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.

 

 

THE TIFFANY NETWORK

 

Photo: Paul Undersinger

Make no mistakes about it. In the 20 years I spent with CBS News on W57th St., I was nothing more than an infinitesimally small cog in an enormous machine. Despite my deep desire to be a great journalist in the CBS tradition of the legendary Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Andy Rooney, and too many others to name, I never achieved that lofty goal. In fact, I never even came close. I certainly did my job as a photographer, technician, and sometimes producer. I even managed to garner many important assignments around the US and world. But my name will never be mentioned among the pantheon of great CBS journalists. Still, I was around enough of these people to know just how making the news works, especially at CBS.

There was an aura about working in the Broadcast Center – that enormous monolith of a building that takes up most of W57th St. between 10^th and 11^th Avenues in NYC. The place is so huge that in the 20 years that I reported to work there I don’t believe that I saw the entire building. At any given time, thousands of people laboring in virtually every professional capacity occupied that space. And, despite its enormity, there was a palpable vibe about the place. You could feel it.  It was as if the ghosts of those legendary journalists still roamed the seemingly endless corridors. The history that occurred there cannot be denied. I got goosebumps whenever I walked by the small office/studio where Cronkite announced President Kennedy’s death to the Country.

And it wasn’t just the history. On any given day thousands of people still worked diligently and with great integrity to fulfill the mission of CBS News; to tell important, honest stories. And nowhere at CBS was this creed more sacrosanct than at 60 Minutes. As I have written before, 60 Minutes was and continues to be THE standard in broadcast news. They have the most resources, the best correspondents, camera operators, producers, writers, secretaries, etc., the industry has to offer. Therefore, their credentials and integrity are beyond reproach.

That’s what made a recent so-called editorial decision by CBS management shocking AND disappointing. The new and controversial Executive Editor of CBS News, Bari Weiss, pulled a 60 Minutes story from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi about America’s policy of deporting migrants, some who were  actually American citizens without criminal records, from the US to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador where torture of prisoners is known to take place. Ms. Weiss rejected the piece claiming that because there was no response or comment from the White House, the story was incomplete. But she left the possibility open of an airing it at a later day when it was in her belief more balanced. Apparently, there was some confusion in the distribution of this particular program resulting in the original version containing the Alfonsi story being streamed by CBS affiliate Global TV in Canada. By the time it was again pulled from the platform, it had already been widely picked up by social media.  As of this writing, there is still debate as to whether this was truly an accident or leaked deliberately by a CBS insider.

Now, as I mentioned previously, I may have never actively produced for 60 Minutes, but I was still around it enough to how it IS! EVERY “t” is crossed and EVERY “i” dotted. Nothing is left to chance. Nothing. In meeting after meeting, from correspondents to producers, writers, photographers, editors, graphic artists, researchers, legal experts, etc., the story is built, checked, vetted, and re-checked for accuracy and integrity. This is done for every story filed by CBS News and is particularly acute for stories of such enormous importance. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that 60 Minutes was not completely thorough in its approach to this story. Furthermore, correspondent Alfonsi stated that attempts were made to elicit a response from the Trump Administration, but they refused to do so. Therefore, Alfonsi and a multitude of others were left questioning Weiss’s motivation. Alfonsi flat out claimed the decision was more political than editorial. Many agreed, sparking righteous outrage, especially at Ms. Weiss’s expense.

You may recall that recently, CBS, 60 Minutes, and the Administration engaged in another controversy. In short, under presser to complete a multi-billion-dollar takeover of Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, by Skydance Media (whose owner is a supporter of Mr. Trump), Paramount, capitulated by agreeing to pay Mr. Trump the $16 million in damages he was seeking at that same time for an allegedly improperly edited interview 60 Minutes did with then Democrat Presidential candidate Kamala Harris. CBS/Paramount and Skydance Media then completed the deal with the FCC’s (i.e. Trump’s) blessing. I have addressed the inadequacies of the Trump lawsuit in an earlier column. That set the stage for a new era at CBS, one of lay-offs, new management and more conservative content. Included in the restructuring there would a “new sheriff in town” with a mission to reshape the very soul of CBS News.

