WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Is Violence ALWAYS Wrong?

It came to me in the most bizarre way. I'm not even sure how I found it.  While researching some music, I came across the theme from the movie, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Most of us are familiar with the movie and it's leading man, Clint Eastwood. Filmed in Spain, directed by an Italian, starring and international cast and, despite its enormous popularity, derided in its day as a Spaghetti Western, the film has finally been recognized for the masterpiece it truly is.

The direction, cinematography, acting, and, especially, the music, are the best that film-making has to offer. In my mind, the music, composed and conducted by the legendary Ennio Morricone, reaches epic proportions. Morricone manages to capture the ethos of the savage, Wild West while at the same time honoring his Italian operatic roots. The result is a sound track that is both spare and extravagant.

The rendition I was listening to was a full orchestral version by the Danish Symphony and it was spectacular - soaring, moving, and so full of drama and emotion. As strange as it sounds, it was so powerful that it actually made me cry a bit. THAT'S good music!

It also made me emotional because it conveys the embodiment of a man with so many of the traits that I admire: a virtually anonymous, indomitable free-spirit, incorruptible, alone in the pursuit of his vision of justice. He lives by his wits and his weapons. Tall, his gaze is unflinching,. He has 2, .36 caliber Navy Colt pistols strapped to his hips and a Bowie knife hidden in his boot. He is the master of his fate. He needs not fame, fortune, nor comfort - only justice. And, he is not only willing to die for honor, but to kill for it, too. He is not a perfect man - far from it. In fact, he is often taciturn, bilious and bellicose. But, at the same time, he is brave and honest. In other words, he is the classic American anti-hero.

But, the fact that I admire men that possess these qualities vexes me at the same time.

I have done my best to commit to non-violence. If we are ever to reach a higher level of consciousness, we have to evolve past the use of violence to solve our problems. We can't keep repeating the endless cycle of bloodshed. Remember, an eye for an eye simply leaves the whole world blind. However, at the same time, it is right to fight for justice and against tyranny. And, sometimes, that fight is literal - we must take arms against a sea of trouble and by opposing, end them. In my experience, the best way to stop a bully is literally to give him a taste of his own medicine, i.e. a good punch in the nose. Often, it is the only solution.

Most animals are also willing to fight for many reasons; not only for their very survival, but for dominance, territory, and breading rights, too. It is nature's way. So, is it fantasy to think that we can live in a world that is absent of ANY violence? Perhaps, it is.  Even Gandhi, one of the world's greatest proponents of non-violent revolution, said he would  prefer violence over cowardice*. In other words, at times, it is unfortunate, but may be completely unavoidable.

So, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, I suppose that it is in the application of violence that makes the difference. If we inflict pain and suffering on others willfully for reasons like rage, anger, jealousy, greed, avarice, fear, and ignorance, then we are fulfilling a self-defeating cycle where hate simply begets more hate. However, there are times when we need the Clint Eastwoods of the world, guns blazing, to send the bad guys to their doom before riding off into the sunset. . .




*https://www.mkgandhi.org/nonviolence/phil8.htm

Today's MOZEN: The Power of Compassion

F LoBuono

Because of the proliferation of Social Media (it is estimated that in 2019, nearly 2.8 billion people will use it*), we are exposed to the almost endless variety of emotions that make up the human condition. From the sublime to the absurd and everything in between, we observe ALL of the things that make us different while at the same time experiencing the core values that make us the same. We bear witness to wanton cruelty AND transcendent grace - usually with one immediately following the other as we scroll through any one of the social media platforms we choose to use.

And, it never ceases to amaze me that both traits can be attributed to the same species!

Most of us, but not all, are shocked by some of the deviant and abhorrent behavior that we see on the Internet. If it truly shocked ALL of us, it wouldn't happen. But, it does - most of us cannot conceive of hurting an innocent child or helpless animal, yet we see it every single day. It is virtually impossible to peruse Facebook or Instagram and not be exposed to some horror. I can only rationalize that people who perpetrate these deplorable acts have themselves been abused to the point of completely losing their moral compass.

So, for the great majority of us who receive no sick pleasure from posting such vitriol, what are we to do when we encounter such depravity? Most of us feel powerless to effect direct change for what we are witnessing. After all, how can we change a horrible situation that may have happened thousands of miles away and if not for the miracle of the Internet, we would not even have knowledge of? We can shake out fists all we like. We can even access a little angry "emoji" to express our outrage. Or, we can simply hide our heads in the sand and ignore the reality of what is happening.

