MAKING A BAD SITUATION WORSE
Garyside will not assume that Gary residents are familiar with all parts of Gary. That would appear presumptuous to assume that all Garyians have traveled all around Gary; or even traveled the same routes as Garyside has. All of that being said brings Garyside to the reason for this blog. In a word– “Broadway”. Now some may recall a popular song about streets around the country named “Broadway”. Mainly the song by George Benson about Broadway with lyrics that sing “They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway . . . They says there’s always magic in the air. . . “ Some songs depict Broadway as one of the most magnificent and attractive streets to ride or walk on, besides the Magnificient Mile.
These lyrics give you the impression that Broadway is always beautiful, and well kept. Always lined with life, and businesses. Broadway is depicted as wonderful— that is . . . until you get to Gary. Before Garyside goes on, let it be stated for the record that Garyside loves Gary. Please don’t get that twisted. On the other hand, what should be a beautiful depiction of a sprawling economy and life is a street littered with eyesores, and not enough businesses. Come on now, sections of Broadway are located in Gary’s downtown area. There are pockets of businesses on Broadway that are overshadowed by these eyesores. These eyesores, make you shake your head in utter disguise at the sight of it.
In venturing down Broadway, travelling from downtown Gary to 53rd; Garyside could not help but notice that once you get to IUN (Indiana University Northwest) the eyesore stops. However, right after crossing (Broadway & Ridge) then the eyesore picks up all the way down Broadway– that is until you get to where Gary ends and Merrillville begins at 53rd. and Broadway. From there on out and down Broadway the eyesore stops permanently. Mind you, you are out of Gary, and are going through Merrillville and Crown Point. One of those things that make you go hmmm right.
The eyesore Garyside wants to bring to your attention is none other than Graffiti, which makes a bad situation worse.
The Graffiti is sprawled all up and down Broadway in full color. These drawings aren’t small images. These images are mural-sized, and they have the audacity to paint these images with various colors, all over buildings. Some of these buildings are blighted, and some are indeed falling apart. Graffiti is vandalism—but, they seem to think these buildings are their canvas. That could not be further from the truth. Life dictates, that if it not yours, and does not belong to you then don’t touch it. Graffiti defies one of lifes’ dictates, and does nothing but make a bad situation worse.
On a positive note, Broadway is a major travel hub. “Broadway is an “SR 53 that heads north from the southern terminus at U.S. Route 231 (US 231), concurrent with Broadway. In downtown Gary the route has an intersection with the one-way streets of Fifth Avenue, eastbound US 12/US 20 and Fourth Avenue, westbound US 12/US 20. North of Fourth Avenue”.
Source: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Indiana_State_Road_53#/google_vignette
Garyians have a slew of battles to fight as it stands, but viewing Graffiti every day; day in and out should not be one of them. It is in a word. “Depressing”. It does absolutely nothing to uplift the spirits of a community.
The point here is that in all of this blightedness, it appears that there are some who are making a bad situation worse. The grotesque street murals and the perpetrators have the nerve to use privately owned property as a canvas to draw in color. It does not matter if the buildings are blighted. It is not theirs. This Graffiti to some (very few) shows talent in drawing, with a bubbly child-like comic form that represents cartoon characters. However, they choose the wrong venue to express their form of expression, which some do not accept as art. Graffiti shows a lack of boundaries and grandiosity. It also shows a lack of respect for the community, ironically while trying to gain respect from this bullshit. Sorry for the profanity, but if the Governor can use profanity and refer to citizens as “assholes” while protecting others in the same vein (signing into law a bill to protect them); then Garyside can throw in a curse word or two. Right. Talking about leading by example, but I digress. Yet again.
This Graffiti presents itself as trespassing, vandalism, and destruction to private property. It signifies an expression of a crime-ridden neighborhood. Listen, no money is derived from vandalizing private property. On the other hand, real artists respect the craft and use mediums like a canvas to draw on to express and SELL their talents. Many artists become wealthy doing things decently and in order. They are referred to as artists, not perpetrators or vandals, and their talent is in a proper venue. Some of their art may be misunderstood, but it is respected, no matter how misunderstood. Graffiti on the other hand, presents with the destruction of private property, and crime infestation. Getting caught vandalizing private property will net you jail time, community time or both. Not to mention a criminal record, and your name preceded by numbers. Not your birthdate. State property numbers.
“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 also has serious psychological consequences in neighborhoods.”
As a result of graffiti, the community loses an economy. A prelude to one ingredient of how the poor get poorer. A community with no economic power then develops. If you were not familiar with Gary, and you were driving through would you stop at any store on Broadway to buy anything? Especially when you see this public display of Graffiti? Be honest. Would you?
In ending, Graffiti sprawled across Gary, and especially on Broadway only makes a bad situation worse. The Gary Administration should have a Graffiti buster task force, so to speak since this is a huge problem. That task force should be on point with removing this Graffiti, as soon as possible. There is no way that Graffiti should be visual to residents of Gary for any period of time, and surely not years. Also Graffiti removal should be professionally done, not half-assed. This is a time to voice your concerns to your respective councilperson.
