What Would YOU Do?

 

What Would YOU Do?

It’s no secret to anyone who regularly reads this column or my other writing
that I take full advantage of my First Amendment constitutionally protected
right to speak my mind. And I am certainly not shy about my opinions,
particularly those about the current Trump administration. 
To say that I am critical would be a gross understatement. In fact, at times,
my opinions of him and his minions are downright scathing.

Yet, at the same time, when I watch others exercising the same rights that I
I am enjoying at this very moment being harassed, intimidated, beaten, and
even killed, I can’t help but think that if I was being threatened in the same way, would I still be as bold?

Of course, I’m thinking of the current situation in Minnesota, particularly
Minneapolis. In an effort to enforce President Trump’s draconian
immigration mass deportation policies, thousands of ICE agents have
descended on the city and state. People, American citizens, are being
attacked in the streets, their cars, places of business, schools, and even in
their homes. Use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and other so-called non-lethal
but very destructive methods have been used. And, yes, deadly force has
also been applied as seen in the death of Renee Nicole Good at the hands
of an ICE agent. It’s unconscionable.

And then there’s Iran. The few news reports making it out of the country
show shocking scenes of intense violence in the streets: thousands of
innocent, unarmed protestors clashing with heavily armed riot police and
government troops. Many have been killed on the spot while thousands of
others are scooped up in mass arrests, often to face torture, brutal
treatment, and even execution without trial or due process. Tens of
thousands have already been reported murdered by the Islamic Republic of
Iran. And even more cruelly, the families of those caught protesting are
targeted, too. It’s terrifying.

As a I sit at my keyboard in the relative comfort of my little office in my
modest home in a toney Hudson River village, with my two cars, my cats,
and my lovely partner, I can’t help but wonder how I would react if someone
“in authority” pounded on my front door. What if they said, “Mr. LoBuono,
you have been labeled an enemy of the state for your subversive writing.
You must come with us.” Would I actively resist? What if they threatened to
hurt my family, or take my house or the savings I worked so hard for so
many years to acquire?

As the saying goes, “talk is cheap.” What we’re talking about here is FAR
from that. In fact, we’re talking about losing everything. Now the hardcore
rebel in me, the admirer of Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson, Steve McQueen
and everything counterculture would say: Spit in their eyes! The moralist in
me would think of the stubborn resistance through the trials and sacrifices
made for the good of humankind by Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin
Luther King Jr.

Would I stand firm with these giants and make a stand? Or would self-
preservation win the day

I did not get to where I am in life easily. There was no silver spoon in my
mouth. My parents were working-class, first-generation Sicilian-Americans,
who taught me the value of a buck. And they also gave me a strong moral
compass. They both said that when a time of moral reckoning presents
itself, I would know exactly what to do. And, you know what? I knew
precisely what they meant. It would be a feeling more than a thought.
Still, I worked so hard to earn the physical trappings of a happy, successful
life. I began working as a young teenager and continued well into my
sixties. I went to a state university and paid for it myself. With virtually no
Background, I taught myself the necessary tools and found a home in the
TV production/news business, carving out a 40-plus year career with the
last 20 at CBS News. I made money. And I invested it. Successfully. I
worked hard AND I got lucky. But it did not come easily, so the same
should be said for its exit. And so here we are.

Could I easily give it up? The quick, honest answer is no. I mean, why
should I? No one ever gave me anything but a chance. But I can’t help but
hear my parents saying, “Frankie, when the time comes, you will.” I have not forgotten.

IF WE CAN KEEP IT

 

On Monday, September 17, 1787, as Benjamin Franklin was leaving the final session of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, a woman named Elizabeth Willing Powel shouted a question, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin replied at once and succinctly, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Franklin’s response was as much a warning as it was prophetic. And it has proven to be both: predicting the daunting challenge of keeping the republic for virtually all our nearly 250-year history as a country. And, perhaps, with the exception of the Civil War, that challenge has never been greater than it is right now. We all know the cost in blood America has paid to become and remain one.

With the recent, steady flow of disturbing developments from the Trump Administration, our very republic is being threatened daily. With every word the president speaks we are plunged deeper into division and chaos. While Mr. Trump condemns the Iranian government for attacking its own freedom-seeking citizens, he unleashed his goons, aka ICE agents, on our people in Minnesota and elsewhere. He is stealing oil from Venezuela. He threatened the sovereignty of Greenland and other independent nations. He has dodged releasing the Epstein files. He ignores legal court orders. He is trying to politicize the independent Federal Reserve Bank in HIS favor. He threatens ANYONE who dares to challenge him on ANY level. He attacks media outlets and has moved to eliminate criticism by curtailing free speech. He blatantly uses the Office of the President to enrich himself and his family. He conducts illegal search and destroy missions, killing people without due process. He’s vindictive, illegally withholding Federal funds solely from states run by Democrats. And perhaps the most telling, egregious and frightening statement he has made so far is, “the only thing that can stop me is my own morality. And I’m a very moral person.” Incredibly, the list of republic-destroying transgressions could easily go on! How much more can any reasonable, decent American be expected to accept?

