How To Participate If You're Not At The Protest

I had just finished a spot on the Proof Negative Radio Show, discussing the latest developments of OccupyLA: the eviction notice, the deadline that came and went, and the people who turned out to support the movement.  Proof and his co-host YounaTuber discussed it at length for a while, took some calls, And he asked me how long I thought it would be before they dropped the hammer, and I said, "Soon. Probably the next week or two, but I think sooner rather than later. And they won't give notice again. They won't give us time to rally people to get down to City Hall to stand with us, they'll just come in and take away whoever happens to be there that night."


Man, I gotta quit thinking out loud.


Not long after I got off the phone, I started seeing messages about activity with the LAPD. I can't remember what time that was; I was working on an editing project, so was kind of oblivious to that. But I remember seeing something about Dodger Stadium being set up to act as a processing area for the Occupiers, a technique I'm told was learned from a situation in Chile a while back.


Sure, we can import that kind of civic-minded, prisoner-detention education to America, but we can't learn from other countries' health care systems. Awesome.


I hopped on the Social Media Network and started trying to keep up with the action. Tweets were flying by as fast as you could read them. I started to share information as soon as I had a handle on what was going on.


The first message I shared was confirmation of the Dodger Stadium rumor (see what I did there? Confirming a rumor? Now, THAT's good journalism) : 

And on the heels of that:

Then, I heard that there was a partial press blackout...from Wesley Crusher of the U.S.S. Enterprise...?
 
 

Right, I follow some celebrities, no time to think, it's all happening too fast. I will select a few of the Tweets and re-Tweets I sent out so you can see how the night looked, from my computer screen.  These are in order, so you can sometimes see the Tweet that prompted some joke or observation from me.

Some, like the above posts, were to let people inside Solidarity Park know what was going on. Some were just biting and funny in their sarcasm...

Info on how the cops were traveling...

 And, on the heels of that, this from a buddy I made at Bank Of America Plaza on the 17th.

At this same time, as things were escalating in LA, we got word Occupation Philly was also being closed down.

And even though they were about to be evicted, the Occupiers were taking care of business like Bachman-Turner Overdrive on a reunion tour:

Okay, I'll be honest: when I first saw that Tweet, I didn't pick up that it was a misspelling of "bandanas", which they were wearing to help cut the effects of tear gas.

I genuinely wondered, "Man. What are they gonna do with those bananas...?"


For people who think the Occupiers are just smelly hippies, there were patriotic sentiments you need to see:

 

Freedom Fireworks beats the Hell out of Freedom Fires that our government actually wasted time debating a few years ago...

And some people's patriotism is overcome by the appeal of sudden, unexpected fireworks to the kid in all of us:

More bad news about the press blackout that occurred, that our American press agreed to:

At this point in my frustration, my girlfriend came home, so I went to catch her up, have some food and watch the news together for a while. Occasionally, I would hear something and be driven to run madly up the flight of steps to my office to Tweet indignantly.

 I suddenly noticed my friend, and my planned guest for Wednesday's show, was downtown.

She was great on the show, BTW.

 Damn, Philly. Indeed.

YES! Wesley Crusher for President! Make it so, Number One.

No kidding. Just because we protest doesn't mean we're poo-flinging monkeys. How badly do you have to try to discredit a movement that is clearly supporting economic justice in order to serve your masters properly? Man.

According to the story, the cop kinda smiled and said, "Really?" like he was considering it. What a great end to the Occupation that would have been.

"All right, Everybody, good protest. Let's hug it out!"

 I had to get back to editing and had to close the Twitter down, or I would have never stopped There were dozens upon dozens more posts, smart-ass comment and re-Tweets I'm sparing you from, believe me. And those were just from me.

The social network was buzzing, which is great, since it seems our press has given up the ghost.  There's no more reporting the news, it's reporting the news we want you to see.  Let's be wary of that, People.