That new sheriff became Bari Weiss when Skydance/Paramount appointed her Executive Editor of the News division and ultimately responsible for all CBS News content. You may do your own research on her qualifications (or lack thereof). But I can say from quotes in the press and my own contact with producers still working at CBS News that her appointment was met with at least skepticism if not actual condemnation. She has little if any experience in Broadcast television management with most coming from the world of Conservative print journalism. Her own writing often criticizes other journalists and news agencies for being in her mind far too liberal. And in keeping with her Conservative leanings, she has pledged to install a new ethos in the newsroom where stories critical of the President and his Administration will be met with extra scrutiny and possible disapproval. She hinted of things to come at CBS News when she recently produced and hosted a “town hall” style meeting with Erika Kirk, the widow of slain Conservative activist Charlie Kirk. It should be noted here that the program went over like the proverbial “lead balloon.” The ratings were abysmal and good advertisers stayed away in droves. Ms. Weiss was also roundly criticized for her role as moderator.

My colleague at Fordham University, Professor Paul Levinson, an acknowledged leader in mass communication theory and practice, said this about Weiss’s appointment and the consequences of her actions involving the 60 Minutes Report:

"Bari Weiss is, at very least, a witting accomplice to Trump's escalating attack on our democracy.   The bedrock of our freedom is the First Amendment, and its insistence that the government keep its hands off of our speech and press.  By delaying the 60 Minutes report, even for a minute, on the sickening horrors of ICE's deportation of immigrants and people thought to be immigrants to the hell-hole prison in El Salvador, Weiss played right into the hands of those who don't want Trump's attack on our freedoms known to Americans and to the world. Hats off to whoever leaked that report to Canada."

 

I have always been intensely proud of my time with CBS News. Like any corporate organization of that immense size and influence, it had its flaws.  Television news can be a hard, dehumanizing, and cruel business. It was easy to be swallowed up by its vastness. But it always had one thing that I prized over all others, i.e. INTEGRITY. The people I worked with and for all had a great sense of giving their best effort to DO THE RIGHT THING, i.e., to tell the truth as it was seen, to do so with total honesty and without ANY political influence. If, in the end, if things were seen as “liberal leaning” (or “woke” in today’s terms) than that’s the way it was meant to be. We never put words in anyone’s mouth. The public must be allowed to make up their own minds based solely on the evidence presented in any story.

THIS is the way it was, and we must fight to see that it stays. CBS is known as “The Tiffany Network” because years ago it became the gold standard of television programming in news and entertainment. We must stop this downward trend of suppressing news outlets that might be critical of this Administration. Hell, it’s their JOB! And if The Tiffany Network capitulates, what hope can the others have to resist? We must send a clear message to the new owners of CBS that we will NOT accept this. And we can do that by letting our pockets do the talking. Do not support ANY Paramount programming or their advertisers until they see their folly. It can work. It will work. The Erika Kirk special was a disaster. Let it serve as a warning.

PS: The Kennedy Center Honors hosted by the President had the lowest CBS ratings for that broadcast since the network started hosting the program in 1978. It just may be working!

 

THE SEVEN FISHES

 

When I was a kid growing up in Fort Lee, N. J., we kept an Italian-Sicilian-American household. By that I mean we were thoroughly Americanized, but we also observed many of the old European traditions. And of these none were more treasured and eagerly anticipated by my sister, brother, and I than Christmas Eve. It was an evening filled with food, laughter, light, and love. For today’s column, I’d like to focus on the food because through it the others will be revealed.

It has become widely known that many Italians, particularly those Southern Italians, serve a meal consisting solely of seafood on Christmas Eve. The tradition of “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” as it came to be known here, was popularized during the time the so-called Mediterranean Diet also became “A Thing” in American pop culture. At our place, we simply called it “eating.” But The Seven Fishes as a prescribed number and type of seafood served is really an American adaption of Southern Italian families simply consuming a fish dinner, i.e. sans meat on the Eve. In Sicily it is known as “La Vigilia” or “keeping a vigil” for the impending birth of Jesus and is an extension of the Pascal tradition of abstaining from eating meat at certain times. The “Seven Fishes” label came with American consumerism.

