There's a side of Creepy Joe™ Lieberman that people point to when they say "he's one of us." That's when we can get all teary-eyed about the fact that he allegedly represents folks like us from Connecticut. That he's so concerned about global warming and oil consumption that he's willing to make a "two-pronged" bipartisan effort.
This may make a few of the flat-earthers angry, but you're still the same old Creepy Joe™ to me.
Everywhere I went this weekend people wanted to talk about the Fountain Avenue a.) celebration; b.) riot; c.) confrontation; d.) melee; e.) civil rights protest; f.) attack, which took place early Friday morning on the Wesleyan campus
The Wesleying blog is reporting an extraordinary response with more than 13,000 visits the day after the event. The blog posted student footage (which, as a warning, begins with a hearty "Fuck you.") this weekend which made understanding the event impossible still. Claims and counter-claims continue to roil the community. And this morning the Wesleying blog reports that a reliable source claims that one of the police officers involved has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation ensues. In addition, a parent's message board has been filled with the same kind of charges, counter charges, explanations and excuses.
For some it's hardworking students blowing off a little steam versus incompetent Wes Public Safety and brutal local police.
Or, entitled and privileged students versus just-doing-our-job cops.
Or a little of both.
BTW, as regards the online comments attached to the Hartford Courant story about the event, a source confided that the Courant does monitor the comments, and does remove some of the most abusive. Though some which maek it throught the review process degenerate into the worst kind of anonymous racist, sexist, homophobic name-calling from a host of "commenters" who reappear again and again. The comment section is so popular that while the newspaper monitors comments, and removes some, especially those which are brought to its attention as abusive, it's effort to embrace the web has also inadvertently seen them embracing haters.
Some speculate that the 19th century newspapers wars between the Hearst and Pulitzer organizations were an artificial way to increase circulation.
The Washington Post claims today that Keith Olbermann's on-air criticisms of right-wing TV host Bill O'Reilly were "instigated by Olbermann as a way of drawing attention." Those barbs directed at O'Reilly got the attention of Murdoch moguls Fox TV CEO Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch himself, who blasted NBC CEO Jeff Zucker, and parent corporation GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt. O'Reilly has taken to castigating Immelt on the air for doing business in Iran.
Needless to say, the pissing match continues as the talking heads take aim at one another and the bosses in the background provide the ammunition.
For all our angst about the relationship between Middletown residents and Wesleyan students, I think the St. Sebastian celebration is proof that the two can come together under the least likely circumstances.
At the festival this weekend, which is just around the corner from my house, I bumped into Wesleyan students I know, with whom I discussed the Fountain Ave. melee, and the reaction to it. I also talked with the mayor, a few town council members, neighbors, and several staff members from Wes. The views were divergent, but it all happened at St. Sebby's feast.
The nuri today was particularly fun. A group of us gathered in front of the Masselli's house. as the supplicants marched down Main Street, then ran up part of Washington, all the while chanting for the patron saint of the Church. BTW, along with every other local dignitary, Wesleyan president Michael Roth made the march in a red tie. After the supplicants retrieved St. Sebby's icon, they marched a new route which brought them down Main Street, and up Washington again.
A few of us discussed how this annual tradition is likely a holdover from some medieval European re-enactment which, while practiced regularly in the old country, is a rarity here, though not recognized as such.
After the sanctified festivities, the line at the fried dough booth was never less then thirty people for the next two hours. Later, a wonderful auction of homemade Italian food made my mouth water as I was planting annuals.
Right now, the carnival is quieting down as the last stragglers grab some sausage and peppers, and the rides make their last spin. And it's one more version of that popular song about "baccala" and the 67th version of "That's Amore." I'll know it's over when I hear the last verse of "New York, New York."
It's been interesting to follow the reaction to the clash between police and students at the street party on Fountain Ave. In the end, I don't think there are an facile conclusions, but there's lots to think about, and I appreciate the comments appended to my thoughts on the issue.
The clash was unnecessary, but inevitable. Drunk students in number. Noise. Confusion. And lots of police. Would anyone have predicted a different outcome?
Who's to blame? There's plenty to spread around, and no one is guiltless. The students were drunk and inconsiderate. The police were forceful and overreacted. What really happened and why? Doubtful, even with photographs and video that it will ever be clear. It's a Roshomon tangle that will unlikely ever be sorted out to anyone's satisfaction.
So what are the issues that have risen?
Was the response by Wes Public Safety and MPD inappropriate? I don't think their initial attempts to shut the party down were unexpected or inappropriate. The escalation into use of pepper gas, tasers and dogs was definitely over-the-top, badly executed, and not well thought out. There are, on record, incidents where pepper ball guns have caused death and serious injury. Tasers have killed people too. Was this potential deadly force the right reaction? The disarray and confusion of the police approach also raises questions about whether the clash was anything more than a brutal Keystone Cops assault on easy targets. One commenter has said that the police reaction is an indication of a slow slip into a police state under Homeland Security incentives. I think it's something to consider carefully.
