope to accomplish"? Comments like "if they are not part of the solution, then they are part of the problem" were made. My response to these inquiries and comments is direct, and, yes, somewhat crass. In my mind, their message is a simple as it is universal. They are telling BIG BUSINESS (which IMHO happens to be the root of most of, if not ALL, evil in this country):

STOP PISSING ON OUR HEADS AND TELLING US IT'S RAINING!

For far too long in this country, and around the world, government has been in bed with BIG BUSINESS. Why? Because the MONEY from BIG BUSINESS is what gets the politicians elected! It's a known fact; the politicians with the biggest "War Chests" almost invariably get elected. Where do you think they get the money from - mom and pops beloved?! Shit, no they don't. They get it from BIG BUSINESS. And this creates a vicious cycle, a sort of Catch 22. If you play ball with BIG BUSINESS, you get the money. If you get the money, you win the election. If you don't, you're fucked - never heard from again. This scenario always reminds of the steroid issue in the sport of Bodybuilding. The sad part about steroids is that they can be effective. The WILL make you bigger and stronger. So, with that in mind, a bodybuilder uses steroids. The other competitors do not. He gets to be the biggest and strongest and, so, wins the competition. The losers are left scratching their heads and wondering, "how'd he do that"? They find out the winner was doing steroids. Now they know that, to stay competitive, they must do steroids, too. Otherwise, they will lose and never be heard from again. And the point is to WIN. The pressure to remain at the top only increases. This creates a vicious cycle that has become almost impossible to break. It is the same in politics; those who play ball with BIG BUSINESS get the money to run their campaigns. It doesn't matter what that business is or how they conduct themselves. The money is all that matters. And, let me ask you this, do you think that those BIG BUSINESSES are giving a politician all that money out of the goodness of their hearts? If you believe that I have a few bridges to sell you!! No, they do it out of self-interest. They do it to make the politicians more sympathetic to their needs. This requires some return on that "investment", usually involving the creation of some legislation that rewards that business with some contract that allows them to make more money to buy more politicians to make them more money. Get it? Catch 22. BIG BUSINESS only gets BIGGER while the rest of us get screwed! Those politicians who attempt to get elected without the help of BIG BUSINESS get mauled in the elections and are never heard of again. Play with us and your in. If you don't, you're gone.

This creates a culture of greed, self-interest, and corruption. And it has gone on for far too long. I don't care if you are a Republican, a Democrat, a Tea Partier, or an Independent, we ALL must stand up to end this culture of entitlement based on wealth. I've said it before and I'm saying it again, don't fall for the line of shit being offered by BIG BUSINESS and the cronies that support them. They DON'T have your best interests at heart. They have their own self-interest to worry about. And that interest is MAKING MONEY ABOVE ALL ELSE. If it serves their interest to create jobs, they'll create jobs. If it serves their interest to cut jobs, then "goodbye" jobs.

When is everyone going to stop mocking Occupy Wall St. and understand this? This is their message and their mantra. WAKE UP people and take the bull by the balls and end this vicious and immoral cycle. Stop being afraid of these people just because many of them are different!! Ultimately, we all want the same thing: a chance to succeed on a level playing field. We've been given the opportunity and it's up to us to take full advantage of it. If you don't, you'd better get a big umbrella to avoid the piss that is sure to continue to rain down on your head.

Photo Gallery for Today: Haverstraw, NY

Scenes from BRICKTOWN, NY, a.k.a. Haverstraw. See text below.

Photos by Frank and Cat LoBuono. All Rights reserved.

Cat at one of her favorite places in town - the little Spanish bakery on Main St., of course!

"I think I'll have this one"! "Or, maybe, that one"!

So much to choose from!

I love the barbershops in town. There are many, considering the size of the village. And they are always busy - even late on a Saturday night like it is here! They seem to be a crucial social center in town.

And love the neon!

Cat's photos taken from inside Antoine-McGuire's looking out across Main St.

Damn that's good! Another pint in Antoine-McGuire's

Cat says, "talk to the hand"!

Cat and our friend, Paul, seem deep in conversation over a few pints at Antoine's

"No pictures please"! Too late!!! Having fun inside Antoine McGuire's

Scenes from Bricktown, a.k.a. Haverstraw, NY. Located along the banks of the Hudson, Haverstraw was once the brick-making capital of the US. Most of NYC's brick homes, built in the mid 19th Century through the early 20th, are made from Haverstraw brick. It was also the site of a devastating, man-made disaster when so much mud was removed from the Hudson River banks to make the bricks that whole homes and families were consumed by the giant sink hole created by all the digging. It's a fascinating, old, and, yes, sometimes, worn-out Hudson River village to live in. You can find out more about Haverstraw by going to this FaceBook site:

Haverstraw-Our Hometown

Photo of the Day

Rainy Night

Columbus Circle, looking East. Taken from the Rose Theater of Lincoln Center inside the Time-Warner Building.

