de-Virgin-ised concrete stain. Worthy of a charge?

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Image of Virgin defaced, painted over
May 06, 2005 9:46 AM EDT
CHICAGO, May 06, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A bicyclist has been charged with defacing a stain on the wall of a Chicago expressway underpass that people said resembled the Virgin Mary.

Police arrested Victor Gonzalez after he allegedly wrote the words "Big Lie" and drew a swastika on the image with black shoe polish late Thursday night. Illinois Department of Transportation workers covered the vandalized image with brown paint.

Gonzalez, 37, was arrested a few blocks away and charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to state-supported property.

The yellow and white stain on the cement wall of the Fullerton Avenue underpass drew national attention in April when hundreds of pilgrims began gathering at the site proclaiming it an image of the Blessed Mother.

State highway officials said the image likely was caused by road salt runoff.

Believers feared the image might become the target of vandals and had asked police to assign officers to protect the stain, which became an impromptu shrine with candles and flowers.

Strange.. most kids who spraypaint on walls, carve thier names into things etc are let go.
Since this " stain" was labled a -Virgin Mary- shrine, he gets the max that can be given with a graffitti charge...
hmm.

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As an ex-resident of Chicago I can assure you that the police have nothing better to do than to gaurd stains in the underpass.

Why didn't the believers assign somebody to guard the stain?

Still, the guy who felt compelled to muck it up was a frikken spoil-sport jerk. Why ruin something that did him no harm and gave hope to others?

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Well, whaddya know. The stain "was caused by road salt runoff."

That's gotta be the first time that God ever turned salt into a religious figure. Usually it's the other way around.

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very funny Eva! WTG

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Yeah, and mothers were hauling their little ones over there to kiss it!!!! Must have tasted lovely.

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Oh, those silly humans.

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Shewolf--

The story said:

Quote:

Gonzalez, 37, was arrested a few blocks away and charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to state-supported property.

You wrote:

Quote:

Strange.. most kids who spraypaint on walls, carve thier names into things etc are let go.
Since this " stain" was labled a -Virgin Mary- shrine, he gets the max that can be given with a graffitti charge...
hmm.

This guy was 37 years old--chronologically not a "kid". The underpass is "state supported property". I'm guessing--only guessing, mind--that to get to the provocative stain he had to wade through/kick aside/fling aside candles and flowers--possibly into the roadway, creating a traffic hazard.

Apprehended a few blocks away? He was probably seen and reported by at least one passing motorist with a cell phone.

Why do you think he's being unfairly singled out? Would you suggest that no charges be filed?

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He tried to take away people's hope.

Throw the book at him, I say.

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Hmmm this is the 2nd thread that I have read on this subject today. I am still trying to figure out how folks know what the Virgin Mary looked like. Gee, I hope that people's hope is not based on stains in underpasses. What is this world coming to?

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He showed little imagination. Smacking the 'Pieta' with a hammer shows some initiative.....

I think he may have done everyone a favour. I'd imagine that a freeway underpass is chock full of speeding traffic and a crowd of gawpers would just be inviting a big accident.

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Mr. Stillwater--

This guy couldn't have booked a ticket to Rome--let alone paid for it.

Unless, of course, he just was awarded a credit card with 24.99% interest and a $1500 limit.

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Noddy24 wrote:

Mr. Stillwater--

This guy couldn't have booked a ticket to Rome--let alone paid for it.

Unless, of course, he just was awarded a credit card with 24.99% interest and a $1500 limit.

...and a hammer. Don't forget the hammer.

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Intrepid wrote:

Hmmm this is the 2nd thread that I have read on this subject today. I am still trying to figure out how folks know what the Virgin Mary looked like. Gee, I hope that people's hope is not based on stains in underpasses. What is this world coming to?

Touche Intrepid................Or Jesus for that matter??

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Mr. Stillwater--

In this civilized country you'd have to put the hammer in checked luggage--and even then you might be stopped by customs. Perhaps you could mail a hammer to American Express in Rome, to be held until called for.

Or does AmEx no longer act as a Post Office Away From Home?

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I remember the American Express Post Office when I was a 19 year old student on an internship in Britain. Away from home for the first time, trooping weekly down to American Express to get a letter from home and a hoped for check, which were all too infrequent IMHO.

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Acquiunk wrote:

I remember the American Express Post Office when I was a 19 year old student on an internship in Britain. Away from home for the first time, trooping weekly down to American Express to get a letter from home and a hoped for check, which were all too infrequent IMHO.

If you had showed some initiative and started to make veiled threats against Europe's art treasures - I am sure you parents would have covered for 'insurance' to stop their involvement with vandalism*.

*It didn't help MY parents - when the 'Pieta' did cop an 'extreme makeover' my poor father had the same name as the perp - we had all the papers phoning up for an 'Aussie' angle.

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de-Virgin-ised concrete stain. Worthy of a charge?

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