In my mind, we have reached the tipping point and once again must answer the question, “DO we have a republic or monarchy?” I know Mr. Trump’s answer, but how about the country’s? How much more can we take as a republic before ALL is lost? Perhaps history can provide an example.

I love history, particularly ancient Roman history. It fascinates me in so many ways, but perhaps none more so than how Rome shapes our own history and culture. Think of it. From law to language, architecture, and form of government, America is in so many ways a modern-day version of ancient Rome. Like her, we shoulder a responsibility as the world’s dominant superpower. And because of that, Americans, also like the Romans, have a certain, arrogant attitude that implies: We’re so great, everyone should want to be like us!

But the more I studied Roman history, and particularly that of Julius Caesar, the more I realized so much of the Rome glorified in books and film is very far from the reality.

Roman glory was ultimately built on a foundation of conquest, subjugation, and slavery. Yes, their civilization achieved great things. Their magnificent monuments stand to this day. Their influence on modern culture, language, and law cannot be denied. However, eventually their political system became rife with so much corruption, graft, and violence it caused the greatest Western empire ever known to collapse under the weight of its own greed and avarice. It became very much a have- -and-have-not society; if you were part of the patrician class you could live well. But everyone else lived a life of bare existence, struggling to survive daily (sound familiar?). At one point, slaves even outnumbered the number of Roman citizens in the city! So, it became a society destined to fail.

Julius Caesar, the so-called greatest of all Romans, is certainly the most recognizable. His very name is associated with great leadership and has lived on for 2,000 years. Traces of it appear in Kaiser and Czar. Shakespeare immortalized him. But it is often forgotten that in Caesar’s time, Rome was a republic similar in structure to our own. And Caesar changed all of that. He started the empire – HIS empire — by promising to make “Rome Great Again.” And, to many, he did. But at what cost? Well, that just happened to be the Roman Republic.

He spared no expense to achieve HIS greatness that he sold as “for the glory of the empire.” If that included buying the allegiance of government officials, just name the price. He scheduled massive, expensive games and gladiatorial contests at the Coliseum, often at public expense, to win popular support. To demonstrate his military prowess, an essential qualification in any Roman ruler, Caesar attacked and conquered millions of foreign people, enslaved them, and confiscated their lands. Remember, he did this all proclaiming “the glory of Rome” while at the same time consolidating his own power and lining his pockets. Sound familiar? And perhaps most galling of all is the fact that he slaughtered and enslaved millions to achieve his goals. All the Roman people had to do “to be great again” was give Caesar unlimited power – and they did. In my mind, the comparisons to Trump and his unmasked and unbridled lust for power are shocking and cannot be overlooked. Remember, “those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Rome fell, never to rise again.

So, it’s time to ask the question again: “Do we have a republic? Are we willing to fight to keep it?” Because if we don’t now, chances are that we won’t. And the rest will be history. I fear America, the republic so many have sacrificed to achieve, may fall at the hands of a megalomaniac mad man, never to rise again.

A Country in Distress

 

Words and photo. F LoBuono

My heart is breaking for a woman I’ve never met. The very little I know about Renee Nicole Good is that she was 37 years old, had young children, and a giving spirit. She was well loved by everyone who knew her. And she lost her life for nothing, at least nothing worth dying for.

Before we get into any so-called legal issues as to whether this killing was justified or not, I need to make something perfectly clear; none of this had to happen in the first place. This is the result of an Administration that is hell bent on destroying the very principles on which America has always at least strived to achieve: equality, fairness, justice, and compassion. Under President Trump and his cadre of lackies, those words have even been mocked as “weak” and “ineffective.” They have been replaced with the mantra, “might makes right.” And they have shown it repeatedly, not only here but internationally as well (see Venezuela, Greenland, etc.). This has never been clearer than the recent situation in Minnesota.

In its proposed effort to “clean up” the city of Minneapolis of its “illegal” immigrant population, particularly those of Somali origin that the Administrations claims have been ripping off the city and turning it into a vast, lawless wasteland, President Trump ordered the Feds to take charge. Of course, while acknowledging the city and the State really have been affected by graft, the idea that Minneapolis is under siege is absurd. Still, President Trump felt it necessary to stage the largest ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operation in the Country’s history to descend upon the city. He ordered over 2000 agents to flood the place and begin deportations, by force if necessary. Hell, Minneapolis only has 700 of its own police! Of course, the governor, mayor, and the police chief all pleaded with Mr. Trump not to execute this operation. However, they are Democrats, automatically disqualifying them from any say they might have had over the matter. And, if that was not bad enough, the PEOPLE of Minnesota said NO – resoundingly. It didn’t matter.

