Today's MOZEN: The Subtlety of Racism

Words and photo by F LoBuono

My ancestors are Sicilian - on both sides. My mother's family comes from a small, baroque village in the eastern part of the island, San Salvatore di Fitalia. My father's village is an ancient town in the west near Palermo and is called Lercare Friddi. Both of these villages are rich in culture and history.

Whenever I tell someone that I am of Sicilian ancestry, I often get a strange response. I believe people think that what they are saying to me is funny without really thinking about it. They will ask something like, do you know how close Sicily is to Africa? Or, you know, you probably have "black" blood in you or Arab blood. Really? This is the subtlety of racism. So subtle that they are not even aware how downright insulting that is. The implication is that you are somehow inferior because of  "black genes" somewhere in your background.  And, I've heard this not only from other nationalities but Italians, as well. My response is always one of "polite indignation": I explain to them that I have the best genes possible - those of poets, scholars, adventurers, lovers, warriors and conquerors.  And, some of those people may have even been black*!

In a sense, they might as well have called me nigger! Because, deep in their hearts, that's what they think. I have heard these insults my whole life and I still do (it recently happened again) - and, yet, although dark skinned, I am white. I can only imagine what people of real color must endure. I am sure that when it's not blatant, it is nuanced. But, it is almost always THERE.

Because we have a mixed-race President, people are saying that there is little, if any, racism left in this Country. Well, having experienced it personally, even on the most subtle level, I can tell you that racism is indeed alive and well. If I can feel it as a Sicilian (yes, my skin is dark), I'm sure that our President has encountered it on many occasions in the past. I think that he still does and that it is the single greatest obstacle to his presidency.

Have race relations improved in the last fifty years? Why, yes, they have. Are we now living in a diverse society where race plays NO role? Hardly. We experience it every day, each of us in our own way. Racism is not always loud and obvious. Sometimes, we are the objects of a racism so subtle that it is hardly noticed. Others are the purveyors of such "quiet"racism that they hardly even notice that they are practicing it (like the comments of Sicily being close to Africa). It's an insidious force that creeps into our everyday lives and becomes entrenched in our psyches.

I believe that the current protests around the Country, inspired by the recent deaths of young black men at the hands of white police officers, are a result of an awakening to the sting of racism. The police maintain that the killings were not racially motivated and were justified. Obviously, not everyone believes that. Certainly, on a daily basis, the police do a difficult and dangerous job. The great majority of them do it well. However, their current actions have drawn enough attention to the issue of race and the police, and policing in general, as to dominate our national conversation. There are just too many people involved for this to be an anomaly. But, this should not be looked as an indictment of the police. It is as an opportunity to heal, deal with the issues, and move one, leaving racism behind us. Subtlety.


* The patron saint of my mother's village is San Cologero, a Moor.

Today's MOZEN: Catch 22

I have no tolerance for intolerance. Does that make me self loathing?

Short Story: The Dream

Words and photo by F LoBuono

He was pudgy with the kind of soft body created by years of having other people do all the hard lifting for him. Anything physical was not so much beneath his dignity as it was for the fact that he lacked the discipline to push himself to be more fit. Soft and lazy. All of that goo was covered in a perfectly tailored, blue pinstriped suit, and was capped by an equally fleshy face. His hair was red and perfectly trimmed, his eyes a piercing blue.

Despite the fact that I had repeatedly asked him not to do so, he get pointing his finger in my face with a look of indignity on his. He stood close enough for me to smell an overabundance of after shave - part of a businessman's good grooming, I suppose. The more I asked him to stop, the more he insisted on pointing that damned fat finger in my face.

Although committed to nonviolence, this guy was really pissing me off. I felt my blood rising. My temples were pounding.  His appearance, his demeanor, his very presence was contrary to everything that I stood for. He was a all sound and fury, signifying nothing. He may have felt superior, but he was not! I wasn't going to take it much longer. And I didn't. After one, final poke, I lost it. I have a fierce temper and the monster within me could no longer be contained. I just exploded.

With both hands, I reached for and grabbed him around the neck. I began to clamp down on his throat. I am not a big man but I have incredibly strong hands. When anyone needs a stuck jar top opened, I'm the guy that they turn to. Now, those hands were firmly locked around his throat and I started to squeeze. Vice-like, tighter and tighter I gripped. The muscles and tendons in my forearms contracted like steel cables. The veins in my neck began to bulge. My teeth were clenched, my eyes narrow and focused. My only thought was to apply more and more pressure. And I did.