But, what can we do practically to fight back?

Well, because of time and distance, our response may not be direct. Still, that doesn't mean we don't have any options.

So, the best way that I know how to counter the effects of cruelty is to practice copious amounts of compassion.

Of all of the positive human emotions, compassion, in my mind, is the most effective in combating malice because it does not judge - it enables us to move forward with kindness and without prejudice. It does not force us to ask WHY? - it compels us to ACT. We do the right thing simply because it IS the right thing to do. As basic as this sounds, it can be a difficult concept to master because it is countered with other, also human emotions like anger, greed, jealousy, and, in particular, fear.

Perhaps, the so-called crisis at our Southern Border is the best example. The President has created a climate of fear: rapists are coming. Gangs are crossing into your neighborhoods. Drugs are flowing in with them. Now, none of these claims have been proven to be true. But, it has been an effective policy for this Administration. Even though it may not be accurate many believe it to be so. Capitalizing on the fear created, our Government's response has been draconian at its best with the separation of innocent children from their families being its worst.

Those who support the policy shout "blame the parents, they are the ones who put their children at risk". And, "they know the rules. They got what they deserved." And, here within lies the judgment that I spoke of - they must suffer because they broke the rules.

Those who practice compassion are, in a sense, blind to the causes of the migration and, instead, focus on what can be done to alleviate the suffering of those caught in the maelstrom. They don't question WHY they are there but, rather, focus their energy and efforts on what can be done to make the situation better for ALL.

This is the power of compassion. It raises us to a higher level of awareness - one in which the path to true enlightenment is clearly marked.

However, just like magic and faith, you have to believe for it to work. You have to trust that your compassion serves a higher purpose. The reward may not be direct, but you must accept the concept that ALL of the deeds that you do, no matter how small, contribute to the greater good for ALL. And, that my friends, is enough.



*https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/

Today's MOZEN: Amazon - A New Name for Corporate Greed.

F LoBuono

Recently, Amazon, the world's most valuable company with estimated assets in the area of $800 billion to $1 trillion, backed out of a multi-billion dollar deal to bring one of it's shipping hubs to Long Island City, NY. In exchange for the proposed creation of about 25,000 jobs, plus training of local people for jobs there, and a promise of improved living conditions for the area, Amazon would receive about $3 billion in tax rebate incentives from the City and State of New York.

The reaction to their departure was mixed. Those in favor of the project bemoaned the loss of job creation in an area of the City that desperately needs it, as well as the loss of predicted infrastructure improvements like new shops, stores, and restaurants that would employ even more. Many also believed the alleged improvements would increase their property values. Their attitude was that the return on the City's investment in the company was well worth the $3 billion price tag.

On the other side of the fence, those opposed claimed that, given Amazon's track record in other areas, it was the City that was getting the raw end of the deal. They claimed that there was no way the hub would create 25,000 jobs AND that most of the better paying jobs would go to so-called "outsiders" anyway, i.e. those with advanced educations from other parts of the Country. This is turn would inflate the rental and housing markets, pricing the residents of Long Island City out of their own enclave. In addition, the added activity would only further choke an already overly-congested area of the City.

Jeff Bezos. Photo USA Today

Well, I for one, am glad to see them go. And, my reasoning is pretty simple. Why in the world would a company with nearly $1 trillion in assets need a break to make even more money? The company's founder and leader, Jeff Bezos has amassed a personal fortune in excess of $150 billion dollars - that's BILLIONS with a capital B. That fortune makes him not only the richest man in the world, it makes him the RICHEST MAN in MODERN HISTORY. And, if that is not enough to second guess Amazon and its intentions, it has recently been reported that the company will pay NO CORPORATE INCOME TAX IN 2018 (as it did not in 2017, as well).* Yes, you heard that correctly: Amazon will pay ZERO INCOME TAX ON A PROFIT OF $11.2 BILLION for 2018. Yup - ZERO-ZILTCH-NADA-NOTHING.

In addition to their outrageous profits, they are not considered to be worker friendly with many employees describing a toxic work environment. ** Amazon has also resisted all efforts for their employees to unionize***.

