By Lincoln Anderson
Calling for homeless Vietnam War-era veterans to be “adopted” — or at least housed — a small, but vocal, group of protesters gathered outside the tony Christodora House on Avenue B at Ninth St. last Friday evening. Led by L.E.S. Slacktivist John Penley, who was actually the only veteran at the event, they decried the East Village’s gentrification and, from time to time, broke into chants of “Die Yuppie Scum!”
Two other vets who had been hoped to attend — “Biker Billy” and Jim Power, a.k.a. “Mosaic Man” — didn’t make it. Billy was reportedly at a Staten Island hotel and getting ready for a biker party, while Power — who was recently attacked again while sleeping on the street — was said to be recovering somewhere in the park. Penley, who has been couch-surfing at friends’ places lately, said that the Common Ground project under construction in E. Houston St. should provide veterans housing.
As for why Penley was asking to be adopted, it’s because Michael Rosen, a developer who is also an activist and author, and who lives in the Christodora’s penthouse, recently published a book recounting how he and his wife took in several neighborhood boys and helped raise them.
“You’re too old [to be adopted],” said one Christodora resident as she passed Penley, 58, on her way in.
Lara Mascara, who lives in the Christodora and came out to watch the protest, said she has nothing to apologize about for living there. The 40-year-old daughter of a drug-addicted fashion-model mother, she said she remembers how the neighborhood used to be drug infested and violent, and that the Christodora was abandoned, dangerous and stunk of urine before it was residentially converted.
“I used to step over junkies,” she said. “I deserve the right to live here. I’ve lived here for 40 years.”
As for Rosen, she said, “You know what? I love him — and I used to throw rocks through the window of Red Square,” referring to a building Rosen built on E. Houston St. that she admitted helped spark the area’s gentrification.
Mascara, who used to date a member of the Cro-Mags hardcore punk band and bartended around the East Village, is currently writing her memoirs of growing up in the neighborhood.
Penley and some of his fellow Slacktivists also noted that the Christodora’s pool was supposed to be a community facility-use space and should be opened to the public. But Mascara said the pool is dusty and a disaster and should just be paved over with concrete.
“Get Donald Trump to do it,” Penley retorted. “Trump could fix it up in a month.”
Although last Friday night’s rally was sparsely attended, Penley said they expect a bigger turnout Sept. 12, after a punk-rock concert in Tompkins Square Park, organized by Chris Flash, publisher of The Shadow anarchist newspaper.
Much later, around 4:30 a.m. the next morning, Power and his dog, Jesse Jane, were spotted trudging along St. Mark’s Place near First Ave. in the pouring rain, looking for a safe spot to bed down on the street. Jesse Jane was wearing a white “wife-beater” undershirt, but, of course, her fur was soaked.
Power said he didn’t know if he would last two more weeks. He may start protesting outside Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s office to demand housing, he said. He’s got .357 Magnum bullets, he added, and as soon as he finds someone dependable to take care of his dog — he’ll “do something.”
What does that mean? he was asked. …
“I’ll do something,” Power repeated.