Following a night of work and too little sleep, I went in and had a wonderful show with Tina Dupuy, who is Managing Editor of CrooksAndLiars.com, a columnist and funny chick. We've known each other for a few years, reconnecting at Occupy LA on Day One, so being incredibly over-tired and talking about what happened on the night of Day 61 felt pretty all right.


And this, on Day 62, was a welcome sight:

 Business as usual returns. Sweet. It isn't over yet.  And this is why it isn't over yet:

Do you get that?


If you think the problem is gone because our little tent city around City Hall is gone, you're wrong. The problem was there before us, and it's still there, until we can put the fixes in place. We all need to work on that, like we need it to survive, because we just might.

I wish I could have been down there last night, for even a while, standing next to the friends I made at the park over the last couple of months, laughing, planning, chanting, trying to convince a city to change its mind, for yet another night.

But most of all, I wish I could have seen what they were gonna do with those damn vinegar bananas.

•   •   •   •   •

"Independent Thinking With Steve Gelder" airs on www.NewDissidentRadio.com, every weekday morning at 10AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern. 

Follow me on Twitter: @SteveGelder

or Facebook:  Independent Thinking with Steve Gelder

Follow me home from school and there's gonna be trouble.

Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Show

Just a quick note tonight - I premiered my new show, "Independent Thinking" this morning on NewDissidentRadio.com.  And it was passable. Very passable.

 Ozomatli performing at Occupy LA - November 5, 2011

Tomorrow, Dylan Brody and saxophonist Ulises Bella from the kinda-legendary Los Angeles band, Ozomatli.

Dylan is a poet, humorist and wordsmith and Ozomatli have done so many strange and amazing things, it bends the mind: they've toured with Santana, they've performed on Conan O'Brien, Dancing With The Stars, Sex in the City and a Drew Barrymore film.  In 2007 they toured India and Nepal, sponsored by the State Department.  And April 23rd is officially, Ozomatli Day in Los Angeles, from now to eternity.

Dylan Brody performing at Occupy LA - October 15, 2011

I must remember to ask Dylan which day during the calendar year is Dylan Brody Day in L.A.

As evidenced by the videos on this page, both have performed at Occupy LA at various points during the occupation of City Hall.  We'll talk about the various reasons performers go down and attempt to entertain the masses during acts of civil disobedience.

Listen in at 10AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern on www.NewDissidentRadio.com. Who knows, you might enjoy yourself...

**********

Follow me on Twitter: @SteveGelder

"Like" my show page on Facebook: Independent Thinking on Facebook

"Dance" like nobody's watching.

Black Friday at OccupyLA

The press conference with the Mayor was scheduled for 4PM Friday afternoon, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  One could almost imagine that the timing was designed to see the story buried over the weekend, replaced instead by lurid headlines of crazed shoppers pushing, punching and pepper spraying each other to get bargain-priced items for the Christmas rush.

Why pay attention to the eviction of a peaceful protest from public property when you can gawk at Wal-Mart shoppers taking society a few giant steps closer to Thunderdome in the pursuit of cheap flat-screen TVs?

I decided earlier in the week to make another trip down to City Hall Friday, to get some interviews and sound bites for my radio show, "Independent Thinking", which debuts Monday.  I didn't know at the time that I would be there for the Mayor's announcement, or even that there would be one.  Not that it mattered; there was no access to the Mayor, except by authorized media outlets.

 

 Listen Monday at 10AM PST/1PM EST for the debut of my show on NewDissidentRadio.com...!

I arrived at City Hall a little after 2 and started talking to people to try to find out what they thought the announcement would be.  Everyone was certain that it was our eviction notice, which the city had been kind enough to tell us would be coming next week, with at least 72 hours notice.  This, of course, came a few weeks after the city had been kind enough to say we would be able to stay at City Hall as long as we wanted.

Somewhere, a Native American tribe is nodding, in complete understanding.