So, in the final analysis, what is there to like - really? In fact, they have a term for the way a company like Amazon is run - it's called CORPORATE GREED. And, they are particularly good at it. Virtually every deal Amazon makes is heavily slanted in their favor - or, they won't make it. Well, that may work in some places, some of the time. But, this ain't someplace. This is NEW YORK CITY and we don't tolerate that kind of crap. So, Jeff, tell your story walking. We don't need your kind here.

EPILOGUE:

As part of the debate (and, this topic is worthy of vigorous discourse), people are bandying about the economic principal of Return on Investment, i.e. are the benefits worth the cost.

In the Amazon vs. Long Island City Residents, the numbers, as presented by the mayor and other city and state officials, initially seemed to be a BIG WIN for virtually all parties concerned. Certainly, Amazon’s already enormous profitability would benefit from the prime, NYC location AND the $3 billion in tax breaks it would receive from the City and State. The City and State and, hence the residents, would benefit from the taxes paid to the government by the creation of 25,000 jobs and the proposed infrastructure developments.

But, this is a situation where factors are in play beyond just dollars and cents.

First, and foremost, it is entirely debatable whether or not the residents of the area, particularly those of the huge Queensbridge Housing Project, would receive the full benefits of Amazon’s presence. Certainly, anything that can lift people out of poverty or simply improve their lot in life is always welcome. However, as many residents of the area testified in some of the news stories I saw, skepticism reigned supreme. Most believed that the cost in increased traffic and congestion would outweigh the meager benefits that would come their way. Wherever the truth lies, this seems to be the perception of most. And, it’s THEIR neighborhood.

Second, there is an issue of morality here. A fair question to ask is why in the world would the wealthiest company on earth, headed by reportedly the richest man who ever lived, be in the need of a tax break? Why should a fabulously valuable entity like Amazon with a boss like Jeff Bezos (net worth in the vicinity of $150 billion) need a tax break of ANY kind? Is it not reasonable to expect a highly successful company to create jobs and improve their communities while AT THE SAME TIME paying their share of taxes – just like everyone else?

This leads me to my third point: as part of our ethos, i.e. National Identity, do we want to incentivize the uber-rich to be become even more so for doing the things they should be ethically obligated to do? This leads to the dreaded word – SOCIALISM. The very word strikes fear in the very heart of economic conservatives – how dare we tell businesses how to run themselves! Well, folks, socialism is not a dirty word! In fact, we see it in practice on a daily basis when a fire truck races by or your garbage is collected. We pride ourselves on being ONE people – Americans. So, one way to reinforce that legacy is work collectively for the greater good. Those with the ability to give more, simply should. And, that includes you, me, AND, Amazon.

*http://fortune.com/2019/02/14/amazon-doesnt-pay-federal-taxes-2019/
** https://www.businessinsider.com/the-worst-parts-about-working-at-amazon-according-to-employees-2015-8#your-offer-comes-with-a-lot-of-stock-but-it-wont-vest-for-two-years-1
***http://time.com/956/how-amazon-crushed-the-union-movement/

Today's MOZEN: The Subtlety of Racism

F LoBuono

The symbols  of racism, hate, and bigotry are often overt: think burning crosses, white-hooded figures, and the Nazi Swastika among many others. And, we generally think of those individuals for whom these symbols mean a great deal in the same vein - they make their intentions well known, often voicing their sentiments at huge rallies with others of the same temperament.

However, racism and bigotry can often be much more subtle and harder to discern. But, it stings with the same perverse intent. 

Allow me to give you a personal example.

I'm of Sicilian decent - both sides. So, I can trace my lineage to that ancient island, the largest in the Mediterranean. Because of its strategic location, it has been called one of the most conquered places on the planet. It has been desired (and, held) by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Ottomans, the Arabs, the French, the Spanish, the Germans, and, even the Americans.

Because of this conglomeration of influences, people often insult Sicilians by called them mongrels, referring to dogs of dubious pedigree. Rather than playing into their hands by responding negatively to this intended slight, I explain to them that I have the blood of Conquerors coursing through MY veins. Only the bravest and boldest individuals came to our island and created a new race of incredibly resilient people, instead of the weakness caused by the implementation of a so-called Master Race (a type of in-breeding that can lead to catastrophic genetic diseases like hemophilia). Sicilian genes are an amalgamation of only the strongest traits.

