Saturday, August 23, 2008
Gang Graffiti Arrives and is Removed
Three separate instances of the same phrase were deposited on the 6th Avenue and 44th Street entrance to Sunset Park on Friday night/Saturday morning. By 10 AM, the first was already being painted over by Parks workers. This gang is homegrown Sunset Park. If you're not familiar with them, check out #7 at this October 2007 article from the New York Post and a ten year old article about an incident involving a gang member.
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7 comments:
Please refrain from displaying gang signs, brandings and vandalism as you are fulfilling the desires of these outlaws.
While I agree with you on one level, I also think that the community deserves to know what (and by whom) is happening in the neighborhood. The last several years in Sunset Park have not been particularly informative to the community. We don't have a blotter section in The Brooklyn Paper, events that have been witnessed were denied by the precinct, and the addressing of issues like vandalism have received extremely slow attention until they were brought to light.
And I seriously doubt any of the people responsible for the graffiti mentioned here are paying attention to these posts. Perhaps if I put it on youtube they'd notice.
Maybe you can use photo editing programs to censor gang symbols, brandings and territorial markings. You also need to understand that unless you have an absolute knowledge of who is viewing your blog, that you may be causing more harm than good. NEVER under estimate your viewership. Sunset Park is the landmark that gives this neighborhood its identity. Gangs know this and will exploit it. I assure you, this is the case. I have lived in this neighborhood for over 26 years and I speak from experience. I have had friends killed over the years because of "affiliations" with certain clans and gang clusters. While I am someone who has contributed positively to my community, I also have a hatred for the many miscreants who dare to return Sunset Park to the horrible conditions I remember growing up in. If you like, maybe we can discuss this further so that you can see that this is a very serious problem that is sweeping through our beautiful community. I lived through the drug years, and I saw my parents fight to eradicate the drug dealers in the 80's. You really do not have to remind the residents of Sunset Park who the enemy is. Unfortunately, this is a community that has struggled and fought off some of the most vicious gangs and drug dealers in the past. We live here, and we know what we're up against. There is a silent fight going on.... one that will restore order.
Thanks and God Bless...
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. After discussion with my most trusted critic, I will be taking down the photo that shows the graffiti. It's a compromise I can be comfortable fulfilling.
And I totally agree that this is a serious issue. Summer is often a time when gang activity and assertion flare up, and several incidents in the park area point to this. Sadly, my impression, from speaking with various members of the community leadership, is that the "official" response is to turn the other way until that no longer becomes an option. Hopefully, the people I've talked to just aren't sharing what efforts are being made.
Thanks again for the productive comment.
See, fear and intimidation _work_!
You're cute.
How did the Dirty Ones earn their nickname? They couldn't take a bath for one year prior to initiation!!LOL!
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