I always enjoy the conversations I have with the Occupiers at City Hall, and this day was no exception.  Adding in the fact that I was interviewing several people along the way, giving them a chance to express their opinions on the Occupy Movement and what they thought the future would hold - it was interesting and uplifting.  The spirit of these protesters and the people helping out is just amazing.  If you're listening Monday, you'll hear thoughts from a woman who discovered politics through a spiritual quest and decided Ron Paul is her savior; a 53 year-old New York native who has been staying at OccupyLA since Day One and who keeps himself busy helping out wherever it's needed; and a woman who prepares soup and vegan stews for the Occupiers out of her own budget.  They're all intelligent, thoughtful individuals, and I'm hoping that getting their words out there will help others understand what the Occupiers are trying to accomplish.

As four o'clock came and passed and the press conference still hadn't started, I noticed that the mood of the Occupiers wasn't affected much by the impeding announcement.  Everyone seemed  pretty upbeat, in fact.

I found myself on the East steps of City Hall, listening to a press conference with Occupy Media representatives, responding to the Mayor Villaraigosa's  announcement that the OccupyLA site had to be gone by Monday morning at 12:01AM.  The basic sentiment was that we were disappointed that the Mayor took the easy way out, making the encampment move, rather than doing the hard work of trying to respond to the injustices that are clearly affecting the average citizen's life, from coast to coast.  And that some Occupiers would leave before the deadline, and that some would stay. But, no matter what, OccupyLA would continue.

And that seemed to be the mood of the people I talked to up until the GA (General Assembly) that night at 7:30.  We knew they wouldn't let us stay forever, we have enjoyed a pretty decent working relationship with the City and LAPD, and now, we would have to protest under different circumstances.  But no one seemed deterred, or ready to back down.

As I sat down to record the GA that night, I was pleased to see a really good-sized crowd on the South steps of City Hall.  It's one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and hundreds of people are still willing to show up and show support for the idea of making some positive change.

Around 7:30, a Mic Check was called for, and the People's Microphone was put into play to begin the GA.  I was surprised that there was no mention of the Mayor's press conference; I guess everyone took it for granted that we all knew already, and basically, we did.  There was a mention of breaking the GA down into smaller groups to discuss tactics and options, and after an announcement about a small notepad that had been found, they asked for a volunteer to read OWS' Principles of Solidarity.  When no one responded and they asked again, I raised my hand.

And that's how I ended up addressing OccupyLA on Black Friday.

 I am really connecting with that guy in the folding lawn chair.

I bet he'll buy one of my T-shirts after the show...

After some more announcements (a statement of non-violence was read, reminding Occupiers that we are, above all else, a peaceful movement; South Central Farmers declared solidarity with OccupyLA; and a member of the National Lawyers Guild, who told us what could and would happen the night of the eviction), the group broke down for discussion into two groups - those who were willing to be arrested, and those who were unwilling or unable to be arrested - for example, foreigners living in America who risked deportation if arrested in a political protest, people with prior arrests, and undocumented immigrants.  The groups broke down and discussions began.

I stayed a while longer, made my way back to the Metro, and dropped another buck and a half to return to North Hollywood, where I could eat, relax with my girl, and reflect on what was going on.  OccupyLA is being evicted.  By the time my show hits the air Monday morning, this will all be in play or finished.  Something will have happened.  Hopefully, no one will be hurt.  There's no reason for it, but that's still on my mind.  I have a lot of friends who will be there, resisting eviction.  And OccupyLA will now be forced to change.

Look for Occupy 2.0, in time for Christmas.  And Happy Weekend Of Unbridled Consumerism, America - lookin' good!


***************

Monday, November 28th, "Independent Thinking With Steve Gelder" debuts on www.NewDissidentRadio.com.  Every weekday morning at 10AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern. 

Follow me on Twitter: @SteveGelder

or Facebook:  Independent Thinking with Steve Gelder

Don't even ask about MySpace.