At our home, there was no fixed number associated with what we would eat that evening. However, one thing was certain; it would be a REAL feast. My mother would shop for days to get only the freshest seafood. Then she would spend the entire day preparing the meal. We may have had seven fish dishes, or it may have been a little less, but it was always DELICIOUS! No matter what the actual number it turned out to be, the meal always contained these classics: calamari - fried/sauteed, mussels – fra diavolo, shrimp -raw/scampi/breaded, filet of sole – Francese style, clams – oreganato/with linguine and, of course, my mother’s favorite, Bacala, a.k.a salted cod.

The house smelled like heaven for hours!

As I got older, our place was also the hottest ticket in town for friends lucky enough to get an invite. One who took particular pleasure in that invitation is a dear friend from my college days (I’ll protect his privacy and only use his first name). Jed and I were teammates on our particularly bad football team. However, he was an exceptionally good player on that otherwise terrible squad. And he was big – defensive lineman big – about 6’3” and 265 lbs. He could eat like it, too! Jed was also Jewish, so eating our place was a new, delightful cultural experience for him. Plus, the food was always great. I remember him dropping subtle hints weeks before the Eve just to see if there might be any room for him at our table. Of course, there always was. Even 40+ years later and living thousands of miles apart, we still speak of it. This is really the true spirit of the season. The food just pulled it all together.

After dallying over our fabulous meal, it was time to retire to the fake silver Christmas tree that graced our living room. Despite our protestations for a real tree, my mother refused saying they were too “messy”. So, at Christmas we took it out of the box in the cellar and assembled it in the same corner every year. Underneath, the neatly wrapped packages would soon be ravaged by my sister, brother, and I. You see, we simply couldn’t contain our excitement until Christmas DAY. THAT was not possible, especially for my sister Joanne. I think my brother Joseph and I may have been possibly convinced to wait until the morning, but our sister proved an irresistible force. And, what the heck, why not? Our parents were certainly not going to protest. It was a rare night for our version of indulgence.

It didn’t take long to open our presents as gift-giving was always very modest at our place. We received one gift each from our parents, one from our grandmothers (usually socks and underwear), and often one from our mother’s sister, Anna Maria. When we were old and able enough, we also exchanged some simple gifts as siblings. I often marveled at how extravagant other families were at the Holidays but that was not our way. For us, the greatest gift was always our togetherness.

After the frenzy, most of our energy was spent and more often than not, we simply went off to bed to dream of our new bounty waiting for us in the morning. These memories hopefully can never be erased. This year we’ll be having dinner together with my aunt and a few cousins at a fine restaurant in Brooklyn. Now we let others do the cooking. We’ll just make the memories.

Happy Holidays, everyone! No matter which one you choose to celebrate, I sincerely hope that it is spent in the warm glow of family and friends. And I hope you eat lots of fish on Christmas Eve too.

WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING.

 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

President John F. Kennedy used this quote in a speech he made in 1961. Often incorrectly attributed to the philosopher Edmund Burke, one thing is certain; there can be no misinterpretation of its meaning. It is both powerful and sobering.

It is for this reason I changed the theme of my column today. Since it is the Holiday season, I had intended to write a light-hearted story about keeping the Christmas Eve tradition of “The Feast of the Seven Fishes.” However, the more I thought about the current situation in this Country, I could no longer do so in good conscience. Although humor and diversion are essential to living well, especially at this frenetic time of year and I have already written extensively on the subject, I could no longer look past the evil staring at me directly in my face.

The more I think about the trajectory the Trump Administration is leading us in, the more I associate it with a quote we got from a doctor when my aging mother was approaching the end of her long life. In a consultation with my sister as to what our next steps might be in my mother’s care, she said, “I must be totally clear with you right from the beginning. This is not a situation of things might get worse before they get better. They are simply going to get worse.” And we knew exactly what she meant.