F. LoBuono All Rights Reserved

Photo of the Day

Best Buddies. Jeremiah and Big Red.

Social Commentary: Occupy Wall St./Day 30

Monday, October 17, 2011

Zuccotti Park, Lower Manhattan

When I drew my assignment to return to Zuccotti Park for coverage of the Occupy Wall St. protests, I was once again ambivalent. I've been there about a half-dozen times already and wasn't sure what else we could say about it that was unique. We really don't do "human interest" stories but stick mostly to hard news. So, with this in mind, it is a bit more difficult to find a truly unique story nearly every day. Plus, and I do want to be fair and clear on this, so many of the people are so eccentric that it can be more difficult to get a truly usable, coherent interview than people realize! Still, and certainly visually, there is SO march going on in the park that it's hard to MISS a story. From what I have witnessed, the crowds in the park remain large, vocal, and steadfast about being there. The diversity of the crowd has grown and, with that diversity, a vast array of POV's and causes are being voiced. It really is quite remarkable.

I was there in the first week and have now been there for the fourth, and I have seen no sign of this thing faltering or wavering. In fact, the over-all success (I abhored the violence in Rome) of this weekend's world-wide solidarity marches only bolstered Occupy Wall St.'s position.

Although resonating with so many people, they have to get beyond the preaching to the choir stage. By that I mean that they have been effective in reaching their core demographic. Now they have to use that base to attack the head; the corporations whose greed far exceeds their contributions to either the economy or society. Let me elucidate. While channel surfing late last night (waiting for South Park re-runs, of course!) I came across the wonderfully comic and acerbic The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His guest was investigative reporter Ellen Schultz who was there to promote her new book, Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit . . . The book basically states the case that large corporations (she names names in the book) have legally but immorally plundered and largely mismanaged their employee retirement funds into the ground. The book claims that these companies have managed (or MISMANAGED) these funds from a multi-billion dollar surplus to struggling to survive. And, of course, the COMPANIES claim that it is the unrealistic pension demands of the workers and unions causing the problems while not revealing that BILLIONS of dollars of workers' pension money was put aside to create golden parachute compensation packages for departing executives!! Did you know that the COMPANIES can legally use their workers' pension fund to purchase life insurance on each worker and claim itself as the beneficiary?! And it's perfectly legal. And there's more, much more. (Please Google Ms. Schultz or the book by its title for more detailed information).

WTF?! This is exactly the kind of shit that Occupy Wall St. is fighting against! People have to get beyond the drum circles, the jugglers, the face-painters and see the MESSAGE for what it really is: virtually ALL working people are being taken advantage of in ways they'll never know. Large corporations will tell you that by providing jobs, they are providing a true public service. Large companies drive the economy. Of course, this is true in part, but make no mistake about it:companies are motivated by self-interest. And that self-interest is motivated by profit. And when that is your prime motivation, then you are susceptible to the most base of human emotion: GREED. Ultimately, by the very nature of the word business their mission is TO BE PROFITABLE. And the more PROFITABLE YOU ARE, the more SUCCESSFUL you are judged. Put two and two together and you realize that this can only lead to abuse of the system. And it has. We have to change the mind set of profit over people. Yes, PROFIT is good, but PEOPLE are better. This is my message.

These people in the park, despite their many eccentricities are on YOUR side! They are saying that it's time for ALL of us to wake up and stop this corporate madness! Unless you are the CEO or other top executive of a Fortune 500 Company (LOOK at the name "Fortune"), it is in YOUR best interest to do so!

Here are some of the most recent photos that I made at the park:

The NYPD is vigilant but I have not witnessed any abuse by them.

Interesting POV!

As I said, DIVERSE causes.

Another.

And another.

All Kinds.

The "library" that has been set up in the park.

The view down Liberty St. from Broadway.

Thought for the Day

When thinking about what the international phenomenon Occupy Wall St. has become, I tried to define in my own head what their core message was trying to convey. They have been criticized for a lack of focus and direction. Do they really even have a message. But I believe that they do have a strong message that has resonated with people not only from all over the U.S. but the world, as well. It came to me this way:

Our system of government has evolved to the state of power OVER people. It's time we returned power TO the people.

