The May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police was akin to a crucifixion, just like the murders of Michelle O'Connell and Eli Washtock here in corrupt St. Johns County, Florida.
My late friend, Franciscan Sister Mary Sferre (1929-2020), told me that she lived in Hoboken whole the movie, On The Waterfront was being made, and I was honored when Sister Sferre gave me the DVD, which inspires me.
I have been watching the live-streamed criminal trial of former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. I am impressed by the Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, and his lead prosecutor, Mr. Jerry Blackwell, an African-American corporate lawyer working pro bono. Mr. Blackwell and his team have proved Chauvin's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, in my opinion.
Watching the body-worn camera, experts and eyewitness video and watching the witnesses testify in the case, I am reminded of the deaths of Michelle O'Connell, Eli Washtock and Andrea Sheldon, an d all of the other police homicides that were never solved.
I am reminded of the September 2, 2010 Michelle O'Connell homicide and and January 31, 2019 Eli Washtock homicide, still not prosecuted here in corrupt St. Johns County. (Wonder why?)
I am reminded of some of my trials in whistleblower worker rights cases, like Sherrie Graham Farver v Dr. Kenneth Carpenter, M.D., and Charles D. Varnadore v. Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Watching the body-worn camera, expert and eyewitness video and watching the witnesses testify in the and of one of my favorite movies, On The Waterfront.
The dispatcher who reported what she saw on video to a sergeant in progress expressed reluctance to "be a snitch."
Too many American workers are employed by tyrants, petty Tinpot Napoleons, some resembling the corrupt mob boss, named Johnny Friendly, in the classic movie, On The Waterfront.
Too many American workers -- the vast majority -- lack the means or contacts to enforce the patchwork quilt of whistleblower laws enacted since the 1970s.
I was honored to represent ethical employees until my 2004 and 2006 suspension and disbarment by the State of Tennessee, pressured by Mitch McConnell's law school roommate.
From the movie, On The Waterfront, here is the priest's funeral oration by the murdered body of Kayo Dugan, one of two longshoremen murdered by the mob, stating in pertinent part:
Some people think the Crucifixion
only took place on Calvary. They better wise
up. Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from
testifying is a crucifixion— Dropping a sling on Kayo
Nolan because he was ready to spill his guts
tomorrow— that's a crucifixion. Every time the
mob puts the crusher on a good man— tries to
stop him from doing his duty as a citizen— it's a
crucifixion.
CLOSE—ON TERRY
Voice of Father Barry continues.
FATHER BARRY
And anybody who sits around and lets it happen,
keeps silent about something he knows has happened—
shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier
who pierced the flesh of Our Lord to see if He was dead.
Fron On The Waterfront script, in haec verba:
FATHER BARRY
(aroused)
I came down here to keep a promise.
I gave Kayo my word that if he stood up to the
mob I'd stand up with him all the way. Now
Kayo Nolan is dead. He was one of those fellows
who had the gift of getting up. But this time they fixed
him good— unless it was an accident like Big Mac says.
Pop, Moose, and some of the others glare at Big Mac, who chews his
tobacco sullenly. Some of the others snicker "accident."
FATHER BARRY
Some people think the Crucifixion
only took place on Calvary. They better wise
up. Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from
testifying is a crucifixion— Dropping a sling on Kayo
Nolan because he was ready to spill his guts
tomorrow— that's a crucifixion. Every time the
mob puts the crusher on a good man— tries to
stop him from doing his duty as a citizen— it's a
crucifixion.
CLOSE—ON TERRY
Voice of Father Barry continues.
FATHER BARRY
And anybody who sits around and lets it happen,
keeps silent about something he knows has happened—
shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier
who pierced the flesh of Our Lord to see if He was dead.
SHOT OF EDIE—ON DOCK
Listening, moved. Terry has come up behind her and stands nearby. She
notices
him but barely reacts. He listens intently to the Father's words.
(NOTE: I am not indicating in detail the other necessary reactions—
those of Pop, Moose, the Negro Luke, the watchful hostility of Sonny
and Truck, the murderous arrogance of Johnny Friendly, and the
sophisticated cynicism of Charley Malloy.
But most important of all is the impression being made on Terry.)
CLOSE—ON TRUCK
TRUCK
Go back to your church, Father.
INT—HATCH—DAY
FATHER BARRY
(looking up at Truck and pointing to the ship)
Boys, this is my church. If you don't think
Christ is here on the waterfront, you got another
guess coming. And who do you think He lines up
with—
CLOSE—ON SONNY
SONNY
Get off the dock, Father.
Sonny reaches for a box of rotten bananas on the dock and flings one
down into the hatch.
CLOSE—ON FATHER BARRY
The banana splatters him, but he ignores it.
BACK TO SONNY—ON DOCK
Terry turns to him. Edie notices this and watches with approval.
TERRY
Do that again and I'll flatten you.
SONNY
What're you doing. Joining them—
TERRY
Let him finish.
