Independence Day, Morning Walk

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d
Walt Whitman
12

Lo, Body and soul – this land,
My own Manhattan with spires, and the sparkling and
hurrying tides, and the ships,
The varied and ample land, the South and the North in
the light, Ohio’s shores and flashing Missouri,
And ever the far-spreading prairies cover’d with grass
and corn.

Lo, the most excellent sun so calm and haughty,
The violet and purple morn with just-felt breezes,
The gentle soft-born measureless light,
The miracle spreading bathing all, the fulfill’d noon,
The coming eve delicious, the welcome night and the
stars,
Over my cities shinning all, enveloping man and land.

When in the course human events on the morning of July 4, 2011 I took my semi traditional stroll around Liberty State Park. I took a cab this time to the far-side, the non-ferry side.

A beautiful summer day, which I started with some Whitman. In the park the fog was still being burnt off by the sun, creating a humidity-dampening haze.

Tents, grills, children. Mostly people of color; one assume folks without a back yard. Because of security concerns, fireworks have been moved up river – for the 2nd year in a row, Jersey City cancelled its display citing monetary short-falls.

There used to be 10 times as many following arriving early to claim a prime spot for the fireworks. Those that still come do so out of tradition – where better to have a July 4th picnic than a park named for our nation’s highest ideal – Liberty – with the teal statue given to us by our first ally, France one hundreds years after they send treasure and their youth to fight alongside my ancestors so the nation representing the last, best hope for mankind could make real the aspirations cited in its Declaration of birth or which this holiday commemorates.

Seeing these families together in our park is awe inspiring and life affirming. I used to come to this park a lot, especially in the 90s when I was more into bicycle riding. Now it’s just about once a year. Shame, it’s really so close. I usually walk both ways. Beautiful Park, beautiful river. We’re lucky to live in a city with such an awesome walk available. I was in an everything is beautiful mood. Reading Whitman in the morning can do that to you. I also read the Declaration of Independence – they print in the Times per tradition; I read it every year on this day.

America sure it pisses me off and constantly disappoints – but there are moments, sincere moments, where Lincoln was right, that we are the last best hope for mankind, republicans not withstanding.

Oh shit, Lincoln was a Republican.

No wonder we celebrate our birthday with hot dogs and later fireworks.

Our country, our history, is way too complicated; some things work better simplified.

Couldn’t see the sea, barely see Hudson Bay... Bayonne lost in the haze.

Nice crab, kid.

We’ve been out here four hours.

We caught two.

Are you going eat them? Sure’ we’re going to eat.

I’m not going to eat that, she said, adamant.

Fishing. A favorite along New Jersey’s Mississippi. Sure looks like fun but who the heck can eat fish caught in the Hudson river. Maybe it is cleaner than it used to be, but still.

What a fantastic walk, there’s the riverside walkway or you can veer off into the marshland – actually it’s recreated wetlands, recovered from the years of factory pollution and dumping; apparently the recovery started in 1976. Go somewhere else for the history.

Then you get to the Blue Comet station, blogged about here.

Then the depressing part of the Independence Day, Morning Walk.

This is why I didn’t walk both ways, and took a cab instead –that way I don’t have to see this abhorrent eyesore twice!

This ugly marina wasn’t always here, polluting this inlet of the ole Monroe Canal.

I hate this Marina.

I hate this ostentatious show of blatant wealth, this utter disregard for all American values other than greed and self-obsession. Ugliness epitomized. Used to be a long, wide, verdant lawn here, our Great Lawn. Somewhere along the line, it was decided that giving those rich enough to own a yacht should have a lawn so those ugly yachts that can’t fit into canal can be dry docked.

What’s a higher social priority, the toys of the wealthy or the children of the working class?

I guess it pays off – Jersey City can’t afford its own fireworks display again this year and to see the New York display from the Jersey Side you have to make it up to Hoboken and Weehawken.

Not if you have a boat of course, than our River is your River. Ferries ferry tourists to Ellis Island and the Statue.

I know it’s just a coincidence, but I can’t help but feel nauseas. The fun of the African American families having a cook out on the other side of Liberty State Park then reaching the Marina side, African American waitresses serving the yacht owners – who’d a thunk it ! – are rich and white.

Our state is cutting teachers, our class rooms are over crowded. Firemen and police officers laid off or on furlough. The scallywags and cowards who make up the state legislators cut pensions and reduce healthcare, re-negging on contracts a decade old. Tear up the social contract? Why not? Raise the tax rate on the wealthy – have them as Clinton said, pay their fair share – that makes too much sense and aspires to too much justice. Low turn out put the right wing freak in power in Trenton and cutting the taxes of the rich will take away their yachts. Not just an eyesore not to mention a security risk, this marina undermines the whole purpose of this park, open to everybody in the huddled masses.


The freedom to loot our economy, returning this land to the two-tier society of a gilded age.

Over crowded class rooms, teachers laid off, but tax cuts so the wealth can accumulate more wealth and buy... a yacht.

And a public park – a park meant to as a testament to the ideals of the Statue of Liberty – that we are free and equal – is given away to the privileged.

This marina signified everything wrong in America today. But you know, we the people may be down but we’re never out and someday we will wake up and take our country back and tear down this parking lot for the toys of the wealthy! Get on Board, there’s a New Deal Coming. Better Day on the Horizon! A million marinas cannot destroy what makes this country, us, the people.

Still the bog alongside the wooden bridge is still nice. Water fowl remain but the boats of the wealthy have so polluted this water way not a turtle in sight. Summer, and no turtles.

Maybe we’re just down but not out. The McDonalds flag still flies beneath our Old Glory, waving in the horizon, signaling a return to downtown.