This is not some scatter brained, liberal leaning, pot smoking, Hunter S. Thompson reading, drum beating, group chanting fantasy! This is reality. We need to return a balance to our society, where the 1% have an unfair and a disproportionate amount of influence over the lives of the remaining 99%. This is not only inequitable, it is unsustainable. The inequity is obvious. The unsustainablity is evidenced by the presence and growth of Occupy Wall St. and the other international movements it has spawned. World-wide, people are mad as hell, and they're not going to take it anymore! (Thank you Network)

Many people fear that this will lead to the dreaded socialism! This is a word that is anathema for members of The Party of No. But I don't see this movement in that light at all, at least not ultimately. What they are more likely to truly want is a balanced and fair minded society where hard work is still ultimately rewarded but everyone has the opportunity to achieve those rewards. NO ONE, despite their so-called justifications of "self-reliance and free enterprise" deserves to earn extraordinary amounts of money on the backs of so-called ordinary people!

I am a self-made man. My wife is a self-made woman. And, after struggling for many years, we have done well lately. We're not anxious to throw our money away needlessly. But we are willing to give it to the right things for the the right reasons (as we see them). We believe that EVERYONE who can contribute, should contribute. This is what a great society does. But as we find out on almost a daily basis, this is not the case. Not everyone who can contribute, does. Far too many of those who are the richest and, therefore, the most powerful, find ways of contributing the least. And, I think that just about everyone (including Tea Partiers), with the exception of most Republicans, are starting to agree that this has gone on for far too long. At least that's what Occupy Wall St. and, because of what they started, millions of others around the world are insisting be changed. It has to.

Social Commentary: Occupy Wall St.

10/13/11

Occupy Wall St.

In the days following the Civil War, a young black man approached Frederick Douglass on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. With all due reverence the young man asked Mr. Douglass what he, as a young black man, could do to help the cause of his race. Douglass replied "agitate young man, agitate".

Zuccotti Park, Lower Manhattan

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to cover the Occupy Wall St. protests that have been held in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. During that time, I’ve managed to observe the demonstrators from both a distant and intimate perspective.

When I first drew the assignment to cover the protests for TV news, I have to admit that I was less than thrilled. I saw it for the long hours I would be spending in the streets, shooting and interviewing a bunch of clueless, young, wannabe hippies! I felt that it was nothing more than another one of the many small, ineffective protests waged by mostly deranged people that I had seen so many times picketing and chanting in front of the NYSE. In fact, I was so negative about it that my wife chastised me for being an “old fuddy duddy”! She reminded me that we were once very much like those clueless, wannabe hippies, trying to end the war in Vietnam and change the world. And, if they REALLY believe in what they’re doing, they just might succeed. They certainly should not be mocked for their efforts. Quite to the contrary, they should be lauded. As usual, in time, I came to see that she was completely right. As the hours went by in my duties covering the event, I would do what I always do with a story: let it unfold and let the story tell itself.

These are my observations and subsequent conclusions.

First, many of the protesters ARE clueless, young wannabe hippies. Many are there simply because it’s a happening i.e. an opportunity to party, join in drum circles, participate in group chanting, and create what can only be described as a carnival atmosphere. There are jugglers. There are gymnastics. There is face painting. And, I’m reasonably sure, there is even some drug use going on (on the streets on NYC? Oh, no!). However, I must admit that I did not observe any drug use first hand. But this type of behavior is not unique to Occupy Wall St. In fact, this behavior can be observed at virtually any gathering of mostly young people. Its purpose is to create harmless bonding.

A few of the participants that we interviewed were genuinely not what one would call stable personalities? We spoke with one middle-aged woman who said that she once owned an employment agency that specialized in placing architects. Because of the faltering economy she was forced to close her business. The reporter and I thought “bingo” this is the type of interview that would lend gravitas to our story. Suddenly, in mid-interview, the woman changed gears and started telling us that things got really bad for her when “the actress Mercedes Rule put a contract out on my life”. End of interview! But large, popular gatherings like this always attract people who live beyond societies norms. Let’s face it; many of these people were there in the first place because they are genuinely marginalized by society. (Some are just more marginal than others) It’s one of the main issues being voiced by the protesters. They want to create a more inclusive society and a truer democracy.