Why I Occupy: Prelude

I've been trying to come up with a blog that will help explain why I am involved in the Occupy Movement here in LA, aside from my unbridled idealism.  (Seriously, if I was a Transformer, I would be Optimist Prime.)

[click for larger image]

The question has been going through my mind frequently the past couple of months; partly because people keep either asking me why I'm doing it, or telling me why I'm stupid to be doing it.  There's nothing like several dozen friends on Facebook yelling at you daily about your actions to make you examine your existence in a whole new way.  If I was a heroin addict, I don't think I would have gotten this much of an intervention.

The question of "Why am I doing this?" went through my mind a few times when I was standing in front of a line of cops last Thursday night.  (See previous blog.)  So, I'm working on the Big Answer to "why?"

The Smaller Answer has come to me many times over these past weeks, in the form of quick notes from friends from all over, who have thanked me for what I'm doing.  And I don't really think I'm doing anything, except participating.

I got this last night from a friend I haven't seen in a while:

"Hey Steve - I just wanted to send you a message to let you know how much I appreciate your Occupy updates and admire your commitment. As a new mommy at home with a 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old, being there at OccupyLA is basically impossible, but my heart is there and my living style has been on that path for awhile. We've had a local bank (for ourselves and [our businesses]) for years and am working harder all the time to make sure my very hard earned (and squeaked out) dollars support others and are not destructive (though I still have a ways to go).

So, thanks for being there. Your posts keep my spirits up in regards to all of the madness."

It's nice to think that something you're doing could be lifting someone spirits.  (Hopefully, she won't mind that I shared this, or I may have just crushed them back down.)

That might be the Big Answer, after all. All these Smaller Answers, combined.

Thanks to my friends who are supportive, and also especially the ones who think I'm crazy for doing the things I do, but still talk to me and seem to like me, anyways.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. If nothing else, be thankful you're not a turkey...


***************

Monday, November 28th, "Independent Thinking With Steve Gelder" debuts on www.NewDissidentRadio.com.  Every weekday morning at 10AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern. 

Follow me on Twitter: @SteveGelder

or Facebook:  Independent Thinking with Steve Gelder

Don't even ask about MySpace.

Two Months With OWS And All I Got Was Nearly Arrested...

You could hear the helicopters overhead as I got off the Metro stop in downtown L.A....

B of A's ivory tower and one of several copters.

I knew they were probably hovering over the place I was headed - the Bank Of America Plaza where members of Occupy LA stopped after a march.  It's the two-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street's first day, and L.A. has a series of actions planned for the remainder of the week.  I was sitting at home, working on a project on the computer, when I started seeing the word on Facebook and Twitter: "POLICE SURROUNDING PEACEFUL PROTESTORS!! WATCH NOW! SOLIDARITY! THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU LAPD."  A few minutes online, and I got the gist of what was happening - the marchers who stopped at Bank Of America were being surrounded, and possibly arrested.

I've been going to and supporting Occupy LA as much as possible since I first went down on October 1st, the first day of the Occupation at City Hall.  I was so struck that first day by the power, the energy, the enthusiasm and the intelligence of the people I saw down there, that I decided to become involved. I found the Demands and Objectives Committee on my second or third day, and started to participate in the system, a new system.  I've always been involved in the political process; I am a registered Independent, so I am always looking for the best person for the job, no matter what their party affiliation.  That first day, I realized the best person might just be the 99%.

So, when I heard arrests of my fellow Occupiers were about to happen, I decided to become involved again. I put the finishing touches on the project, sent it off, and, as luck would have it, my girlfriend walked into our apartment, so I could let her know what was going on.

"What're you going to do?" she asked, after I told her the latest.

"I think I'm going downtown to get arrested," I replied.

We talked about it for a few minutes. I told her I thought my risk was low - I'm not about to get in some cop's face or get violent - and that, if I was arrested, I would probably be released on my own recognizance.  She told me she would keep her phone on, and to call her if there was anything she could do, and we hugged and kissed. As I left, I yelled up the stairs, "Hopefully, I'll see you soon!" She laughed, and I was off.

