Graffiti Stain Crosses Racial Lines

Visitors to Kennedy Park on South Western Avenue shared their disgust over the most recent graffiti attack on their city park.

"Black and white. Young and old. Residents and visitors," The Southtown Star reported.  They were all angry Tuesday afternoon as they gathered at the site of the 19th Ward's latest incident of racist graffiti.

Swastikas were painted late Sunday or early Monday on a Dumpster and a fence at the tennis courts on the south end of the park, The Southtown reported Wednesday.

This comes a week after racist graffiti, including swastikas and a racial slur, were found on the garage of a black family in the 10800 block of South Whipple Street, and another batch near West 110th Street and South Troy Street.

"Graffiti alone is bad. I didn't know this one had a swastika. That bothers me. I know what that symbol is about," said Terry Neary, a hot dog vendor in Kennedy Park. "I know there's freedom of speech, but graffiti is wrong. I hate the 'N' word."

The Southtown says the graffiti was removed early Monday, but the hateful message remains.

"I'm offended that somebody's that stupid to do something like that. It's gotta be kids, right, acting like a fool? I mean the swastika represents everything that's wrong with the '30s and '40s. It's horrible. This is absolutely uncalled for," 63-year-old Terry McEldowney told the paper.

"It's wrong. You can't do that stuff."

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