HumidCity

So I was just leaving the lumber yard on N. Peters & St. Ferdinand, when I get a text message from Rex Dingler, asking me to go look at a sign Dr. Bob made, welcoming vistors to the Bywater. It sits on private property, owned by NOCCA, a bastion of the arts, next to X/O Gallery, another bastion of the arts. The sign itself was hand painted by local legend, Dr. Bob, who has his work displayed in the Smithsonian Museum, and on Oprah Winfrey’s wall, for crissake.

And there it is. A two by three foot sign, beautifully trimmed in bottle caps, as Bob’s pieces are, usually from Jax beer or Barq’s Root Beer. It’s professionally mounted on posts, up and out of reach, nestled under some shady trees, adding that Mayberry touch to our quirky bohemian neighborhood.

Except for the grey paint. Battleship ugly fucking grey paint, rolled sloppily over the face of the sign, leaving obvious roller patterens and see-through spatter. That Asshole From Hell, Fred Radtke, has been here.

This is not graffitti we’re talking about. This is not a ‘clean sweep’ or neighborhood beautification.
This is a vindictive act by a small and petty man, making an ugly fucking mess in a neighborhood he does not live in, or represent; a neighborhood that doesn’t want him here, and has petitioned the city to keep him away. He has childishly desecrated a sign, I repeat, A SIGN, not graffitti, that welcomes vistors to our funky slice of heaven. And he has marred the work of a local artist renowned enough to have been asked by the Smithsonian Museum, in Washington, DC, to display his work in their Folk Art Exhibit.

I, for one, and call me crazy if you will, would prefer that Dr. Bob’s art work, whether you like it or not, keep the “New Orleans Brand out there” rather than a skyrocketing murder rate and out-of-control thug behavior by our police force. But that’s just me.

Still, the police refuse to arrest him, and Sgt. Joe Narcissi keeps calling him “our friend”. Do you think we could be Sgt. Joe’s friend, too, if we, say, rolled grey paint over every fucking one of those illegal political signs that litters out neighborhoods and intersections? Would Judge Bonin thank Sgt Joe for allowing us to paint over all his re-election signage that spatters the Marigny/Bywater? And how about all those little signs on spindley metal legs that crowd every intersection? Those are illegal, according to city law.

WE ARE NOT THE FODDER OF THEIR WORLD, PEOPLE.
Don’t take this shit laying down.

Come to X/O Gallery this Saturday, from Noon ’til 6pm, and paint.

Make free art, to be given away, or sold to buy art supplies for school kids.
[Actually a good bit of the art will be auctioned/raffled off that evening at the FYYFF Fundraiser at One Eyed Jack's. Huge props to Micheal Dingler for getting involved! I'll be posting full details later tonight - Loki]
Look at the ugly grey paint on the sign that welcomes you.
Fight back with beauty, with fun, with love & sharing.
Otherwise….well, I can hear Bob’s blood pressure rising from my house.

There’s no doubt that Radtke did this because Dave Bachli spoke out in a video interview with Doug McCash, that wound up on nola.com. And because Rex Dingler is sponsoring a free art event there this Saturday. So this block has been singled out by the Man With The Get Out Of Jail Free Card. While they’re looking, let’s show them what community art is all about, because next thing you know, some cop will be waving a gun around in front of school children…
…Oh, wait…

Lord David
Pirate & Artist
Skull Club
New Orleans

The above is a message we can all agree with, although some might phrase it more delicately. These have been popping up in the Bywater recently, and I think they speak volumes about the state of affairs down here. Still, if thousands converging on city hall could not accomplish anything lasting why should a sticker? At least seeing this raised my spirits, which is also vastly important these days.

On a more practical front I found something that brought a grin to my face while grabbing some coffee at the Sound Cafe: a petition to the City Council for them to impress upon Fred Radtke (the ubiquitous Grey Ghost) that his efforts are neither wanted nor welcome by the community. I feel the delicious tingle of a “ban the buff” movement beginning to take root. I would like to take this occassion to wholeheartedly endorse one!

I want to see more of these turn up. The Magazine Street Business Association is one group that has several members that I know who have suffered the expense of Mr. Radtke’s “graffiti removal.” Likewise I am sure with many neighborhood associations and business groups. Mobilization is required. A simple petition is a start.

Finally we start to see some practical moves in this game of “get the psycho off the streets.” I know that most of us are unstable or self medicated these days (gee, how Tennessee Williams), but this guy is dangerous. Military experience and mental instability, which is what it increasingly seems like we are dealing with here, are a lousy combination. If his reported behavior in court during the NOLA Rising case or when he verbally abused that poor girl at Mojo’s gives any indication I would advise his removal from the streets, post haste.

-Loki, HumidCity Founder

Syndicated by permission of Michael Dingler. The entire HumidCity Team extends

our heartiest congratulations to NoLA Rising!!