Now we have a situation of escalating tensions with masked, heavily armed, poorly trained ICE agents actively hunting people throughout the city and its suburbs. And if you may recall the entire BLM movement sprang from the death of George Floyd IN Minneapolis. The people there have NOT forgotten. Their relationship with ANY law enforcement can still be described as tenuous at best. So, what did you think was bound to happen? Can you say INEVITABLE? If you increase the heat, the pot will boil. Someone is bound to get burned. In this case, it happened to be a young woman.

Now, to the incident involving ICE and Ms. Good.

As of this writing, I have seen multiple videos taken from various angles. Since my father was in law enforcement and risked his life on several occasions to subdue suspected criminals, I believe that I watched with a keen eye and open mind. I know that things aren’t always as they may initially suggest.

From my perspective, this is what I witnessed: first, and perhaps most importantly, there seems to be some confusion as to what exactly is happening. Multiple, masked law enforcement agents appear to be shouting conflicting orders. So, caught within this confusion, it looks as if Ms. Good was trying to literally get out of the way with her car when she was descended upon by at least 3 different agents – 2 at her door who jumped out of a nearby vehicle and approach her rapidly, and one at the front of her car who was already at the scene. She was commanded to get out of her car by one of the charging agents who aggressively attempted to open her car door. Yet, at the same time, other agents seem to be making other demands. At this point she makes, in my opinion, her only mistake. Perhaps it was confusion or stress, but she does not comply. Instead, she backs up and then moves forward again, apparently trying to avoid the agents. As she does this, an agent now in front of the car quickly draws a weapon, steps forward and is then grazed by the vehicle pushing him backwards. Not losing his feet, he quickly recovers and opens fire, hitting Ms. Good 3 times, fatally wounding her. Her car speeds off only to crash into another vehicle a short distance away. Neighbors rushed to the scene to help but were rebuffed by ICE agents. It took a full 20 minutes for an “official” ambulance to arrive, too late to save her. The entire incident from when the agents first approached her until she was shot and killed transpired in less than :07 seconds. :07 seconds to end a woman’s life.

There are two main issues to consider here. One is legal and the other moral. Legally it may be argued that the agent was well within his authority to protect himself from what he may have interpreted as a real threat to his life and others around him. I’m reasonably sure that this will be his defense should this ever be brought to trial. It is already being used by law enforcement supporters and the Trump Administration. In fairness, we cannot know exactly what was in his head at the time any more than we can for Ms. Good.

However, his ACTIONS are rife with mistakes that wound up costing the life of another he was supposedly sworn to protect. They are also morally questionable. It is a well-known (or at least should be) procedure that during traffic stops, an officer should not put himself in a position where he could easily be harmed by the stopped vehicle. Perhaps it was poor training but it’s obvious in the video that the officer in question does exactly the opposite and puts himself NEEDLESSLY in harm’s way. He steps TOWARDS the vehicle. Then, as commands were being shouted by other agents, he discharged his weapon while giving little or no time for Ms. Good to comply. The angle of the bullet holes in the car’s windshield seem to suggest that she was pulling away, not towards the officer. Also, and I have seen many other videos of traffic stop evaders, the use of deadly force in such instances is almost never used. Unless they are dealing with known violent offenders, the mindset is to not endanger others by applying deadly force. It appeared to me (as of this writing) this unidentified officer was entirely too eager to discharge his weapon. He may have seen imminent danger. Others see a panic reation.

The moral dilemma is this: did this really need to happen? Was this a reasonable response to a real threat or was she MURDERED? The ICE agent walked away without any apparent injuries. Were her intentions truly nefarious and, ultimately, was it all worth taking this young woman’s life? Of course not! But this is what happens when an administration’s policy is CRUELTY. This was bound to occur and, unfortunately, will again.

Everything Mr. Trump and his sycophants do reeks of fascism. Make no mistakes about it. The Administration’s response to this TRAGEDY showed its M.O., i.e. “divide and conquer.” Despite  evidence disputing the government’s version of events and public outcry demanding transparency and accountability on the part of ICE and the government, officials double downed and appealing to their MAGA base, claimed the incident was an “act of domestic terrorism” and she “deserved what she got. She broke the law.” Perhaps the only accurate claim is the one concerning “domestic terrorism.” The real debate lies with WHO actually committed actually committed it?  

Some of the comments made by Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem were particularly galling. Secretary Noem had the temerity to claim WITHOUT EVIDENCE that people in Minnesota were being “actively being trained to use their vehicles as weapons.” Also, instead of looking to defuse the crisis, the President worsened it by increasing the number of Federal agents pouring into the city. Minnesotans responded with citywide, massive protests against them. But then again, it’s all part of a bigger plan. It always has been.