Another intended slight is to remind us that Sicily is less than 100 miles from the coast of Africa. And, because I am so swarthy, others (most often other Italians) try to deride me by saying, "you must have African blood in you", as if this was supposed to make me somehow inferior to the whites who say it. In fact, I have heard it said that Sicilians are the niggers of Italy. 

Think about that: The Niggers of Italy.

Once again, I try to turn the tables on my antagonists by countering, "I sure hope so. That would make me just that much better."

Now, let me make this perfectly clear: in no way have I experienced the blatant, vigorous, undisguised racism that has been visited on black Africans here and around the world. That is

Nicolas Maduro (AP Photo)

obvious. My hope is to point out that bias exists on so many levels, many of them not so easily apparent. We must commit to eradicating its ugly head WHEREVER it is found - subtle or not.Venezuela is the latest example. There are many ills effecting that country, including wanton corruption. However, racial lines can be drawn between the Mestizos (mixed race) who support duly elected President Nicolas Maduro (dark) and the purer, elite followers of the far fairer (in skin tone only!) opposition leader, Juan Guaido'. 

Juan Guaido' (Reuters Photo)

And, guess who's side the US is on?

Unfortunately, I am not surprised. Somehow, it seems to be in our DNA. And, only through awareness can we hope to eradicate the scourge of racism and bigotry. Again, we only lack the will . . .

Today's MOZEN: We Are What We Believe

F LoBuono

Ultimately, it's pretty simple: Our reality is what we believe.

If you believe that our Country is being overwhelmed by an invasion at our Southern border, that is your reality. If you believe that the so-called caravans are infested with drug dealers, rapists, and desperadoes, that is your reality. If you believe an abortion is the wanton desire of women who simply don't want the burden of pregnancy, that is your reality. If you believe that vaccines do more harm than good, that is your reality. If you believe that the white race is superior, that is your reality. If you believe Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Atheism are inferior to Christianity, that is your reality. If you believe in the right of exclusion, that is your reality. If you believe that more guns make you safer, that is your reality. If you believe that the world is flat,  that is your reality. If you believe that high ranking officials ran a child trafficking ring out of a pizzeria, that is your reality. If you believe that chemtrails are a plot to poison you from above, that is your reality. If you believe that Elvis is still alive, that is your reality. If you believe that the Press is an enemy of the people. that is your reality. If you believe that an advanced education makes one an elitist, that is your reality. If you believe that the coal industry will be revitalized, that is your reality. If you believe that man-made Greenhouse gases do not contribute to global warming, that is your reality. If you believe in the Divine Right of Kings, that is your reality. And, if you believe that President Trump is making America Great Again, that is your reality.

All of us have the freedom to believe what we want. And, that's a beautiful thing. However, keep in mind, just because we believe something, that doesn't make it right. We CHOOSE to believe what we want to. So, choose wisely - we eventually come to be whatever it is we believe. . .

Today's MOSTLY TRUE SHORT STORY: The Joy of Winter - Sometimes

Words and photo by F LoBuono

Make no mistake about it - I hate the winter. No. Wait. Let me rephrase that: I DETEST WINTER. No matter how ZEN I try to be about it, I simply have a hard time seeing (or, feeling!) much of any benefit to it. I find the loss of light depressing. Once I get cold, I just can't seem to get warm again - ever! Plus, it actually hurts to be cold! And, with the preponderance of salt used to de-ice the highways, EVERYTHING is coated with white filth.

Furthermore, all of my immediate ancestors hailed from Sicily, an island that is notoriously hot and dry for most of the year. So, my genes are engineered to handle that climate - not Siberia's! In fact, I am so genetically predisposed for scorching weather that for me to start getting tan only requires showing me a photo of the sun.

But, as is the case with most things in life, there are exceptions to virtually every rule. And, today was one of them. After a few days of dealing with the brutal reality of The Polar Vortex that plunged the region and much of the Country into the freezer with record setting low temperatures, the weather rebounded today. When I left my house to drive to work, the temperature had reached about 20, which by comparison to the previous few days, felt downright balmy. And, with a bright sun and crystal clear blue skies, one might have even described the day as pleasant.

So, I fired up my truck and set out on my journey, beginning with a trip over the new Mario M. Cuomo - Tappan Zee Bridge. Traffic was light and the sun absolutely brilliant. I crested the high point of the span and looked to my right - South. Before me lay a magnificent site: the Hudson River looked like a quicksilver ribbon, stretched out for miles from the bridge all the way to the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan, glimmering in the distance. And, the ice which was clogging the eddies, looked like brilliant, floating, uncut diamonds reflecting the brilliant afternoon sun.