PERSONAL VENDETTA GOES NOWHERE

We all know that Fred RAdTke had made it known in January “City Business” articles that his vendetta against NoLA Rising founder Michael Dingler was a personal one. It was a vendetta Mr. RAdTke claimed he would take all the way and try to financially cripple Dingler (a.k.a. ReX). In court on Thursday, May 22nd, Mr. RAdTke appeared and failed miserably in his attempt to make sure the charges he, in Mr. RAdTke’s words, “citated” against ReX would stick.

RAdTke lobbied hard, providing witness testimony that highlighted HIM as the champion of the city, showing photographs and news stories of him “cleaning up” New Orleans and even going so far as to attempt to take over the prosecution’s case and deal directly with the judge as though he were a lawyer.

Judge Sean P. Early would have none of it. Judge Early finally got the aggravated RAdTke to quiet. As RAdTke pled his personal case for vendetta, legal counsel for NoLA Rising (Buddy Spell of Spell & Spell) provided photographs of ReX’s work to Judge Early, upon which Judge Early stated that he thought the signs were pretty and had served a purpose. RAdTke, incensed at the comment, still fought on. Read the rest of this entry »

Michael Dingler deserves huge congratulations, as does the New Orleans Municipal Court (for once!). He won the case today! Via NOLARISING:

NoLA Rising Founder Michael Dingler appears in Municipal Court today to Astounding Victory. Details of the happening will be posted here later today if not early tomorrow morning. You won’t want to miss the victory of NoLA Rising founder over the graffiti artist Fred Radtke (a.k.a. The Grey Ghost) and his storming out of the courtroom.

Personally I cannot wait for all the gory details!

-Loki, HumidCity Founder

I’ve just receive a tip that Fred Radtke of Operation Clean Sweep, better known in local mythology as the Grey Ghost, has just buffed Mojo, the coffeshop on Magazine St. Accoridng to the tip off he was told not to by the young lady at the counter who he then verbally assaulted. Evidently NOPD is currently looking for him in the area. I hope to be able to vefiy the truth of this in the near furture. Stay tuned.

-Loki, HumidCity Founder

I’m sure that most, if not all of you, know the horror of Fred Radtke, the Grey Ghost. Many have tried to stop his vigilante tactics to no avail.

Now the NOPD has actually backed him in a vendetta against a local artist, who has been hanging removable messages of hope throughout the city, in hopes of inspiring those who choose to stay and rebuild. They flatly refuse to prosecute Radtke, even when he defaces private property.

Please read Richard A. Webster’s article on this.

CLICK HERE

These two short paragraphs are particularly disturbing;

“Robert Mendoza, director of the New Orleans Public Works Department, said Radtke is breaking the law every time he paints over graffiti on public street signs. But Mendoza will do nothing to prosecute the violations, he said, because his office lacks the resources and time to conduct an investigation.The New Orleans Police Department, however, condones Radtke’s actions. NOPD often calls him directly to cover graffiti and spokesman Sgt. Joe Narcisse said they have no intention of charging Radtke with any crimes. ”

Please repost this article, make a note of the names of Robert Mendoza at New Orleans Public Works, and Sgt. Joe Narcisse of the NOPD. Call these people repeatedly.

Call your congresman, your City Counsel Representative, and ask why a man City Hall says is a criminal is being supported by the NOPD. Ask why an artist, whose work is totally removable and loved by the locals is facing $50,000 worth of fines, and a man who defaces private property, sometimes violently, is above the law.

It’s a new year and a new broom. Pull together and stop this selective enforcement of rights and laws. We are not serfs on some distant Noble’s land. We are the citizens of the City of New Orleans, and these people are elected and paid by US.

If one man is above the law, the rest are beneath boot heels. Stand up for your rights, New Orleans. Haven’t we had enough?

Lord David

Skull Club

New Orleans

Grey blocks painted on every available surface, including street signs (which we have few of these days), is an unappealing sight. Not only is it grafitti, but it is ugly, Orwellian looking and unwelcome. The idea that rolling grey paint over any grafitti is an improvement is one lacking in taste as well as sense.

Such is the Legacy of Fred Radtke, also known to locals as the Grey Ghost. I don’t care how you try to rationalize it, he is doing exactly what he rails against: tagging. Anyone here seen street signs that have been painted over with a nice block of grey, rendering them unreadable? That is him.

I have been fed up with this nimrod for quite some time, and it seems that lately I am not the only one.

Comments are accruing on the New Orleans LiveJournal Community, and a new photo group on Flickr exists to document the ugliness he is creating by “cleaning up.” Rumor has it that he has some funding from the city. Any leads on that would be greatly appreciated.

(NOTE: My actual 9-11 post is forthcoming later this evening. Just had to get that off my chest - Loki)