So it is the case with America today. It is simply going to get worse. There is no quick remedy or easy fix. We are being led by an increasingly unhinged megalomaniac who has found himself where he always dreamt he could be, i.e., running the world’s greatest grift. And even more disturbing are the sycophants who surround, support, and even worship him.

The list of Donald J. Trump’s egregious, vile, inept, and incompetent behavior was apparent to me from the very beginning of his life in the political arena. But the most terrifying aspect of all of this is that he is getting even worse! He could never speak well and now he babbles. He makes up words that do not exist and uses others completely out of context. He falls asleep in meetings. He spews false statistics to make his points and is rarely challenged on their veracity. Trump has been completely disrespectful to the Press Corp, particularly to women reporters who have the audacity to do their jobs and challenge him on his plethora of false statements and accusations.

Of course, I could go and include things like: the release of the Epstein files, the destruction of the south wing of the White House, the brutal crackdown on the immigrant community, the loss of health care and food benefits to the most needy, his plethora of poorly qualified Cabinet choices, the abandonment of Ukraine and our European Allies, blatantly racist statements,  the Trump gold sneakers and credit cards, etc.

However, perhaps the most concerning of all these transgressions is the Administration’s continued actions against Venezuela. Under the guise of stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., for weeks now President Trump has ordered a huge military build-up in the Caribbean. He has also stepped-up attacks on alleged drug smuggling boats, obliterating them and their crews. Many, even in military circles, see this as wanton murder. And what is particularly disturbing is that fentanyl is not even produced or moved through Venezuela! It is all part of this Administration’ s galling hypocrisy.

Then, just to exacerbate the situation, we were treated to dramatic video of US Special Forces repelling down from helicopters to board and seize a huge Venezuelan tanker ship. Of course, this action was another effort to stop the drug trade. But wait! No drugs of any kind were found. The huge ship was not loaded with fentanyl but oil. Gee, what a coincidence. An oil tanker found off the coast of a country with largest oil deposits in the world? How odd.

Come on people. We know what this is about. It is about oil and the money that can come from it, enough to line the pockets of the World’s Greatest Grifter and his cronies. Mr. Trump likes to attach that term, Greatest, to everything he associates about himself. Well, let him wear that title too. He sure has earned it.

Perhaps one day I will write that story about the “fishes”. But now it is more important that we stay focused on what is happening to OUR Country right before our very eyes. Although it’s hard, we cannot look away hoping that things will get better. WE must make them better. Remember, we got here because SO many people did not participate in the last Presidential election. Now we live with the consequences. Do not let it happen again. Stay active. Be involved. Vote. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

 

 

 

SHORT ARMS

 

“Your Arms Too Short to Box with God” was a musical based on the Biblical Book of Matthew. It originally ran on Broadway for just about 2 years (December 1976 – January 1978), totaling 429 performances. During a 1982 revival of the show, Al Green and Patti LaBelle appeared in leading roles.

Now, I’m not professing that I know a lot about this musical. To be totally transparent, I’ve never even seen it nor am I familiar with any of the tunes from it. But the title always inspired me, and I use it quite often metaphorically.

Those who may be familiar with my writing would know that I am not traditionally religious. Although born, raised, and well-indoctrinated as a Catholic, I have not subscribed to any formal religious practice in very many years. However, I do consider myself to be a spiritual person and approach life with a high degree of inner consciousness. So, within that framework, that show title has always taken on an extremely specific and important meaning to me.

Life is full. And by that, I mean if we’re lucky we get to experience it in all its “vastness.” A full life not only includes great joy but devastating sorrow as well. And they are often closely associated with one another. A perfect example of this is owning a pet. Most of us have been blessed with the companionship of an animal. I know that I have. But those of us who have experienced this special relationship know that our physical time together is limited. And the loss of a pet can be as painful as losing a sibling. But we cannot have one without the other. We can’t know their joy without feeling the sting of their loss too. This is the Yin and Yang of life.

