" Complex Emotions "

 Class 6 definitely stirred my emotions! The famous Episcopalian parish, Trinity Church, was our first stop. Despite its modesty in size and conception, Trinity Church is probably New York's most famous, and of the wealthiest houses of worship (BG, p.65). Standing next to the church is an immense sculpture made of the roots of a sycamore tree that once stood across from the Twin Towers. As I stood before this sculpture, I recalled September 11th, and pictured mobs of people seeking refuge inside this church. I hope that in their despair, they were able to find peace and serenity here.

The Gothic style interior of Trinity Church is very beautiful. Above the altar is a vibrant stained glass window depicting Jesus, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul. Gorgeous Gothic arches are seen throughout the church. The church even houses a museum.

Next stop: Zuccitti Park- OccupyWall Street.
The protesters are exercising their right to freedom of speech and, being part of the 99%, I empathize and agree with the cause. I do strongly believe that the elitist has always benefited from the worker, and that struggles between classes have always and will always lead to conflict. It absolutely burns me up inside to know that mismanagement at the top, always falls on the backs of those below! I strongly agree with Tom when he said that government "unfairly shifts the burden of crisis to the working people." Occupy Wall Street is effectively raising awareness. In all fairness, I must say that some of the protesters inside the park were off the wall! It was like a scene from Woodstock. No disrespect to anyone, but it appeared to me that some had ulterior motives. I preferred not to photograph what was disgraceful. I am not an anarchist, far from it actually. I've been a civilian employee of NCPD for 15 years, and hold the police in high regard. I'm skeptical of the hype that's printed  in newspapers,
and am not quick to believe the hearsay. I hope that the protest can maintain its focus, and not deviate from the cause. USA Today posted a good article in yesterday's paper: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-10-16/occupy-wall-street-protests-spread/50797274/1

We walked over to the the Federal Hall National Memorial, the birthplace of American government. Due to the protest, the entrance at 26 Wall Street was barricaded. We entered through Pine St. It was awesome to visit the place where our first president was inaugurated.

This site was also home to the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices. It was here that the First Congress wrote the Bill of Rights. This building is rich in history. In 1735, John Peter Zenger, publisher of the New York Weekly Journal, was tried here for libeling the royal governor. His acquittal established a precedent for freedom of the press (BG, p.69).
This building is a beautiful example of Greek Revival Style architecture. Although we were not able to see the heroic statue of George Washington on the front steps, we were able to see the gorgeous interior. The massive Corinthian columns and ornate ceiling of the rotunda were impressive. It was cool to stand before the stone on which George Washington stood. A peculiar visitor began meditating and chanting before this stone. What would George say? To learn more about the first Capitol of the United States, visit: http://www.nps.gov/feha/historyculture/inaugural-balcony.htm

When terrorists brought the Towers down, St. Paul's Chapel stood among ruins. As written in a poem written by J. Chester Johnson, "to stand was its purpose, long lines prove that. It stands, and around it now, a shrine of letters, poems, acrostics, litter of the heart." When I first walked into the chapel, the stone tablets on the altar caught my eye. Professor Meritta turned my attention to the Unwavering Spirit exhibit; in particular to the altar dedicated to all those we lost on September 11th. As I read the messages attached to the many faces, I was overwhelmed with grief. I, literally, bit my lip to keep the tears from flowing. I had not known this chapel was the site of an extraordinary relief ministry to more than 14,000 volunteers who offered assistance in the recovery effort from September 2001 to May 2002. Visiting this colonial era chapel was the greatest experience! http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/congregation/spc/
Rebuilding the World Trade Center is a way to rehabilitate and alleviate the pain our nation felt on that dark September day. The Freedom Tower is only one of several buildings that will be erected to create the new World Trade Center. I so look forward to seeing the finished product!
I tried to ignore my hunger pangs while visiting the Irish Hunger Memorial. The authentic Famine-era cottage and the path lined with native Irish plants were very nice. The memorial contains stones from all the different counties in Ireland. I remember studying about the Great Irish Famine, and how it led many Irish to emigrate. I was not aware that there were 1 1/2 million lost to famine related death and the Diaspora. I enjoyed visiting this memorial in Battery Park City.
The New York Times wrote "for nearly 25 years, the Poets House has been an anchor for poets and poetry lovers" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/books/25poetry.html. Our entire class enjoyed a poetry experience here. My selection, Filtered Images: Women Remembering Their Grandmothers was excellent!
Our walk from downtown to Chelsea was eternal! Maybe it was because I had dressed for rain, and it turned out to be 70 degrees and sunny. Or maybe it was because I was starving, but I felt like I'd been walking for days when I sat down at Chelsea Market. I ate my pasta and stretched my legs. The sweet taste of relief, thank you Jesus! "In 1995 the former Nabisco factory reopened as the Chelsea Market, whose ground floor is filled with shops offering high-quality food, wine, kitchen wares, and flowers" (BG, p.186). Chelsea Market is pretty cool, but also pricey.
Professor Meritta told us that 11th Avenue was once called Death Avenue because of the many accidents between freight trains and regular traffic. The Westside Cowboys would ride in front of freight trains waving red flags for safety. The High Line was built in the 1930s to remove dangerous freight trains from the streets of Manhattan. In 1980 the last train, carrying frozen turkeys, ran on the High Line. "Beginning in the 1990s, a local advocacy group defeated proposals for demolition" (BG, p.188). Friends of the High Line and the City of New York have since been working together to preserve and maintain this elevated park. I enjoyed the High Line very much.
The Chelsea galleries were interesting. I nominate both Vincent Desiderio and Andrew Kreps for the most "disturbing" art award. If a museum is a school, then what's a gallery? I guess it depends on whose gallery we're referring to. The Ikea special was the exhibit that made us all laugh the loudest. SURREAL!