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Russell Simmons: the Mogul and Occupy wall Street
R
ussell 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.
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 have 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 partici-
pating 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
corporate influence
c ElEBRIty the
which has had a huge
I NtERVIEw impact in terms of all
the inequalities that
people are suffering
by Kam
from. If you talk about
Williams
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 progres-
sive 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 pub-
lic financing of elections, a very straightfor-
ward, no-nonsense, no compromise amend-
ment which prohibits any expenditures by
any third party, by any special interests or
page 6 The Seattle Skanner December 7, 2011
even by the candidates themselves.
Kw: That would certainly level the play-
ing 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’
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 peo-
ple who ask: What, specifically, does
Occupy Wall Street want?
RS: We want the government to be con-
Russell Simmons
trolled 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 cov-
erage. 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 con-
See SIMMoNS on page 7