Still, we look for answers as to “why” things happen. We need to understand on a rational level in the hope that if we do, the pain will ease. This most often is the case when tragedy strikes and there is no logic that our minds can hold onto to give us some sort of explanation that will provide some level of comfort. In these cases, there is no real “why”, there only “is.”

That’s when “Your Arms Too Short to Box with God” comes in. For me, it means to let go of things that you are not meant to understand but must come to accept. You can rage, cry, and spit but that cannot change the outcome. Only acceptance will provide inner peace. The universe and everything that happens within and beyond is far too vast to truly comprehend on a level only meant for the “gods.” As we exist today, our arms are far too short. Perhaps, in time and with lots of practice, we can reach that “god-like” level.

This notion of reaching enlightenment as it can most accurately be described, can be found in most religions, particularly those from the East. However, one needn’t be religious in a formal sense to understand and eventually accept this concept. Our lives become fuller, richer, easier when we learn that we cannot control everything. Nor can we fully understand why certain things happen that defy logical or explanation.  As much as we struggle to find the answer, there is peace in letting go. Why? Because your arms too short to box with God.

 

 

From Joy to Sorrow

 

Sarah Beckstrom

It had been a wonderful Thanksgiving afternoon filled with delicious traditional food and the sound of laughter from what remains of my once large family. The day was turning out to be everything I hoped it would be. We had just finished our wonderful meal and left the table to continue our conversation in the living room. We decided to put the TV on in the background where we could “channel surf” between the plethora of Holiday movies, the football games, and to see what was still happening around the world, a news program.

After a few minutes, the TV wound up tuned to CNN where a headline graphic was announcing “Breaking News.” It caught my eye, and I decided to turn my attention to the newscast. It was then that the reporter announced that one of the two National Guardsman who had been so critically wounded in a vicious and unproved ambush while on patrol at a D.C. train station the day before had died.

My mood changed instantly from joyous to deeply sorrowful.

Her name is Sarah Beckstrom. Hailing from West Virginia, Sarah was just 20 years old. She had been on deployment as part of President Trump’s ordered “crackdown on crime” in several American cities, including Washington D.C. As some of the early details were being revealed, the more shocked, outraged, and disheartened I became. Her assailant (whom I will NEVER name) was a 29-year-old legally documented Afghan immigrant who worked at one time for the CIA in Afghanistan. He was a husband and a father. He drove over three thousand miles from his home in the State of Washington to assassinate two young people whom he never met. As of this writing, his motive has not been made clear.

Think about that. Just how much hate can one person harbor in their heart to travel that great distance to cause so much pain and sorrow to not only the victims and their families but to his own as well? And to commit this heinous act on Thanksgiving, a day when we here in America express our gratitude for the glorious gifts we have been given and look to share with EVERYONE? Despicable is not a strong enough description.

It boggled my mind and caused me deep reflection about the gift of life and love I had been given that very day by my own family. I had to take a moment to empathize with all those affected by this cowardly deed and how this day would never be the same for them.

Then, in another wrong-headed attempt to project his own empathy, the President, without knowing the ultimate motivation, exacerbated the situation and made it political by claiming that the killer was granted admission to the U.S. by the Biden Administration. However, Mr. Trump failed to mention that the assassin was given asylum by his own.

But, at this moment, NONE of that is the point, or should be. For me, at this most sensitive time, it is not a political issue, and I will not look to make it one. Instead, as individuals AND as a society we need to search deeply within ourselves as to why things like this are happening with such increased frequency in the first place. Is it some type of ancient tribalism? Or is fear and, therefore, hatred of others simply deeply embedded within our DNA? Has our society changed so much that this kind of wanton violence has become acceptable? From the assassinations of a business executive in New York City, Democrat politicians in Minnesota, to Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and now this, these incidents are becoming almost common. We must ask ourselves “what is going on here” and “what can we ALL do to stop it?

PS: The second Guardsman critically wounded in the same attack, 24-year-old Andrew Wolf, is in serious condition but he is expected to survive.

