Russell Wendell Simmons was born in Queens, New York on October 4, 1957, the middle of three sons to bless the marriage of Daniel and Evelyn Simmons, a public school administrator and NYC parks administrator, respectively.
Simmons was among the handful of celebrities making a daily show of support of Occupy Wall Street (OWS) via a very visible presence on the ground in lower Manhattan and other cities. But since the police began banning and bulldozing the group’s campsites all across the country, it seems that the activists might have lost some of their momentum. So, I decided to track down Russell to see whether he thinks OWS was just a flash in the pan or if it will be revived despite the recent crackdown.
Russell Simmons - The "Occupy Wall Street" Interview
with
Kam Williams
Kam Williams: Hey Russell, thanks for the time.
Russell Simmons: Hey, man.
KW: Why did you join the Occupy Wall Street Movement?
RS: Well, I have certainly been one of the people who’s been very vocal
about the government’s being more concerned about special interests than the
needs of the people who elected the officials. There’s always been talk
about this, and now we have a chance to have a real dialogue. Wall Street
controlled the future of the people participating in the occupation. A lot
of pundits keep asking, “What do they want?” It’s so clear to me what the
protesters’ rap is all about. They’re occupying Wall Street and carrying
picket signs that say things like, “I couldn’t afford a politician, so I
made this sign.” You can trace their grievances and discontent back to all
the corporate influence which has had a huge impact in terms of all the
inequalities that people are suffering from. If you talk about the
prison-industrial complex, I’ve fought against the prison-industrial complex
when I called for a repeal of the Rockefeller drug laws. The biggest
impediment to get the laws changed was the lobbyists. Whether you’re talking
about healthcare, jobs going overseas, or tax reform, you’re always coming
up against lobbyists. Hello! So that issue is critical. And this dialogue is
bringing a lot more attention to it.
KW: But are the politicians listening to OWS or to the lobbyists?
RS: The politicians already in office don’t want to change. A few might have
it in their hearts to change and to start working for the people, but even
some of the most progressive politicians are silent because they know that
the candidate with the most money wins.
KW: So, what’s the solution?
RS: On the day that Mayor Bloomberg cleared out Zuccotti Park in New York, I
went up to Boston where I promoted a Constitutional amendment calling for
public financing of elections, a very straightforward, no-nonsense, no
compromise amendment which prohibits any expenditures by any third party, by
any special interests or even by the candidates themselves.
KW: That would certainly level the playing field.
RS: Yeah, the elected officials should be working for the voters who elected
them. Money corrupts the process. Why would you be giving a candidate money
unless you expect something in return? That’s why I want to get this
amendment done. It’s only four lines long. This is not a partisan idea. It’s
an American idea. We’re trying to make a true democracy.
KW: Do you think the Occupy Wall Street Movement has been hurt by getting
kicked out of park after park around the country?
RS: No, no, no... I think it’s only made it stronger. The movement’s just
beginning. It’s only a couple months old. I was at Zuccotti Park almost
every day. The kids down there were very compassionate. They embraced the
homeless, and they were even kind enough to give free food and tents to
inmates just being released from Riker’s Island. And some of those people
would come out of jail and find purpose in joining the movement.
Unfortunately, a few were disruptive, and the media would give the bad
apples the most attention and so OWS’s message was being misrepresented. But
OWS was only taking care of people the City of New York should’ve been
caring for. So, the cleaning out of the parks just means the revolution has
to evolve.
KW: What would your answer be to people who ask: What, specifically, does
Occupy Wall Street want?
RS: We want the government to be controlled by all the people, not by the
richest 1%. That’s always been the first demand. That’s a simple enough
message, and I think it’s pretty clear now, even though much of the media
has been disingenuous in its coverage. We don’t want the heads of the
biggest industries to make all the decisions, because they’re not for the
people. They’re for the corporations. Power to the people!
KW: How will eliminating political contributions help the election process?
RS: Presently, you can’t be a free man and run for office in this country.
Everybody wants something! Even individuals who bundle your money want
something. The system has to be changed so that the politicians will work on
behalf of the people.
KW: Isn’t it possible that you’ll still have politicians taking money under
the table?
RS: That’s a different type of corruption. Most people don’t want to break
the law. I’m concerned about eliminating perfectly legal forms of bribery.
At least 4 out 5 Americans believe that Wall Street and special interests
have too much control over our government. So, it’s not just a progressive
thing. Remember, even a whole unit of Tea Party members marched with us on
the Brooklyn Bridge. They want their elected officials to work for them,
too. We see a flaw in our democracy, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t
be able to fix it. We want to educate people on this one issue.
KW: What’s tragic to me is the precariousness of the middle class. I’ve seen
people lose their jobs, and then lose their home. Or get sick, and then lose
their home. Or be working full-time but be unable to afford health care or
to send their kids to college. A quarter of the kids in this country now
live in poverty. Meanwhile, the Bush tax cuts for the rich remain in effect.
Whatever happened to a living wage?
RS: All of those problems are what makes this so urgent. And at the same
time, the stock market just rolls on. It’s a disconnect, a money grab.
Things will change when they can no longer exploit the people.
KW: So, isn’t business to blame for these problems more than politicians?
RS: No, I don’t fault business. If you run a corporation, your job is to
maximize the return on investment for your investors. Good for you. But by
the same token, we have to remember that corporations have no compassion.
That’s why legislation and regulations are necessary.
KW: Do you anticipate seeing greater African-American involvement in the
Occupy Wall Street Movement?
RS: Definitely! Veteran activist Dr. Ben Chavis is coming aboard with his
long history and great record in terms of organizing. I know that when the
civil rights community joins forces with the unions and with the pop stars
of the cultural community, we can make this country much greater.
KW: Are you at all worried about a possible backlash from the black
community the way that Dr. Cornel West and
Tavis Smiley were criticized as
being anti-Obama when they went on their poverty tour?
RS: No, this not about Obama. I’m prepared to go on the road to make sure
that Obama gets reelected. I’m a big supporter of President Obama.
KW: And what’s up next for Occupy Wall Street?
RS: There’s going to be an announcement made very shortly. I can’t blow it,
but I will say this much: I potentially see the unions, the black Church and
the cultural community coming together to spearhead a Poor People’s
Revolution as a fulfillment of the dream envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther
King.
KW: Well, thanks for updating me, Russell, and best of luck with expanding
the Occupy Wall Street Movement.
RS: Thank you, brother.
OWS Photo Credits: (expect image of Russell Simmons)
courtesy of Gabrielle
Johnson
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