It's a strange feeling to pay a dollar fifty for the chance to go downtown to get arrested.  It's not something I wanted to do; it's something I felt I had to.  I really believe that what we're standing for, the Occupy Movement and the 99%, is too important to stay away from.  It's something that I want to be a part of - for better or worse, I'm married to this movement.

Walking to Bank of America Plaza was time-consuming, but not difficult.  As I got closer to the Plaza, the presence of cops in uniform became prevalent.  The first group I found was about 15 large.  I walked up to them with my 99% arm band on, and asked them which way to the protestors.  They told me, and I wished them all well and told them to stay safe.  They said the same to me.

The Welcoming Committee

I finished my walk, observing greater numbers of cops, cop cars, cop motorcycles, the helicopters (what were they going to do if things got hairy on the ground?) and eventually, the buses the police have to haul people away in situations like this.

Reality can be a bitch.

Approaching the plaza - more cops than I've seen since the New Year's Eve Party I threw in 1994.

I observed what I could from my vantage point, and followed a guy who told the cops he just wanted to get to his car somewhere on the other side of the center of action.  They let him pass, so I tagged behind and said, "My car's over there, too," and with that, I was in.

I walked up the stairs at B of A and as far forward as I could, which was a line of cops who seemed to be blocking the green space in the very center of the plaza.  Tents were piled around the perimeter, and cops holding green rifles were standing guard.  There were officers in full gear, holding batons or rifles everywhere.  It was...intimidating.

I found out, talking with others, that there were several people inside that protective ring, who we couldn't see, because of the way the cops situated the tents that protestors had brought down with them.  I think the plan was to Occupy the Bank of America Plaza. They were having none of that tonight.

The Thin Blue Line is actually fairly substantial, when you get down to it.

Although I was face to face with a line of police in helmets holding batons, I was lucky enough to be standing next to my favorite kind of Occupier - a good-natured smart-ass. This kid on the front line was calling the cops by name and trying to get them to talk and laugh.  When he got one cop, "Anderson," to smile, he couldn't have been happier. "Anderson, you finally smiled! It's good for your soul, Anderson.  That's all I wanted to see!"

I yelled, "That's it, Occupation's over.  This whole thing for the past couple of months was just to get Anderson to loosen up a little. We can all go home, now!"  Anderson smiled a little more, a few of us laughed, including a couple of cops, and it was on.

I talked to the cops on the front line for a while, eventually finding one who would talk with me.  Through the course of our conversation, I found out he had been there since 5 this morning (it was about 12 hours later while we chatted), that he had a wife, that LAPD don't get overtime pay due to budget cuts (need to verify that), and that he considered himself to be one of the 99%.

He said those words to me: "I am one of the 99%."

"I am one of the 99%..." ~ LAPD Officer

who will remain unnamed

Officer 99% and I talked some more.  I asked him what the rifles were loaded with.  He turned slightly and said, "The green ones?  Bean bags." 

"What are those like to get hit by?" I asked.  He didn't know, but he said he thought they left a bruise.  I asked him if they were required to be on the receiving end of the weapons they carried, and he told me he had to be tazed and pepper sprayed, to know what it felt like. I asked him what was worse.

"Pepper spray sucks," he said.

I yelled out during a quiet moment, "Hey, what do you say we call this whole thing off and go get a beer, on me?"  A few cops smiled, but there were no takers.  "All these cops and no one wants a beer?" I yelled. "What have they done to you guys?" 

There were three or four of us at my corner, trying to connect to the human beings inside the uniform, and it seemed to be working.  Occasionally, they would ask us to take a step back, and they would take one step forward, moving the line.  After a few minutes of this, I noticed we had cops now surrounding us.  "We've been outflanked, and I don't even understand military terms," I yelled. 

