Tribute to Frank Schonfeld
                                    by Jay Hauben

I am a relative new comer to the Amalgamated Cooperative Community. I 
moved here 6 years ago this month in Feb 2006.

I did not know Frank in the 1960s when he was running for Secretary 
Treasurer of the Painters Union District Council 9, or when he led the 
painters' strike in 1968.*

I did not know Frank in 1977 when he was the chairman of the Amalgamated/ 
Park Reservoir Golden Anniversary Committee which prepared a major set of 
celebrations. I did not know him when was an active member of many 
Amalgamated committees and the Board for over 25 years.

I did not even know Frank more recently when this neighborhood defended 
itself from the locating of a huge filtration plant and all its 
construction troubles in the Jerome Reservoir area.

So when and how did I know Frank?

Soon after I moved into the Amalgamated Cooperative in 2006, I started to 
attend meetings in Vladeck Hall so I could figure out what it meant to be 
part of a cooperative community. Maybe it was the Annual Meeting that May. 
A cooperator took the floor to remind us about the union roots of the 
Amalgamated Co-op. I was impressed and went up to him at the close of the 
meeting. He introduced himself as Frank Schonfeld. I told him I shared his 
respect for labor unionism. We shared stores and he told me he was part of 
the fight against corruption in the painters union in the late 1960s.

I went home and put [Frank Schonfeld painters union corruption] into a 
search engine. And sure enough, this fellow was an important fighter for 
union democracy. I found two chapters about his contribution to the union 
reform movement. I also saw that he had donated his papers to the Wagner 
Labor Archives at NYU. "The Guide to the Frank Schonfeld Papers" at: 

http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/tamwag/schonfeld.html 

gave me a deep respect for Frank's integrity and fighting spirit.

Later, when I saw him at meetings and in the fight for term limits, we 
talked more about his experiences. I told him how important I thought the 
internet was as a means of empowering people. He said he agreed. We 
discussed the concept of netizens, citizens of the net, analyzed by my son 
in the book "Netizens: On the Impact of Usenet and the Internet". From 
then on Frank always reminded me he thought netizens and the internet 
would help bring a better future.

At one point he gave me his business card. It had his name, phone number, 
email address and website. Wow! Frank had email and a webpage.

He asked me if there were a way for him to spread concern for global 
warming around the world. I suggested he write an article and we could try 
to get it on an international journalism website. Probably with David's 
help, Frank wrote the article "Global Suicide or Survival?" and I 
submitted it to OhmyNews International, a major online English language 
citizen journalism website. The editor accepted the article and it appear 
in Oct 2007, "Global Suicide or Survival? [Opinion] Thoughts from 
91-year-old New Yorker Frank Schonfeld" at 
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=380552&rel_no=1

The way he began his article, Frank appeared to me as a citizen of the 
world:

"We are facing the possible loss of what may be the only planet in the 
Cosmos that has a living, complex environmental system which has thus far 
continued to exist. But it is threatened with probable extinction unless 
we act individually and in organizations, governmental and 
non-governmental."

And he ended it showing his social consciousness:

"Therefore, it is the duty of every governmental and non-governmental 
organization and every individual to help mobilize a tsunami of world 
public resistance. Time is running out if we wish to preserve life and 
avoid suicide and extinction at the hands of a relatively small group of 
key decision-makers fighting ostensibly in the cause of national 
self-preservation and national or multi-national self-interest."

In 2007 when this was written, the editor wrote at the bottom of the 
article words Frank and I had sent him:

"But he is still a fighter. Some times even alone Frank is fighting to 
save society and the planet from the dangers of climate change and nuclear 
destruction. He takes college courses every semester. Frank is an eternal 
optimist but feels democratic action is necessary or disaster is 
possible."

In 2008 and 2009 I saw Frank less frequently but he was always warm and 
friendly.

When in November I heard the sad news that Frank had died, I wrote to his 
family:

"Ronda and I are shedding tears for having lost such a wonderful person. 
Frank has been one of our main heroes from the very first time we saw him 
in Vladeck Hall. He gave us something to aim for: an active, honest, 
spirited life even into older age."

But why do I say Frank is my Hero? Before I close, I want to give my 
answer.

First, Frank accepted what I understand is the social obligation of a 
citizen, cooperator or union member to speak up for what one sees as 
important, to not be intimidated and to keep on if a fight is needed.

Second, Frank demonstrated that sometimes a fight can be won, not often 
but sometimes. But if you don't fight you can't win.

Third, Frank showed how to maintain dignity and spirit even when you might 
stand alone. For me, numbers don't count. It is which side you are on that 
counts.

Fourth, the image of Frank in my mind reinforces my conviction that within 
human society some will always step forward to carry on the fight for a 
more decent and democratic life.

I ended my email message to the family:

"May our good memories of Frank keep his spirit alive.

I know Ronda and I will fight harder now for a better world to do honor to 
our hero Frank."

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Vladeck Hall, Feb 26, 2012

* The slides that accompanied this tribute can be seen at:

http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/amalgamated/history/people/Frank_Schonfeld/Feb26-slides-Jay_Hauben.ppt

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