Specious Equation
November 16th, 2011
Artwalk NY Co-chairs Richard Gere and Carey Lowell (from WireImage)
Last night at Artwalk NY, the annual benefit gala for the Coalition for the Homeless, co-chair Richard Gere addressed attendees seated for the live auction.
“Welcome to all of you,” he said. “Especially the 1%.”
Against the applause, my stomach turned. Mr. Gere has co-chaired the philanthropic event for six years, demonstrating a high level of commitment. His comment was probably an intended joke, or maybe a segment of the equation that connects wealthy philanthropists with vulnerable communities of people, such as the homeless. We need their money, obviously. -And regrettably.
His “shout-out” evinced a devastating abandonment of the big picture. Spoken on the same day of Bloomberg’s Blitzkrieg of Zuccotti Park, his address appeared at best, ironic. At worst, his words sounded callous, goading, and smug. To thank donors, generosity, or sharing would resonate more warmly than fractiously championing “the 1%,” a title now synonymous with predators, greed, and selfishness.
As an artist, I feel honored each time I’m invited to donate artwork to this successful charity event. (Artwalk NYframes my work, hangs it with well-considered placement, and rewards me with a generous invitation to the event.) It has raised millions of dollars for housing, food, counseling, training, and children. So thank God for Artwalk! But would we need it if our country had publicly-funded, venerable programs to prevent homelessness? Imagine what we could accomplish with effective drug abuse intervention, accessible education, affordable housing, and of course, universal health care. Instead, we get Tea Party-powered “austerity” and politicians pledging to never raise taxes on those who make enough money to have a tax responsibility. Hence, Gere’s statement made me feel mixed up in something I shouldn’t be.
Likewise, thank God for Occupy Wall Street! It has enlightened minds worldwide about the imminent economic catastrophe looming at the end of the currently prevailing conditions. But would we need it if our country chose people over profits, and not the opposite? Our brutal concentration of wealth is inextricable from the major problems we face. If we deterred the most destructive criminals in our country – including but not limited to Wall Street fraudsters – our economy could be more stable. Tent villages in Zuccotti Park wouldn’t be a chilling portent of a worst-case scenario for the 99%.