Taking Your Own Version of Freedom Too Far

Dedicated to the memory of Sean Bell...Respect

While doing my morning routines in the park this just now, I came upon a horrific sight. At some point during the night, vandals struck. The Park House had been broken into. Paint was splattered on the steps, on the bushes, the beautiful greystone structure was now magenta,green and brown. Lovely for childrens' artwork hung lovingly on display, horrible when selfish and underfulfilled individuals have so little sense of value, they ruin beauty for the rest of us. The park worker told me inside was just covered with debris and paint. What causes an individual or group of individuals to believe it is a right of theirs to destroy what belongs to all of us? I have resided in this community for over thirty years. I remember the "good ol' days" in that park. Hanging out with my college buddies after class, strolling with my sweetie(s) LOL, catching some rays, I have always taken advantage of the running track (back in my running days), rolling in the snow with my husband to be,my best friend announcing her second child was on the way happened right there at the top of the steps, losing my own baby weight there on the running path while pushing the stroller, bringing the children of my family daycare program to the toddler swings, teaching or should I say TRYING to teach my son how to ride his bike, (Gr'ma was the one who finally found success with that endeavor), or the four foot paths of varying distance and incline, (my speed these days). The tennis courts, soccer and football fields, softball enclosure, basketball courts, dog run, playgrounds and sprinklers get a good workout from the community all year long. The Park House features an after school program. senior citizen center and a workout room. The summer camp season is about to begin tomorrow and now the park house has to turn away those who are enrolled until this mess is restored to some kind of workable order. This is not the kind of personal freedom to which I referred yesterday, this is just a vile and selfish criminal act. I hope the punks who did this are found and are made to restore everything back to the original condition. They should further be punished by having to clean up parks throughout the city for the rest of the summer.