THE DESTRUCTION OF A COMMUNITY – GRAFFITI
If you have had the opportunity to venture down Gary’s Broadway, you will see Broadway littered with Graffiti. In two words. “An eyesore”. These eyesores make it tough for businesses to acquire clients. Graffiti has in essence depleted what could have been a thriving economy on a busy well-traveled street. There could have been thriving black-owned businesses that represented the culture of the community; just like other cultures have businesses that align their neighborhoods that represent the culture of their communities. For Gary, there could have been diversity in various black-owned businesses, allowing people to choose. However, the message that Graffiti sends has caused Garyians to suffer enormously from the Graffiti sprawled up, and down Broadway. Suffice to say, Graffiti sends the wrong message and causes a negative economic blow. This in turn pushes money out of the neighborhood, as well as enhancing the planned destruction of a community.
In essence, Graffiti has made an eyesore of Broadway. What could have been a flourishing economic mecca, is a street layered with Graffiti that deters clients, and economic opportunities to acquire wealth. In addition, it only brings out the ugliness of the blighted buildings. The Graffiti on Broadway has dealt Gary another blow to the destruction, and demise of Gary’s Broadway.
On a positive note, maybe the community should have more artistic avenues for the residents to express themselves. However, those that continue to express their defiance in the destruction of private property; and exhibit a continual show of no respect and/or boundaries should be dealt with harshly. Sadly instead of an expression of art, their graffiti nets them the misfortune of being prosecuted as vandals. Graffiti makes a bad situation worst. Graffiti exhibits the downfall or destruction of a community.
When you look at the mural-sized drawings of graffiti; as well as the drawn-in color, it seems like planned destruction. Look at the Graffiti and you can see that it took a considerable amount of time. Not to mention Broadway is a well-traveled 24/7 hour street. They actually etched out a design and filled in a MURAL IN COLOR. This took a considerable amount of time, and they needed light.
Ironically one can deduce from the boldness of vandalizing property on a well-traveled main street that they knew they could get away with it. These mural typed paintings are time-consuming, and not to mention it is filled in with color. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to know that it appears that they knew they had nothing to worry about; as far as getting caught. In certain areas, they even climbed up buildings to do this shit.
It appears that Black communities are always turned into slums, years and years before gentrification takes roots. Graffiti is etched out for a reason. After the mission is complete, and homeowners are trapped they just want to go FOR LITTLE TO NOTHING. Not like others who make a profit off of selling homes in well-kept communities whose property value rises, as opposed to falling. Black’s real estate plummets so low no wealth is derived. Then we are blackballed into taking 5,000.00 dollars for a home that once gentrification takes root turns into 750,000.00 or more. Go figure, but I digress. Then when we move to a better area; they follow us there, to turn it into slums assuring Blacks don’t have economic wealth. First, you see their trademark. Garbage on top of garbage. All in the streets. Everywhere. Diapers, but not just diapers; soiled diapers thrown in the street, sidewalks. Just everywhere. Then here comes their other trademark. Graffiti. Makes you wonder. Is this planned?. They purposely trash up the community. They bypass a garbage can and throw their garbage on the street, sidewalk, or on the grass. (Doesn’t matter if it is private property–they don’t care). Newport boxes of cigarettes. Expensive liquor bottles and cans SMASHED in the streets and sidewalks. They just throw liquor bottles and cans anywhere. Garyside is an eyewitness to empty food carrying bags just thrown on the street and sidewalks; from McDonald’s to White Castle, etc. You name it, they have bought it. Ate it, and thrown the trash on the lawn, streets, and sidewalks. Just nasty. We are in COVID-19. Are they are throwing traces of COVID-19 through trash into our communities like smallpox was done to the Indians, but I digress. Listen just because they share a skin color, does not mean they share a culture.
What screws Black neighborhoods up, is that some of us have lost the cohesiveness, along with a zero-tolerance for the chaos these people bring to their communities. Some just don’t stand up and stick together like they use to. Worst yet, they don’t have a strong enough police force. If Garyians had the same outpour of disapproval in our communities as we have when police/people of no color murder a black person, compared to when another Black murders another black person, things would surely turn around.