It was enough to make me think that, maybe, just maybe, winter may not be that bad after all - that is at least until the next Polar Vortex!

Today's MOZEN: NEVER FORGET

F LoBuono

Today, January 27th, has been designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Its purpose is to bring to light the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis against millions of people, the great majority of them Jews, and honor those lost. However, what ALL of us should take to heart is to NEVER FORGET.

Through those words, brought into focus by the horror of an exclusionary doctrine: fear thy neighbor - hate thy neighbor - kill thy neighbor - simply because they may be different, we must commit to not only NEVER FORGET but insure that it can NEVER AGAIN happen, as well.

Unfortunately, we may have not learned that lesson.

We are currently being told of a CRISIS at our Southern Border. Our President repeatedly claims that hordes of people, so-called Brown People, are assaulting the Country at the border. We have been told they are Bad Dudes who will take our jobs, rape our women, and destitute us in a wave of drugs and social dependency. In reality, the great majority of them are women and children desperately attempting to escape crisis in their own Countries (often exacerbated by US policies within that country). Furthermore, instead of a vicious, ignorant swarm, there is documented evidence that immigrant communities, regardless of the so-called legal status of its members, are almost always safer than those without a strong immigrant presence. In addition, still more studies prove that immigrants - ALL -immigrants - contribute greatly to our society overall.

So, our we making the same mistakes - over and over again - practicing exclusion instead of inclusion? Wasn't the American ethos to accept those whom everyone else rejected? Doesn't it say Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses somewhere?

Or, is that just so much more bull shit?

On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day let us recommit to tolerance, compassion, inclusion, and empathy so that we do, indeed, live the credo NEVER AGAIN!

Guest Blogger: Phil Sexton - MAGA, Catholic School Boys, and America

Although this is my blog and, obviously, the great majority of the posts are mine and mine alone. However, I have ALWAYS invited participation. And, so, I present the writing of one of my co-workers, Phil Sexton. As an African-American he offers us a unique and powerful perspective on what happened recently between a group of students from a Catholic high school in Kentucky and a Native American drummer. He wrote it in response to criticism of the way the media handle the whole event. It has not been edited in any way.

Phil Sexton

Whites and Christians are certainly free to express themselves as they please in America. Whites and Christians have always enjoyed those freedoms in America since America was America. It was the whites and Christians who Manifest Destinied America away from the Natives and denied them that freedom. It was the whites and Christians who Imported Slave Labor from Africa who made those black slaves convert to Christianity and denied them those same rights too. 
It's just that in today's 21st Century era, in this American political climate, Whites and Christians who run around America wearing Red MAGA hats are catching Backlash because the original slogan, Make America Great Again, was the cause of a very particular group of proud White Christians who called themselves the Ku Klux Klan. Non White Americans and Non Christian Americans are very sensitive to the racist undertones of those White Christian's right to free speech. Many of us today are descendants of the Americans who were brutalized for hundreds of years by freedom expressing Whites and Christians. Black Hebrew Israelites was a direct response to and consequence of White's and Christian's right to freedom. It's why the Black Hebrew Israelites exist at all. It's why the Black Hebrew Israelites are in DC expressing.
The current situation of Native Americans is directly tied to Whites and Christians. All Americans know what Whites and Christians did to America's Natives and are continuing to do to America's Natives. That's why Nathan Phillips and crew are in DC expressing.
What were the white Christian Catholic MAGA hat kids in DC expressing? They were attending the Anti-Abortion Rally... Another instance of Whites and Christians denying people a freedom over their own bodies....
Those MAGA hat White Christian kids had the misfortune of crossing paths with the Black Hebrew Israelites. You already know how the Black Hebrew Israelites feel about White Christians...
The Native Americans saw the MAGA hat kids outnumbered the Black Hebrew Israelites. You can imagine that the Natives and the Hebrews share a particular solidarity....Whites and Christians are Fundamental to both their Histories. So, imagine what happens when Black Hebrew Israelites and Native Americans encounter a group of Make America Great Again White Christians in the nation's capital?
Fascinating.



