Steve Brodner

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Abel Meeropol and US

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

For some reason starting thinking today about Abel Meeropol. He was a high school teacher at DeWitt Clinton here in NY. I don’t know much about him except three things. He wrote Strange Fruit after seeing a photo of a lynching. He and his wife adopted the Rosenberg children after they were orphaned by American McCarthyite hysteria. And he wrote this song, “The House I Live In”. A hit for Sinatra and Paul Robeson. The first clip is well written even without the song. But it’s in the second clip.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Crown of Silver

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly. My take for Capitalnewyork.com.

Tags: Bridge Troll, Cuomo, Godfather, Gollum, NY State Politics, Sheldon Silver, Trilogy, Urkle
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Pétanque in Bryant Park

Monday, August 16th, 2010

As part of my New York Scenes series for The New Yorker I recently drew the Bocce (or Pétanque) players in Bryant Park. These guys play at lunch time and have a ball (actually more than one). The first piece was deemed too observant: the main fellow might not like all this attention. So a second was done. Now the main guy was smaller and much less himself. Note the change of seasons. It ran about a month later than planned.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Abraham Wonka and the Anti-Defamation Factory

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

In the current controversy over the proposed Muslim Center near the World Trade Center site we seem to have slipped from condemning radical Islam to Islam in general. This, in spite of the immense sacrifices our troops are making in the cause of moderate Islam overseas. Now this proposed Center, the model of moderation, with Christians and Jews on its board, is being opposed for reasons that seem only to have a basis in feelings. Or prejudice. A leading voice against the Center is Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League. This organization, devoted to opposing bigotry, says in the NY Times, ““Survivors of the Holocaust are entitled to feelings that are irrational,” he said. Referring to the loved ones of Sept. 11 victims, he said, “Their anguish entitles them to positions that others would categorize as irrational or bigoted.”

It is my observation that all groups with problems, including the German nation in the 1930′s, view themselves as victims. And so according to Mr. Foxman’s construction, all get a pass. So if we’re not so Anti-Defamation now, maybe we should change the name to the Occasional Defamation League. Because it’s okay now that we have the Golden Ticket.

BTW: After drawing Abe I opened the paper and there was an article about special animals. And I saw this blobfish. I know a person is not responsible for how beautiful he looks. To a caricaturist Abe is a thing of beauty. And now I see him everywhere:

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

Apples Are Red!!!

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Seen today on W. 93rd St: a mother in a greengrocer’s buying a yellow apple. Her baby was struggling with the concept. “Apples are RED!” he kept insisting. The patient mom took time and explained this to him. “All apples are not the same. Here is a yellow one!” Clearly out of his comfort zone the little fellow insisted on the old reality. I’m sure he will come round. It did remind me of the current political scene. About 20% of the electorate are having a rough time accepting realities that take them out of their comfort zone. Glenn Beck viewers who don’t like that, for example, we NEED immigration in the United States, you CAN’T cut taxes during wars and depressions, human sexuality is NOT all the same, multi-national corporations ARE the Big Brother you think the government is, and they ARE behind Global Warming, which IS real, Medicare and Social Security ARE government programs, etc. What Glenn and the Becker-heads need, of course is a patient Mommy to explain reality to them. They used to have this when the media choices were limited to professional outlets. But now why bother when with FOX News they can have “reality”. And all apples can be red for always. ‘Night Mother.