He was powerless to stop me. I kept squeezing - tighter and tighter. As I did, he began to fall backwards, my hands still firmly clamped around his throat. I did not let go and followed him all the way to the ground. Still, I would not release my death grip. Then, my eyes met his. I saw a look of terror come over him. We had both reached the point of no return. He knew that his life was in serious jeopardy and he was powerless to prevent it. It filled him with a palpable fear. I could see it clearly. In fact, it was so strong, I could practically smell it. And the more frightened he became, the more powerful I felt. I was in control - not him. And, quite frankly, it felt good. Years of pent up frustrations were coursing through my body and into my hands - literally. I kept squeezing. I would not stop. I could not stop. He would know MY power!

Then, I woke up.

Today's MOZEN: Christmas, 2014

Words and photo by F LoBuono

Most of you have seen him before - Rex, a.k.a. Chowderhead (the not-so-flattering nickname I gave him to describe his mental capacity). He is my most photogenic and gentle giant. He was a shelter rescue so we don't know his exact age. We were told he was about two when we adopted him. We've had him for about eight years now. So, he is approaching his twilight years. Considering his age and his size (he's a BIG guy, around 120 lbs.), he is in excellent health.

Rex is also a most gentle, patient creature, giving love back every time that he gets it (you can tell by his reaction to the many compromising positions I photograph him in). And, he does so to all regardless of age, color, sex, religious affiliation, or other condition. If you love him, he will love you back, unconditionally. Anyone who has owned a dog knows exactly what I'm talking about. There is a purity about it that makes me envious. I want to be like that - to give love without reservation.

In other words, he is the living embodiment of the Christmas Spirit. We could all use a little more of that in our lives - not only for the Holidays but EVERYDAY.

Me, Rex, and all of those who have contributed to TalkFrank though out the year wish you all, peace, prosperity, health, happiness, and, above all else, LOVE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today's MOZEN: Reject Violence 12/21/2014

Words and Photo by F LoBuono

I detest violence in all its forms. I reject it. I condemn it. There is no place for it. No excuses. Violence degrades the abuser to the same degree as the abused. There are no winners - no real victors, for the victims are never truly vanquished. Violence simply perpetuates hate in a never ending cycle of revenge.

Often, compassion is mistaken for weakness. However, those that do so make a grave mistake, for the opposite is true. It takes the greatest of courage to reject anger, hate, violence, and brutality, especially in the face of those who would so gladly inflict it upon us. The easy way is to strike back and hit them even harder! But, do not yield to that flash of anger. The more difficult choice is to reject that impulse.  Understand the anger within you and then place where it belongs - somewhere that monster can do no harm.

If we believe that, ultimately, good triumphs over evil, we must also know that this is not a scenario that just happens just by itself. We have to help it along the way by reaching a level of compassion where love always triumphs over hate. People will laugh and say that this way of thinking is the worst kind of naivety: the meek will NOT inherit the earth - they will be beheaded! However, if this is the case why do we bother with morality, spirituality, and divinity? It's always been strange to me that the people usually most vocal in calling for revenge and espousing hate are the ones who consider themselves "religious". The whole point of religion and morality is to become, in a sense, divine. Christians strive to become Christlike. Buddhists yearn to be come the Buddha, and so on. And the way to become so is to value love above all else.

It's never easy and I have more questions than answers. I know that fanatics like ISIS must be stopped. Yes, sometimes, we must fight - literally. But, even then, we must reject brutality. We must understand that nothing happens in a vacuum. Our enemies' hate is a response to our own and so on and so forth! To reject violence in the end is the only way to break the cycle. The question remains; who will have the courage to do so first?

Today's MOZEN. The Festival of Lights. 12/19/2014

Words by F LoBuono

As of this writing, we are in the midst of Hanukkah, a.k.a. the Jewish Festival of Lights. Its origins and traditions are ancient, dating back to the Second Century, B.C. Basically, it celebrates the victory of the Jews, led by the Maccabees, over their Greek-Syrian oppressors. The great Temple of Solomon, the symbol of the Jewish people, once destroyed by their enemies, was rebuilt and rededicated with the lighting of the Menorah, or ceremonial oil lamp. Originally, there was only enough oil for the lamp to burn for just one day. However, miraculously, the lamp burned for eight days - enough time to locate and secure more sacred to oil to burn, theoretically, forever.