Walter . . ., what do you mean by "can't"? Who is saying people "can't" wear MAGA hats privately or publicly?
Who is restricting the sale of MAGA hats to the public?
What on Earth are you talking about?
Did you see the Video? Those kids are clearly wearing MAGA hats in complete FREEDOM. 
There is an OBVIOUS CONSEQUENCE to wearing MAGA hats. 
Don't you have one? 
Do you wear it out side?
What happens when you wear it publicly?
You don't have a MAGA hat? Why not?

I didn't post an excuse for the Real Jews Black Hebrew Israelites. I know the Black Hebrew Israelite's history. I argue with them about Religion on Facebook and Twitter. My cousin in Louisiana is a Member. I was even approached by the NYC sect to join with them back in 1992. 
They are an American Movement created in America by Americans. 
They believe in the Old Testament Hebrew Bible. They believe the original Hebrew Jews of Judaism were African Black People and that modern day Black Americans are descendant from those Ancient Hebrews captured by Africans in Africa and sold into Dutch, Portuguese, British and Spanish Slavery. That's not an excuse, that's what they are. They think that American White Christians are everything that is wrong today with Blacks in America, especially Black Christian Believing Americans. 
The Black Hebrew Israelites have never been fans of American Christianity nor have they ever been fans of American White people. Why? 
The history of White Christians in North America and the History of African Slaves in North America. That stuff is well documented. 
Native Americans and American White Christians....nothing needs to be said about that History.
"America First" and "Make America Great Again" are both Old Slogans and Old Mottos propagated by America's premier White Christian Organization, the Ku Klux Klan. That's not an excuse. That's an OBSERVATION. The KKK, their struggles, their movements and their rallying cries are all documented, photographed and researchable.
I don't know what you're getting at Walter....I suspect you have some deep seated racism in you that you are struggling with. It's OKAY. You are an American. Americans in America have turned American Racism into an Art form. 
When other Nations looked for ways to Restrict, Demean, Devalue, Dehumanize and Marginalize a portion of their society, they study America. What America did to freed slaves and Black Americans for a century and a half after the end of American Chattel Slavery is Textbook examples of Racism at work.
What America did to Native Americans is Text Book examples of American Racism. 
Personally, I think ALL Americans are Racist. Racism in America is as American as Apple Pie....but Apple Pies are not an American Creation at all. Apples were Imported to North America from Asia and Pies came to North America from those English Settlers that brought Christianity to North America. We all know what happened to North America after those Settlers came with their Pies and Christianity...
Anyway, 3 diverse groups of Americans clashed in America's Capital, the Marketplace Of Ideas and not a bone was broken....no blood spilled....not a single punch thrown....nobody murdered.
This is what I love about being American in America. We are all DIFFERENT, but our Differences don't have to be violent DIVISIONS. And we Americans all will remain Racist until we OWN our American Racism. Only then can we change it....but, trash them MAGA hats...America has always been great for Christians and Whites...everybody else has had to struggle to achieve "great"....even White Christian Women....should I remind you of their American History too?

In Memorial: The Tappan Zee Bridge

All words and photos by F LoBuono

Bridges, for some unknown reason, have always played a special role in my life. My mother's family lived in Brooklyn, so we made countless trips over the legendary Brooklyn Bridge. I grew up in Fort Lee, New Jersey where the awesome George Washington Bridge (a.k.a. The Busiest Bridge in the World) not only dominates the landscape but the very ethos of the borough, as well - the high school teams are named The Bridgemen.  And, lastly in my life came the Tappan Zee Bridge, where I currently reside.

The Brooklyn Bridge

The George Washington Bridge

Each has had a significant impact on my life. But, with the imminent demise of the Tappan Zee (if all goes according to plan, it will be gone by this time tomorrow, 11 a.m. 1/15/2019), I've chosen to focus on her.

The brand new, and impressive, Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is already in place with a plethora of wide lanes for speeding cars zooming past the skeletal remains of the rusting superstructure of the old one at 70 MPH. Explosive charges have been planted at the base that will sever the support columns and bring the remaining steel crashing down onto a specially designed net in the water below. The remnants will them be hauled away on huge barges to be recycled. I hope to be there to witness it.

My memory of the bridge is almost a mystic one. Growing up in Fort Lee, I never really had any connections in the area of the TZ (as it was nicknamed in the day) - Rockland County, New York. So, we simply never traveled there. We knew of it but it remained a far away symbol of The Country, even though it was less than 25 miles from my boyhood home! Being a kid with a City mentality, Rockland was Upstate - for Country folk. With the exception of the occasional trip to Bear Mountain, we had now cause to be near the bridge, much less drive over it.