In my opinion, the situation in this Country has been in dire straits ever since Donald J. Trump committed himself to politics. My sentiments towards the man have not changed from the beginning. In my 50+ years of voting I have never seen anyone (apart from George Santos) less qualified to be elected to public office. I don’t see his value on ANY level.

The fact that his base not only follows him but eagerly supports and defends even his most odious behavior is beyond my comprehension or ability to explain. Just when I think this President and his Administration could not get any lower, they manage to sink that bar even further. There seems to be no lie, graft, or childish insult that is beneath this man. Now the bottom line has become this: people are DYING because of him and his policies. Make no mistake about it, a young woman, a mother, daughter, and friend to many has been taken not just by an inept ICE agent but by the policies and rhetoric of a greedy, angry, old man i.e., Donald J. Trump. The buck and the responsibility lie with him.

Day by day, Mr. Trump and his minions are creating an America I no longer recognize. It’s depressing. And perhaps the worst part of it is that even though I am not alone in my fears, there are still enough people, especially those in power, that not only enable but encourage him to do even more harm. And more will die, either directly as in the case of Ms. Good, or indirectly through one of his inane policies like denying health care or food benefits to our most needy citizens.

I’ve said it before and perhaps it’s time to say it again; in life, you get what you pay for. Is THIS version of America what we’re willing to pay for? Is it worth the price of a young, innocent life (and yes, she was innocent in EVERY sense)? Does might REALLY make right? Is that your reality? Because, unless we use our power to change it, that’s what we will become. It’s already happening. And people are dying.

 

 

 

 

 

FOR ONE BRIEF MOMENT

In my long career in broadcast and cable television I had the great privilege of witnessing some of the most significant events of our time. Among the highlights were the launch and landing of the Space Shuttle, the inauguration of the Country’s first Black President, and the election of Pope Francis 1. I traveled all over America and even managed to draw a few international assignments including time in Rome, London, and Beijing. Not bad for a kid from Fort Lee, N.J.

A few of these gigs might even be considered as “bucket list” aspirations by some. You know, the kind of thing you feel like you might want to experience in your life. Well, at least once anyway. One that may be on many lists is to attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I had the good fortune to draw that assignment on multiple occasions which is probably a few too many. The mood is so intense and the energy downright contagious. It was this collective energy that made it an awesome experience for me. But at the time I was also there under the protection of CBS News which shielded me from at least some of the debauchery that Mardi Gras is famous for. I’m certainly glad to have had the experience but it may not be my kind of thing to do multiple times. It’s just too crazy!

Another that may be on many lists is to be in Times Square on New Years Eve. Again, I was fortunate to have drawn this assignment multiple times which is also, again, probably more than I needed. It can be a hard, challenging day and night but for a few shining moments it’s all so worth it. At least once, anyway.

Allow me to elaborate.

New Years Eve in Times Square actually begins in the afternoon when the NYPD begins allowing the crowds into the gated pens that line 7^th Avenue from W43^nd Street to Central Park at W59th Street. Approximately 1 million people will be jammed into those 16 blocks and that’s where they will stay – for hours, i.e. until the ball drops at midnight. Once you are given access you may not leave for ANY reason and, yes, that includes using a bathroom. Security is tight and all bags are limited and searched before you can enter. And it’s cold, often bitterly cold. So, you had better be well prepared for a VERY long and challenging day and night.

Yet you’ll find people of every race and creed and from virtually all over the world penned up like cattle for hours with little or no amenities available to them. It begs the question, “why?” Why would so many people expose themselves to these hardships for a few fleeting moments of joy? AND there are many more millions wanting to do it in the future.

Well, what I experienced during my time there and sticks with most is the fact that all these people, strangers just days before, have come together and waited for hours to experience just a few brief minutes of peace and solidarity when everything in the future is possible. There is no pushing, no shoving, no violence whatsoever. As the countdown begins and the ball begins to drop in the square, there is only swaying, hugging, kissing, and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” in unison. Think of it; a million strangers, jammed together in the cold, sharing a oneness of heart and soul. Of course, millions of others are watching on TV and experiencing the same feelings – if only for a moment. After a short time, the party’s over and the NYPD (who deserves enormous credit) efficiently disperses the crowd, the sanitation department cleans up the mess, and everyone goes back to their places of origin and daily lives.

So, in the final analysis, why DO so many people want to experience it, at least once in their lives, especially since it can be so challenging? I believe it’s because to be there is to be in that moment when we see that the world CAN function as one in peace and brotherhood, is transformative. It proves what’s possible. Besides, it’s the quintessential NY moment. As The Chairman of the Board sings, “If we can make it here, we can make it anywhere. It’s up to you, NY, NY!”

Happy New Year Everyone.