This year, however, it seems so hard to find the light. Fanaticism, cruelty, barbarity, and greed seem to be in ready supply while kindness, compassion, wisdom, and generosity are sorely lacking. Recently, the barbaric ISIS murdered, in the coldest of blood, over one hundred and thirty school children in Pakistan. How can we turn away? How can we not be ANGRY and OUTRAGED? Atrocities like this make it easier to be hard. Easier to say no. We feel that it makes us less vulnerable. We think that the only way to end cruelty is with inflicting even greater, more vicious attrocities on our enemies. But, does meeting this brutality with even more brutality really make us better or even safer? This question came clearly into focus with the Senate's recent report of the use of torture by the US on those we consider enemies of the State.

ISIS needs to be stopped. Their level of cruelty has no place in the world. However, meeting their level of barbarity with an equal or greater amount of our own will solve nothing. We must find a way to finally stop the never ending cycle of violence. Remember, nothing happens in a vacumn. They hurt us. We hurt them even worse. And on and on. Therefore, to accomplish this, it will take a new way of thinking - one that transcends our baser needs for revenge and blood letting. We must step out of the darkness of hate and anger and into the light of acceptance and kindness. It brings to mind a friend's posting that I saw on Facebook. It was written in celebration of  The Festival of Lights:

You cannot chase away darkness with a stick. You have to turn on the light. The way to eliminate darkness - to rid the world of ignorance, negativity, hatred and greed - is to kindle the lights of knowledge, generosity, hope, and love.

Chag Sameach

Today's Photo Gallery: Winter Blues

Photos by F LoBuono. All rights reserved.

Today's MOZEN: The Devil Rules The Day 12/10/2014

Photo Stephen Crowley, NYT. Words F LoBuono

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/opinion/the-senate-report-on-the-cias-torture-and-lies.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

The report, to me, is simply heartbreaking. Read it and weep. Literally.

I've tried to put myself in the shoes of those, like then-CIA Director George Tenet. I realize that they were under enormous pressure to get information. We were attacked. People died. Many more could. They became desperate. Still, with all that said, they let darkness rule the day. They committed every heinous act that we castigate our "godless" enemies for doing! And, ultimately, they knew that these techniques, no matter how you twist the lexicon to sanitize them, were ineffective. Research has shown that. The report concludes the same. And many innocent people were brutalized, as well. It is contrary to everything we are supposed to stand for as a Nation, united.

My father was a combat veteran of WWII. He was always real about his service. He was very proud and often said it was the best time of his life. However, he also never hid the horrors of war and often said to me, "Frankie, in war, no one wears a white hat". I understand man's heart of darkness. When it comes to the brutality of war, there are no "rules". But, if we allow ourselves to yield to that mind set, there can be, in the end, no victory - only death and degradation - in an endless cycle of violence. It will never end because IT IS INEFFECTIVE.

I could quote the dozens of profound statements from Gandhi, MLK, the Buddha, the Christ, etc. -you've seen them all. However, if we don't LIVE them, they are meaningless.

I fear the devil has been unleashed and, if we don't change now to confront him, he will rule the day.

Today's MOZEN: By The Numbers 12/8/2014

Words by F LoBuono

I recently posted some statistics concerning the most dangerous jobs in America. I used it to make a point. That point has been made to some but missed by others. I'll break them down further and then attempt to make my point one more time. In 2013, 27 policemen were killed by felony assault. A TOTAL of 105 police officers died while on line of duty. These incidents include accidents, heart attacks, etc. By comparison, during the same period of time, 268 FARMERS died on the job. 485 TRUCKERS lost their lives. And, at #1, 721 MINERS perished on their jobs. I present these FACTS NOT to denigrate ANYONE but to uplift EVERYONE!! All life matters.

Today's Photo Gallery: The Streets Of New York, Part 1

Photos by F LoBuono - all rights reserved

Today's MOZEN: Harmony 12/7/2014

Serpicat and Rex. Cat and Dog. Black and White. In harmony.
Words and photo by F LoBuono

Now is the winter of our discontent . . . 
Shakespeare begins Richard III with that ominous line. First published in 1594, it has never rang more true than it does today. The people have taken to the streets to show their discontent with a legal system that, somehow, seems to be broken. Young men, particularly young black men, are being killed at an alarming rate by both the police and one another. And people are angry about it. Reminiscent of Peter Finch's legendary portrayal of TV news anchor Harold Beale's call to action in Paddy Chayefsky's seminal film Network, people are screaming, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore"! They will be heard. They must be heard.

This is a passionate debate with inflamed emotions on both sides of the argument. There are those who very much support the police and system, citing the fact that the great majority of men and women who serve to protect us do just that under often difficult and dangerous conditions. Then there are those who feel the system itself is corrupt and, therefore, anyone laboring under it enforces laws that are unjust and applied unequally.

