Media Mirrors

Man, you have to be careful with the pro media folks. I talked to both the Riverfront Times and West Newsmagazine yesterday on the Lewis Greenberg thing. And, as much as I tried not to get too emotional, I have to be honest. The thought of the old man, a good friend and local eccentric whom a lot of us have gotten to know very well, sitting in a jail cell for 20 days with a bunch of rapists, murderers, crackheads and thugs, really chapps my ass--oh yes, FOR YARD ART!

This will be an interesting contrast; the RFT and West Newsmagazine being on opposite book ends of things politically. Both writers got about the same amount of spew from me. Both called me, not the other way around, btw. Spin it baby! This will be a good experiment that will no doubt have me thinking that I should probably keep my mouth shut more often. But we know that won't be the case.

The RFT's spin was interesting: How important it might be to consider what Lewis's "condition" will be when he returns home from jail after whatever adjustments to his meds might have taken place. This while jumping on what local town folk have been saying under their breath for quite a while now: "remember the Cookie Thorton thing in Kirkwood". I reckon it was time to just go ahead and say it for the benefit of everyone out there, broadcast "IT" in front of the general public, since this was such a perfect example of what I call a "Moose-in-the-room". "IT" was there and nobody wanted to point to it and say, "Hey, there is a Moose". I should charge a fee for going ahead and getting it out there.

The West News Magazine piece will be more of the same I suppose. Likely a little slanted towards the cliche of "what home owners (I) would I do if we (I) lived next to him, how would (we) I would find that to be?"--There will probably a bit about my being a business owner in close proximity to where Lewis lives, the risk that I take alienating the public, my customers in the community who might think ill of me for having anything to do with Lewis. This is kind of a "Moose" too is it not?

I will clear the air. I don't care. Our town needs culture and Lone Wolf is a cultural center aimed at the community in the form of a mirror. Pictures of the community heroes, our people doing cool things. Lewis's art is there too, because he matters. Our town needs to be more tolerant. Our town needs to be less centered on torch bearing tactics with dealing with its citizens, eccentric or not. We need less government, less influence from the institution whos custodians think they can push people around by forcing issues based on personal agenda. But mostly, as it relates to Lewis, we need to consider him an important part of the fabric of our community, as well as others who might not fit the homogeneous pre-conceived notion of stature, in our community.

I have said this before. Years ago the city and now lately the county embarked on this low road approach--due process like--with a justice system to deal with Lewis and his art. The entire process has fueled him to no end and the more pressure he got from them, the angrier he became. In a legal game of filing and positioning for higher ruling, the poor dude wound up in jail!--a mentally disabled retired art school teacher!--and now the community is restless about what he might do next??!! Bravo! The system is working, working like a friggin charm. And this is as cliche as it gets.

We have an opportunity here. Change the strategy. Very simple concept.

Free Lewis, ifyouknowhatimtalkinbout.