SONNY
Johnny ain't going to like that, Terry.
TERRY
Let him finish.
Edie looks at him amazed. Terry catches her eye, and then looks down,
embarrassed at his good deed. They both turn to watch Father Barry.
CLOSE SHOT—CHARLEY
Near Johnny, watching Terry and then looking at Johnny apprehensively.
INT—HATCH—DAY
FATHER BARRY
Every morning when the hiring boss blows his
whistle, Jesus stands alongside you in the shape-up.
More missiles fly, some hitting the Father, but he continues:
FATHER BARRY
He sees why some of you get picked and some
of you get passed over. He sees the family men
worrying about getting their rent and getting food
in the house for the wife and kids. He sees them
selling their souls to the mob for a day's pay.
CLOSE—ON JOHNNY FRIENDLY
Nodding to Barney. Barney picks up an empty beer can and hurls it down
into the hatch.
INT—HATCH—DAY
It strikes Father Barry and blood etches his forehead. Pop jumps
forward and shakes his fist.
POP
By Christ, the next bum who throws something
deals with me. I don't care if he's twice my
size.
Some of the other longshoremen grumble approval.
FATHER BARRY
What does Christ think of the easy-money boys
who do none of the work and take all of the gravy?
What does He think of these fellows wearing
hundred-and-fifty-dollar suits and diamond rings—
on your union dues and your kickback money?
How does He feel about bloodsuckers picking
up a longshoreman's work tab and grabbing
twenty percent interest at the end of a week?
CLOSE—ON J.P.
J.P.
Never mind about that!
CLOSE—OF SONNY—ON DOCK
Scowling. Terry, nearby, is increasingly moved by the Father's
challenge.
FATHER BARRY
How does He, who spoke up without fear
against evil, feel about your silence?
SONNY
Shut up about that!
He reaches for another rotten banana and is poised to throw it. Almost
simultaneously, Terry throws a short hard right that flattens Sonny
neatly. Edie is watching, a deeply felt gratitude in her eyes.
CLOSE—ON JOHNNY FRIENDLY AND TRUCK
A little way off .
TRUCK
You see that?
Johnny presses his lips together but makes
no sign.
CLOSE—ON TERRY AND EDIE
She moves closer to him. He barely glances at her, then continues
listening to Father Barry.
INT—HATCH—DAY
FATHER BARRY
You want to know what's wrong
with our waterfront? It's love of a lousy buck. It's
making love of a buck— the cushy job— more
important than the love of man. It's forgetting
that every fellow down here is your brother in
Christ.
CLOSE—ON POP—MOOSE—LUKE—TERRY AND EDIE
As Father Barry's voice rises to a climax—
FATHER BARRY
But remember, fellows, Christ is always with you—
Christ is in the shape-up, He's in the hatch—
He's in the union hall— He's kneeling
here beside NolanÑand He's saying with all
of you—
CLOSE—ON FATHER BARRY
FATHER BARRY
If you do it to the least of mine,
you do it to me! What they did to Joey, what they
did to Nolan, they're doing to you. And you. And
YOU. And only you, with God's help, have the
power to knock 'em off for good!
(turns to Nolan's corpse)
Okay, Kayo?
(then looks up and says, harshly)
Amen.
e makes the sign of the cross. Pop, Moose, Tommy, Luke, and the others
do likewise. Big Mac and Specs, seeing the others, reluctantly follow
suit. Then, disgruntled, Big Mac climbs up out of the hatch and
bellows:
BIG MAC
All right, fellows— break it up! Let's go!
Strongly moved, the longshoremen glare at Big Mac and then silently
start back to their places on the deck, in the hatches, on the dock,
etc.
MOVING SHOT
The pallet rises out of the hatch with the body on it. Pop sits
casually on the edge with Father Barry who, in pantomime, is cadging a
cigarette.
CLOSE—ON EDIE AND TERRY
Edie crosses herself. Then she looks at Terry. They look at each other
and the feeling
in both of them is some terrible hunger beyond their control. For a
moment it seems as if Terry must go to her, but instead he turns away,
slowly, as if this were the most diffi cult thing he was ever asked to
do. Edie looks after him and we feel that she will yield to impulse and
call out to him. But she looks down instead, finally, and closes her
eyes, imperceptibly trembling against desire. Luke comes up to her,
but she is lost in her own most private thoughts and does not
see him. He carries Joey's jacket, the one Nolan has been wearing.
LUKE
Edie... .
(nudges her)
Edie—
EDIE
(startled)
Oh— Luke.
LUKE
(quietly)
Joey's jacket. I thought maybe
Kayo'd like you to have it back.
Edie looks at him, and takes it silently. She hugs it to her, whispers,
"Thank you," and, in a kind of sleepwalking, starts toward the entrance
of the pier. Luke watches her anxiously.
LUKE
Sure you're okay?
She nods and continues on alone.
QUICK DISSOLVE