Back a step, cops forward a step.  Back a step, cops forward a step.  More than a few of my fellow Occupiers had left the front line and were making their way back to the sidewalk, or the streets, probably headed back to the site at City Hall.  I figured I'd wait it out a while.

The cops made an announcement: "You have ten minutes to vacate this area. This is private property. You have ten minutes."  More Occupiers left, but some of us stuck around.  I noticed a group of five or six people who were sitting in a semi-circle, waiting for arrest, it seemed.  I decided to sit down with them.

"Gotta go," I said to my new cop friend.  "I'm huge fan of sitting. Take it easy!"

I crossed some cameras and equipment media types had with them, and joined the circle.  "What's up, Guys?"  I asked.  "Are you tired of standing, too?" This smaller group was a little more grim, preparing for what could have been the worst.  Someone yelled that we had eight minutes to clear the space.

One Occupier asked for a "Mic check".  This is the way we communicate in our groups; one person yells "Mic check!" And everyone around him repeats, "Mic check!"  The next circle of people out repeat, "Mic check!"  And then the original speaker starts to deliver his message, three or four words at a time.  We're human amplifiers.

This guy was from Occupy LA, and advised us that we would be arrested if we remained, ,and that it might be in our best interests to avoid that, over this situation. Basically, save your "Get Out Of Jail, Free" card for another day.  We decided, as a small circle, to stand and leave.

We were still being advanced upon by the line of cops.   I was physically nudged from the Plaza.  But, before we left for the night, we thanked the police for keeping it peaceful and for doing their jobs to the best of their ability.  That's all they're doing, whether they want to be there or not.

I saw one "alternative press" guy yelling at a cop because he wasn't being let through to where Commander Smith was talking with the press.  He eventually called the cop, a tolerant African-American officer "a fucking fool" and stormed away.  I immediately got closer to the cop and said "I can't believe he called you a funky fool - does he know you can bust a move?"  That cop laughed, as did several of his fellow officers.  "Have a good night, Officers," I said, and they wished me the same.

I yelled a goodnight to my new cop friend, Officer 99%, and the rest of the cops there, and walked back to the camp at City Hall.

There will be more actions this week, and more conflicts for the movement across the country before this is all through.  I'm not sure how long it will go on, or what the outcome will be.  I like to think we're changing the conversation in this country already. I'd like to think we're making a difference.

But, I've seen the batons and the rifles and over 200 cops lined up to stop, what is still, a peaceful protest.  I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better. 

Hopefully, I can find my cop one of these days, and buy him a beer.  And maybe he'll want to buy me one, too.

•  •  •

Remember, if I'm not behind bars, my new radio show "Independent Thinking" debuts in less than a week and a half - weekday mornings at 10AM starting November 28th on NewDissidentRadio.com.

Planning Stages - Phase One, In Which Doris Gets Her Oats...

Now that I've decided to get back into radio (see the previous blog for initial news about "Independent Thinking with Steve Gelder" which debuts the end of this month on New Dissident Radio), I have to put my evil master plan...I mean...I have to bring together elements to make the show tight, give it a professional feel and sound.


One of the first things I'm happy to announce is a theme song.  I wanted something driving and powerful, something that could open each show with a bang. I had a band in mind immediately, a group I've worked with in the past - squint.

squint - ©Nathan Hall Photography

These guys (along with many other great musicians and bands) were kind enough to let me use one of their songs in my first short film, "ARC" - the song was "Glimmer and Phrase" from their CD "Tinsel Life." ARC screened at over 30 film festivals around the world and became one of the most-awarded short films of 2005, winning 14 awards that year, including two "Best Of The Fest" honors.

I've stayed in touch with the band - the lead singer, Dane Adrian and I had dinner when he was in L.A. on business. We tried to convince Mark Cuban (yes, that Mark Cuban) to cover expenses so we could make an HD video for their song "Anthem For Closure" - we had a great concept and a good pitch, but it didn't fly.  The guys have released another CD, "Goodnight, Bad Intentions" - check it out at squint.com, along with the other tracks I mentioned from the earlier CD.

