More Mural Controversy
Last week it was the ODB mural in Bed Stuy that consumed the blogosphere; this week, it’s a mural of another downed twenty-something Benjamin O’Garro. This one (at Vanderbilt and Myrtle) is controversial, explains The Local, because of O’Garro’s reputation as a man about the Walt Whitman Houses with more than a passing familiarity with…
Last week it was the ODB mural in Bed Stuy that consumed the blogosphere; this week, it’s a mural of another downed twenty-something Benjamin O’Garro. This one (at Vanderbilt and Myrtle) is controversial, explains The Local, because of O’Garro’s reputation as a man about the Walt Whitman Houses with more than a passing familiarity with guns and drugs.
I meant the movie, which does glorify them. Yes, of course they were awful psychopaths. However, is a work of art that glorifies awful psychopaths bad because of this? It’s a question.
“Why aren’t there any murals to Vito Genovese, Lucky Luciano, Paul Kelly of the Five Points Gang, the Hudson Dusters, the White Hand Gang, Monk Eastman, Meyer Lansky & Benny Siegal?????”
DIBS, seems like they didn’t have any artistic friends.
“Hey White and Proud in Crown Heights I told to get a T-shirt with that crap printed on it! It will go great with your neighbors. Maybe by the time they are finished you will have your own mural…”
What, that’s hysterical!
I’m not into glorifying criminals, either, I’d much rather see a mural about someone like Dr. Ben Carson, the famous neurologist. (who is alive and well, even better).
Point taken about Vito Genovese, Meyer Lansky, et al, yet they are often glorified in far greater and more wide spread ways than this guy, and not too many people make a big deal of that. Hollywood, even the History Channel, has made many of them household words, and lots of people certainly have made money off of them. The fleeting attention of the blogging community will be the most attention he receives outside of his immediate friends and family.
This mural saddens me, more than anything else. This young man was loved by family and friends, had the capacity for caring about others, and could have been an asset and agent for change in his community. Instead, he also was a violent criminal, messed with some scarier people than he was, was the underlying cause of the death of children, and was himself the victim of an early violent death. What a waste.
“They how about Ronald Reagan, George Bush (pops and son), Andrew Jackson???”
Yes, they were criminals in their own way, too. They each effectively screwed over thousands of people. They shouldn’t have any murals for these guys, either, in my opinion. I didn’t know this Ben guy, but I am sure that like almost everyone, he had his good and bad points. Like White and Proud says, it’s clear some people view him positively, just like some view Ronald Reagan, George Bush (pops and son) and Andrew Jackson positively. What are you going to do? I respect their feelings, but I may not agree.
ENY, so you didn’t like “Bonnie and Clyde?”
You should read about them. They killed a lot of people, and even ROBBED armories! That said, some of my family have backgrounds in law enforcement, and I admit I am interested in the nature of crime. But like Dave said, crooks for the most part, are crooks.
Yes in fact I did. They kinda allude to that in the movie too.
Also, his worship of Faye Dunaway kinda gives it away. Although, I mean who doesn’t?
Heather, Bonnie & Clyde weren’t from NYC. I loved the movie though. Did you know that Clyde Barrow was actually homosexual?
Dave is right. I’m not into glorifying criminals.
Posted by: East New York at March 25, 2009 11:09 AM
They how about Ronald Reagan, George Bush (pops and son), Andrew Jackson???
Hey White and Proud in Crown Heights I told to get a T-shirt with that crap printed on it! It will go great with your neighbors. Maybe by the time they are finished you will have your own mural…
The What (Here we go!)
Someday this war is gonna end…
ENY, so you didn’t like “Bonnie and Clyde?”
“His” story. “Elvis Presley aint got no soul…Bo Diddly is Rock ‘n Roll”!
Muddy Waters is delicious…. Tastes great with soul…..
Speaking of Elvis Presley you should watch this movie– Only the Strong Survive.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308672/
The What
Someday this war is gonna end..