Tappan Zee Sunrise

However, one of my family friends had a wonderful boat - a 45 foot cabin cruiser. And, when we got lucky the owner would invite my parents and brother and sister for a trip up the Hudson to the Tappan Zee. It was always cause for celebration. For city kids, it was a way to escape in luxury. And, as legend had it, once we reached the TZ it was safe to actually swim in the Hudson. Now, this was a BIG deal. Most of us would rarely swim in the river in Fort Lee - too polluted. But, once you got Upstate the water would magically clear and we would dive off the boat and swim all day long. Of course, I'm sure the water was not ALL the much purer there, but that didn't matter - we THOUGHT it was. And, I've lived to write about it so, it couldn't have been all that bad anyway!

The Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge

Little did I know then that I would spend most of my adult life in the shadow of the Tappan Zee Bridge. I moved to South Nyack, the Rockland terminus of the bridge, in the early 80's and never looked back. In fact, my current apartment, like most of my residences here, is within site of both the new and old bridges. I have witnessed, and often photographed, hundreds of sunrises and sunsets over that bridge. I have seen it on days so hot it seemed to shimmer in the heat. I have also witnessed winters so cold that huge masses of ice collected on its columns. And, there are those magic days when she appeared almost as a specter rising out of the morning mist. I was here when they officially made it the Malcolm Wilson Bridge. And, I've been here for the controversy over the new bridge's name. But, I think people need to get past that. It's a new day - a new bridge, with a new name. So be it.

The Mario M. Cuomo Bridge

The TZ was never a beautiful bridge. I suppose that's partially because it wasn't built to last in the first place. It was planned obsolescence, i.e. a stop-gap until a more beautiful and permanent structure (like the new one) could replace it.  It was dirty, noisy, and less than perfectly safe. The traffic jams sucked. It was time for her to go. And, the new bridge, despite the controversy over the name, is still a magnificent structure - a marvel of modern engineering. Yes, it is time.

Let us honor the past and celebrate the new.


Note: I use the feminine because the bridge has always given me a female "energy".

Today's MOZEN: The American Way

Words and photo F LoBuono

For readers of this blog, it is no secret where my sentiments lie when it comes to the current situation at our Southern border. I see no crisis as described by the President. There is no mass hysteria created by hordes of violent criminals rushing the border to attack our women and children. In fact, most of the people at the border ARE women and children.

However, to think there are NO issues with immigration is simply naivete. There are tens of thousand of people, mostly from impoverished countries in Central America, seeking asylum, refuge, and opportunity in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. And, since I believe that, through inclusion, immigrants only make our Country stronger, I feel we need to have a comprehensive, effective immigration policy to accommodate them. Right now, the system, what little there actually is of it, is being overwhelmed by the sheer number of people.

And, that has led me to what I believe is a legitimate question that I think, frankly, most Progressives tend to ignore: How many immigrants can we actually include before we reach saturation? And, believe me, EVERYTHING in life has a limit. Everything - whether it's balancing your check book or finding seats at the dinning room table, all things have a ceiling: either you have the money or you don't. You either have room for the seats at the table or you don't. You can mix and match, transfer funds from one account to another, or add leafs to your table but, at some point, you simply run out of money and space. You've reached the so-called Tipping Point.

Now, I don't believe that we have necessarily reached THAT point. In my mind, there is still room at the table (pun intended). But, that can't last forever. We are rapidly approaching our maximum. At some point, the system will simply collapse under the weight of numbers. We cannot allow that to happen.

However, the solution can NEVER be high walls, barbed wire, police in riot gear, tear gas, and water cannons. That behavior is not consistent with what it means to be American. Or, at least it was before the Trump era.

How's this for an alternative; instead of spending billions on a structure that, from what I have read, most experts claim will be highly ineffective, let's put that money into creating a policy with corresponding infrastructure to handle the needs of those who are so desperately seeking a chance for a better life in what can still be the Greatest Country in the World. And, that label is still true - for now - THAT'S why they come by the thousands in the first place! We need to find a way - THE AMERICAN WAY. And, we need look no further for inspiration than the lady in NY harbor to understand EXACTLY what that means:

The New Colossus

BY EMMA LAZARUS

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Let's find that way - the REAL American Way!!!