 

 

 

 

 

STRONG WOMEN

 

The LoBuono/Vitanza/Celeste Family

It has been one of the great privileges of my life to be surrounded by strong, confident women. In fact, they raised me. My grandmothers, my mother, my aunts, my sister, and my female cousins were, and are, educated, successful, independent people. Of course, each has their own personality, but all are certain of their value as women.

I could give many examples of just how powerful each one is, but this story about my maternal grandmother might have the most impact.

Her birth name was Theresa (a.k.a. Tessie) Celeste. She was already showing her fierce independence as a young woman (19) by defying her family and emigrating alone from her tiny village in Sicily to be with her future husband, another Sicilian immigrant who was living in Brooklyn. His name was Frank Vitanza. He died when I was very young, so I don’t have strong memories of him. However, I do remember how much my grandmother loved and respected him. But, despite that bond, I can never recall her wearing the traditional black often associated with Sicilian widows. Oh, no. That was NOT Tessie, the girl who dreamed of being a professional singer in America. I will always remember her as being well-dressed in bright colors, properly coiffed, make-up on, and jewelry in place. Always. It was part of her aura.

Well, one day while we were visiting her in Brooklyn, my mother had a health emergency that needed to be addressed immediately. We rushed her to the hospital where her gall bladder was removed. It would require her to recover for about a week at the hospital. Now, this was many years ago when hospital regulations about visitors and hours were MUCH stricter. Today, if a family member provides comfort to the patient, they may even be encouraged to stay. But in those days, when visitor hours were over, everyone had to leave, even close family members.

The problem was that NO ONE was going to tell my grandmother that she could not be with her ill daughter. No one. So that meant a nightly battle between Tessie and the security guard at the close of visiting hours. I mean Tessie was five feet tall, about 100 lbs. and spoke heavily accented English. But that never deterred her from achieving her objectives. In other words, she did not take crap from anyone, especially when it came to her family. I remember one evening when hospital security personnel even had to escort her out of the hospital simply because she refused to leave on schedule.

That might have been enough for most, but not for our matriarch. She would not be denied. So, she devised a plan: she “borrowed” a lab coat from an unattended rack and strolled back into the hospital masquerading as a technician. The hospital never caught on.

She taught me – all of us – just how strong women can be.

 

My mother worked full-time long before it was fashionable for women to do so. Her sister got a master’s degree in education, also at a time when it still was considered rare for women, especially First-Generation immigrant women, to have such a degree. My sister was the first person in my immediate family to get a college degree. And the list of successful women in my family goes on.

So, you can imagine my disgust when the President of the United States would point his finger at a woman reporter, a legitimate member of the working press, who was simply asking the question she NEEDED to ask, and uttered, “Quiet, Piggy!”

QUIET, PIGGY?

I do not care if he’s President of the United States, if he had said that to Tessie, or my mother, aunt, or sister, he would not have left smiling.

How dare he? This is a man who has claims “he loves women” and yet at every single turn shows his disrespect for them. It began long ago with his association with Jeffrey Epstein, through the infamous “grab them by to the pussy” line, and on to the current debacle. And these are not isolated incidents. My god, Mr. Trump has been held libelous in civil court for sexual abuse in the E. Jean Caroll case. Then, in addition to the “piggy” mess, he repeated the pattern when he verbally accosted another female reporter in the Oval Office after she also had the audacity to do her job and ask his guest, Mohammed Bin Salman, the tough question everyone wanted to ask!

He attacks women who do not meet his physical “standards,” those who demonstrate the mental acumen that he so sorely lacks, or others who simply disagree with him. He is the worst kind of chauvinist, i.e., a school yard bully. Donald J. Trump is not your friend. I challenge women to seize this opportunity and demonstrate what I have seen all my life and know you are capable of. Say NO MORE to this misogynistic megalomaniac. You have the power. You always have. Do it now. Men, men of honor who do not fear your strength, are with you. Always. Together, equal in our disdain for this arrogant and ugly Administration, we can return to a sense of true decency in America.