“When graffiti is not taken care of, the neighborhood starts to deteriorate. Businesses find that customers stop coming, residents feel more fearful and less in charge of their own neighborhood and property. Once a neighborhood looks uncared for, crime problems tend to increase.
Graffiti has serious economic as well as psychological consequences in neighborhoods. . . “
When graffiti shows up in neighborhoods, it communicates alarm.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT GRAFFITI IN YOUR BUSINESS
In order to effectively deal with graffiti, everyone needs to be involved. Law enforcement alone cannot do the job. Dealing with graffiti must be a team effort involving law enforcement, city government, business owners, and community members. Five ways you can personally take control of graffiti:
When graffiti appears on your business, apartment, or home, first:
Call the Gary Police Department. In addition, call your council representatives. Form Block clubs, and the few businesses that remain in your neighborhood help them after asking them to remove graffiti from their buildings. Remember to thank those who remove it quickly. Cooperate with police in prosecuting those who vandalize the community. Really forensic should be able to lift their fingerprints from their drawings.
HOW TO PREVENT MORE GRAFFITI
Just like constantly cleaning up their garbage. It’s frustrating to paint over graffiti, only to have it vandalized again. Here are ways to paint out graffiti that will discourage further vandalism.
The best way is to paint the entire wall or paint up to 7 feet high, making a straight line across the top with a color that matches the wall. This leaves no trace of graffiti and does not draw attention of the vandals. This method is far more effective than simply painting patches. The next best way is to use a closely matched color blocked over the graffiti in neat, square shapes. The closer the color match, the more effective it is in preventing future vandalism.
REMEMBER
The vandal’s objective is to have others see their “tag” or “name.” Vandals are drawn to walls that are not cleaned immediately because it means their graffiti will be up longer and seen by more people. By covering the graffiti as soon as possible, you prevent your property from becoming a “known” good site among vandals. Graffiti communicates: gangs, drugs, crime, danger, and a run-down neighborhood. PAINT OVER GRAFFITI IMMEDIATELY
A NOTE TO PARENTS
If you find spray cans, large markers, etching tools, etc., in your teen’s backpack or room, it could mean they are involved in graffiti vandalism. Often those involved in graffiti first mark their own notebooks and backpacks. Make sure your children are aware of the serious consequences of vandalism. Know where your kids are and who they are with.” Source: https://www.mandanpd.com/index.asp?SEC=C53E58EC-8AF8-44A4-9797-DE2C8AAC805C&Type=B_BASIC
Gary should have a department specifically for Graffiti removal. There should also be a police presence up and down Broadway at scattered times 24/7. That presence will help to prevent anyone from drawing a mural. That takes a lot of time to do, enough to get caught. Adding insult to injury they are doing this in color. Worst yet, it is trespassing and damage to private property. If they think it does not belong to anyone, they should rethink that it does not belong to them.
When you see some of these blighted buildings with Graffiti drawn all over them; it truly is a sight for sore eyes. Real artist put their work on display, and sign off on it. Artists use canvas to sell their worth. Graffiti is a different beast.
In ending, Garyians we truly need to drain our own swamp. For those who continually and purposely destroy our communities and mental health, Comeuppance will ONLY come when we start speaking up against what we see, and not allowing it like every other group. Then begin to develop a zero-tolerance for this same old crap. There also needs to be a police presence on Broadway. Listen crime and cops don’t mix. One will cancel out the other. If you have a strong police force with zero tolerance for those who break the law over and over, then you have low crime. On the other hand, if criminals are running and controlling the neighborhood making it unsafe for residents, then you have a weak police force, as crime and cops don’t mix. One will surely cancel the other out. It is time to go back to what worked. Make your voices heard to your councilperson, form block clubs, and petition those out of the community that mean it no good. We also need if we don’t already have a graffiti removal department, and if we do, they need to step it up. Let’s face it; Graffiti only makes a bad situation worse. The only way to stop the destruction of Gary is to first deal with those who are aiding in its destruction. Let’s start with putting a stop to the Graffiti monsters and their destruction of a community.