I returned to "Tinsel Life" and scanned through the tracks. And I found it, on the last track - the title song, "Tinsel Life".  The opening is a great riff that builds in intensity and completely delivers what I was looking for as a show intro.  I contacted Dane, told him what I was up to (kicking off a political talk show), and asked him if I could get permission from squint to use the song as my show music.

He told me he'd ask the guys and wanted a few more details about the show - what kind of slant was it going to have. I told him the name and that I am a registered Independent who has tended to vote mostly for Democrats or third-party candidates, but tries to approach things with logic and an open mind, and I was hoping to bring that to a show.  I also said I thought I would be focusing on the Occupy movement for the first week of the show, since I had been active with it out here since October 1.

squint - © Chet Smith

I spent a tense afternoon wondering if the guys would prefer to avoid my brand of politics, or just avoid the political mine field altogether.  When Facebook let me know a message had been returned, I jumped on it, and was absolutely psyched to see the band said yes.  Can't thank those guys enough.

And when this show blows up, squint, I will pay you two...no, THREE times what I'm paying now, just as I promised.

I'm trying to attach a Widget to this blog so you'll be able to hear the new theme song - if that doesn't work, go squint's page and click on "Music". A player from ReverbNation pops up that will let you check out one of the hardest-working indie bands out there. These guys rock out at over 150 gigs a year, and it shows in both their live show and in the studio.

Remember, the song is "Tinsel Life" - it'll be the first thing you hear on November 28th when "Independent Thinking with Steve Gelder" premieres, streaming live, on NewDissidentRadio.com.

Talk to you then!


Edit 11/7: Couldn't get the Widget to attach - Dane suggested embedding a video instead, so, with no further ado, here's the title song to "Goodnight, Bad Intentions" ---

It Begins...!

Big things are brewin’ inside the ol’ Gelder farm…

Hi, I’m Steve. After years away from a career in radio that I entered in order to kick off my career in stand-up comedy that coincided with my additional career writing a syndicated newspaper column that preceded my current career as an actor/director/producer/editor…wait, what was I talking about again…?  Oh, yeah – I’m going to kick off another radio show, years after having left radio.

The show is “Independent Thinking with Steve Gelder” and it’s going to have a decidedly strong political bent. I am registered as an Independent voter, and I have always been someone who believes in taking in information, processing it, and coming up with solutions. I hope to be able to dissect some of the latest stories in the news and provide some interesting guests and points of view on a number of things from our ever-changing world.

I spent years traveling across the country, listening to conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck twist and distort stories to paint a grim picture of anything with a liberal slant. Now, it’s my turn.

There is no liberal media, or at least, not much of one. The initial lack of coverage coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement should clue you in to that. There have been accusations of police brutality, unnecessary force used in areas like Oakland and Denver, and potential millions spent on police overtime and future lawsuits, in order to…what? Stop some Americans from camping out and protesting about the government?

That seems like something a “liberal media” would be outraged about – yet, you see far more about the Kardashian divorce (yes, yes, we're alllllllll shocked) and the cancellation of Playboy Club than you do about the Occupy movement.

 

 I let my sign do my talking for me…

 

Anyway, more on that in future blogs and November 28, 2011, on the airwaves daily at NewDissidentRadio.com.

Thanks to Johnny Dam for opening up some time at the station for my style of talk radio.  We’ll learn some things together along the way, talk to people who agree and disagree with my point of view, and each show, I will try to explain a topical issue and recommend something you can do about it in a segment called "Everyday Activist" – things you can do easily, at home or at work, to possibly make a positive change in our day to day lives.

Thanks for reading, thanks for engaging in Independent Thinking, and get ready to say hello to Steve Gelder, the Honey Badger of Truth!