When you think about it, the protesters are democracy in action. They have become the voice of change. What started out with a small group of mostly students in NYC has grown to become a movement of hundreds of thousands, spread out in cities all over the country. The group claims to represent the “99%” of the population that carries the burden for this country while the remaining 1% lavishes themselves with the rewards. The big “rap” on the organization is that is does nothing more than “whine” about our troubles without offering any solutions. As recently as the other day, former President Bill Clinton, who generally supports the movement, jumped on that bandwagon by claiming that “it’s easy to complain but much harder to resolve” (my quotes). Well, as my wife so insightfully said to me when I gave her that same argument, “it’s not the protesters’ job to resolve the issues. That’s up to the lawmakers and legislators, etc. It’s their job to bring light to these issues in the most significant way possible. And that they have done”. And, once again, she’s right! They are the Howard Beals of Network fame, collectively screaming “WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE”!

And so far, it seems they have struck a cord with that 99%! The protest has continued for nearly a month and shows no sign of weakening. In fact, it strengthens daily. As recently as this morning (10/14/11), the group flexed its new found muscle when it “altered” the City’s plans to remove them from the park so that it could be cleaned. Zuccotti Park is privately owned and is usually cleaned daily. It had not been cleaned since the protesters began their vigil in the park. Claiming unsanitary conditions, the owners asked the city to clear the park for that purpose. The protesters would be allowed to return to the park after the cleaning but would not be allowed to re-erect tents or bring sleeping bags into the park. Many people, not just protesters, saw this is a veiled attempt to break the momentum of the protest. Well, it failed!! In a brilliant move of democracy in action, a compromise was reached (THE PARTY OF NO – please take note) which would allow the park to stay “occupied” by the protesters indefinitely: First, the group mobilized and thoroughly cleaned the park. And, next, and, perhaps most importantly, they organized a campaign, mostly using the Internet, to flood NYC officials’ email with a petition consisting of over 350,000 names from ALL OVER THE COUNTRY in support of Occupy Wall St. and calling for a moratorium on the removal of the protesters. As he has from the beginning, NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg supported the First Amendment and, so long as the public good was generally served by the presence of the protesters in he park, no laws were broken, and area businesses were respected, Occupy Wall St. can continue un-interrupted at Zuccotti Park.

There is perception and there is reality. Many people still see this group as, mostly, a bunch of filthy hippies. As in all things, there is some truth to that. If you choose to, you could “classify” some of them as hippies. Some of them are indigent and, so, may not practice the best hygiene. A producer in the studio asked me if it really smelled there, implying a lack of sanitary conditions. I said, “of course it does, it’s on Broadway and it smells like Broadway ALWAYS smells, terrible”! It really had nothing to do with the people in the park. But, in reality, I also met unemployed construction workers from Boston and businessmen from New York. There were grandmothers and grandfathers. I saw ethnicities of EVERY type. There were many families with children participating. Meals were organized. Speeches and marches were scheduled. Volunteers formed sanitation committees. Schools made field trips to the site to see this democracy in action firsthand.

From what I have seen during my time there, it is entirely inclusive. It MUST remain inclusive. That’s the POINT these people are trying to make. We’ve lost touch with that concept. And they are trying to reclaim this right as Americans. In many ways (and god help for saying this!) they are the liberal incarnation of The Tea Party. They, too, want to reclaim the country for the people. Their goals are similar, as are some of their methods, but the base remains far apart. IMHO The Tea Party remains more exclusive while Occupy Wall St.’s goals seem more inclusive.

However, it’s worth noting that there is one thing both of these divergent organizations can agree on: the need for change in our way of governing. The true power must be returned to the hands of the people. And it could happen if we can find a way to harness the obvious dissatisfaction that we ALL feel and turn into a force to be reckoned with! The Tea Party has, and continues to exert its influence on the American political scene. Well, now they have to make room for its muscular cousin – Occupy Wall St.

And, POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

It sure feels good to say that again.

Photo Gallery for Today: More Scenes from Zuccotti Park

Here are some faces and scenes from Occupy Wall St.'s continuing demonstration at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan (10/11/11). As you can tell from these and the other photos that I have made in and around the park, the demonstration is being powered mostly, but not exclusively, by young people. I admire their grit, determination, and their fervent desire to make the world a better place. More to come!

all photos by F LoBuono. All rights reserved.

Young and old alike are participating.

Pretty accurate, don't you think?!

Huddled masses!

Prophetic.

A sign for everyone!

Young people pitching in, creating a community.

Doesn't this one really symbolize what this is all about?!

People of all ages are speaking out!

The NYPD did a good job of allowing the demonstrators freedom of movement but kept lower Manhattan functioning at the same time. They do it on foot and by scouter!

Occasionally, the demonstrators would break into an impromptu march like this one up Broadway.