Did the students incite the melee? I think the answer has to be yes. Did the students who were hurt deserve to be? No, but there was ample opportunity to avoid the confrontation. Students ought to have the freedom to gather and enjoy themselves. But many students live in a bubble in which they have total disregard for the fact that they are part of a larger community. Where were the responsible students Friday night who might have negotiated a backdown by students and authorities? The fact is, there was drunkenness and a sense of entitlement to do as they pleased, which fueled the confrontation. I'm afraid that student indignation that someone would ask them to be quiet and to go away is an indication of how self-centered they can be, especially when intoxicated.
Is there hostility between Middletown and Wesleyan? Of course. It's classic town-gown. How could it be otherwise? On one hand you have 3,000 smart young people experiencing freedom and independence for the first time. On the other you have a community that's diverse, and largely divorced from the elite school on the hill. Some students have a huge disdain for the town and the townies "in the Middle." Some students find a way to interact with the city in a useful way. Most students avoid interaction except when it comes to having a meal at a local restaurant, or a drink at a local bar. Middletown residents alternately resent the "privileged" students on the hill, or embrace the rich cultural and intellectual offerings of Wesleyan.
Is there a problem between MPD and Wesleyan students. Undoubtedly. There are few angels when it comes to this problem. Neither side has much respect for the other. It needs to be addressed before someone really gets hurt.
Maybe the most disturbing thing for me is the chasm between students who feel they have an inalienable right to be drunk, rude and self-righteous on the one hand, and the hateful anti-intellectual troglodytes who feel that the response by the police was not forceful enough. This chasm is most evident in the comment section to the Hartford Courant story on the melee. It's a profound, and deeply-felt class and intellectual divide that scares me.
Maybe one of the topics for a forum for graduation/reunion weekend ought to be this timeless friction between Wesleyan and the city in which it is found.
Shouldn't this be the final straw? It's now clear that Senator Creepy Joe™ Lieberman, along with his Republican friend from Maine, Senator Susan Collins, were the only authors of a report on Islamic terrorist threats that they issued, implying it was a report from the entire Senate Homeland Security Committee. Issued at a time when it would have significant political impact, favoring the Republican candidate he supports, this is a dirty trick of major proportions played by Lieberman. Time to stand up to him Senator Reid. He has gone beyond the pale.
So, I guess right-wing WTIC talk show host Jim Vicevich is very happy.
Today he promised to link his website to Eliza Gilkyson's (which he consistently pronounces incorrectly gil-ick-son). Obviously Jim either doesn't listen carefully to her lyrics, or he doesn't understand them. Either is certainly possible. But it's the beauty of a great protest song, it gets into the heads of people who need to hear them, and who don't intially realize what they are listening to. Before long they're singing along to "Runaway Train," and "doh" they figure out what they're singing. Jim, take a listen to Eliza's song, "Man of God," on her last album.
Also, on the same topic, I heard Jim promise to attend a folk concert at Cheney Hall featuring Hugh Blumenfeld. Hope he makes good on his promise, and that Hugh plays "George III" and "America Redux."
The details are still being sorted out about the riot that occurred last night on Fountain Ave.
What's clear is that parties in several houses spilled into the street. Students were intoxicated. Wes Public Safety tried to clear the street, and in failing to do so, called in Middletown Police. The students taunted the police. The police moved in, and all hell broke loose. Bottles thrown, pepper gas dispersed. Handcuffs. Tasers. Resistance. Arrests.
To the extent that it happened, there is, of course, no excuse for the stupidity of students nor for any aggressive brutality of law enforcement agents.
Today, students are indignant.
I'm not certain to what extent they are entitled to their anger.
This was a Beastie Boys protest. Do any of us really care about fighting for the right to party?
If this was about a free speech issue, about the right to protest freely, about an attempt to silent an anti-war or anti-government march, then I'd be standing right there next to the students in front of town hall.
I know the semester's over, but the library's still open. Read your history. There is heroism in the protests in Birmingham, the free speech riots at Berkeley, the demonstrations at the Democratic Convention in 1968, because something larger was at stake.
This melee at Wesleyan was about the right to get as drunk as possible, and still be able to walk, and then exercise some privileged drunken macho bravado (I thought Wes students might consider themselves above the antics that occur at State universities) in the face of agents of the law, some of whom have their own issues with macho bravado, and some of who are simply trying to do their job.
Any advocate of civil disobedience will tell you, if you break the law you can expect to be arrested. If you consider yourself to be in the right morally and ethically, then you can use the arrest to demonstrate your differences with the law, and perhaps change that law.
If you only want the right to be drunk and disorderly, well, you may see the inside of more than one cell in your life, and never have moved society forward one iota.
Wow. If ever there was an illustration of what is wrong with right-wing talk show hosts this is it. Don't drink any coffee while watching, you may pull a Danny Thomas spit-take.
h/t Talking Points Memo
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