One thing is certain; feelings have been rubbed raw. I know mine have and I'm sure that my comments have had the same effect on others. It's easy to get caught up in the passion. It's easy to get angry and allow emotion, rather than reason, rule the day. Yes, I have fallen into that trap - too often, in fact. When I stop, step back, take a breath, and actually THINK about what I may have just said or written, I often feel badly about it. It's not that I feel what I may have thought was not accurate but, rather, HOW I may have said it. And there within lies the problem.

On subjects as deeply felt as this one, the chances of actually changing another's mind are slim at best. However, if one resorts to pejoratives and personal attacks, not only does that task become impossible, it usually ends with both parties even further apart from where they originally began.

So, argue with passion and pride but leave the anger and hate behind, Remember:

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Today's MOZEN: The Blue Wall aka The Thin Blue Line

Words and photo by F LoBuono

The Grand Jury has spoken and no indictments will be issued for the death of Eric Garner. I was not part of that Grand Jury. I cannot know all of the evidence presented. From my understanding, the jury was convinced that the move to "subdue" Mr. Garner was not illegal; therefore, there will be no charges filed against the policeman who applied what appeared to be a "choke hold" to Mr. Garner. I will not argue that at this point. I would tend to agree that, under the circumstances, it would be difficult to prove that the police deliberately applied tactics that would cause Mr. Garner's death.

However, it still does not address the issue that Mr. Garner begged to be allowed to breathe eleven times--eleven--with his face smashed into the pavement--while other police and EMTs, including a supervisor, basically let him die. LET HIM DIE. This, to me, is the crux of the case and is INEXCUSABLE. Further, the comments I have read, particularly from ex-policemen, are HORRIBLE. One actually called Mr. Garner a "fat pig" and, basically said that he deserved to die. As long as the police maintain this attitude, there will be NO peace on the streets. By not "manning up" to their culpability, they continue to make themselves targets. When will they get this?

Respect is mutual. It cannot be a one-way street. Based on comments I have read recently, the police have forgotten that they are public servants. And it seems to grate on them when I point that out. I have also observed that many policemen that I know, current and retired, have a sense of entitlement. Because they do a tough and dangerous job, they believe that they are entitled to the label hero automatically. They want to be acknowledged as different, perhaps even above the average person. They want to be recognized for their service. Well, my friends, it doesn't work that way. We ALL have jobs to do. Some are, perhaps, more important (or dangerous) than others. But, in the end, we all do our jobs. And, I should point out that there are MORE dangerous jobs than that of policeman. Both construction work and truck driving, from the stand point of deaths while on the job, are more hazardous. MUCH more. Even waste removal is considered more dangerous. In fact, policing doesn't even make the Top Ten (neither does firefighting).* According to FBI statistics, twenty seven policemen were killed by felonious assault during 2013 (the total number who died while on duty is greater).  For perspective, during the same time period, at least seventy journalists were killed covering the news all over the world. So, throw that argument out the window.

Frank Serpcio, the corruption busting cop made famous by Al Pacino in the film, Serpcio, recently wrote an op-ed article for the New York Times (Oct. 23, 2014) stating that the police have not changed all that much from when he exposed the rampant corruption in the NYPD during the '60s and '70s. He was treated as a pariah by his fellow officers then and still is!! Why?? Because there is something called "The Blue Wall," which is an unwritten rule that one cop will not expose another even when that cop is BREAKING THE LAW. It is as inexcusable as it is frightening. If the police, with ALL of their power, will not control themselves, then who will?

Recently, I was having a beer at local establishment. The subject of the police, enforcement, corruption, and Frank Serpico was brought up. An ex-cop from the Bronx contributed this gem: "I thought Frank Serpico was a piece of shit then, and I still do. And all my cop friends feel the same way." Really? Many will say that he is in the minority. I am not so sure.

Look, I am not anti-cop. I'm anti BAD cop!! My father was in law enforcement for many years. I grew up around cops and guns. I spent many a Saturday afternoon at the police shooting range with my father and his comrades. He also taught me that right will always be right and wrong will always be wrong--and that applies to EVERYONE.

What the police do not seem to understand is that the more that they retreat behind THE BLUE WALL (aka The Thin Blue Line), the more they are condemned to stay there, out of touch with the people that they serve. With no JUSTICE, there can be no PEACE. A relationship built on MUTUAL respect between the people and the police is the only answer. Until that happens, the police will only make a tough job that much tougher.

*Ratings compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Today's MOZEN: Mind Power 12/2/2014

Words and photo by F LoBuono

The most important instrument in our lives is not the one found in our hands, but the one between our ears. 

Today's Photo Gallery: Alone But Not Lonely