Living in a historical district in downtown Baltimore, I am surrounded by both the joys and pitfalls of city life.
Baltimore had a motto several years ago - "Baltimore - The City That Reads". Taggers quickly changed it to "Baltimore - The City That Breeds" and "Baltimore - The City That Bleeds", a testament to much of the urban blight that plagues us.
Recently, a new program began - BELIEVE. It is an anti-drug campaign. Believe your child won't become the innocent victim of a drive by shooting. Believe the grandchild you've raised won't be lost to a drug overdose before their 30th birthday. Believe you won't be held up by knife or gunpoint walking to your house from the car. Believe your vehicle won't be broken in to for the fourth time by addicts looking for a stereo to pawn. BELIEVE. They have a simple black bumper sticker with white lettering. BELIEVE.
Charm City. It can be. There is hope. Some of the Hon fans (it's a B'more thing) have altered the bumper sticker to read "B'lieve, Hon" Many in my neighborhood sport an "I [heart] City Life" bumper sticker on their car. There is also a "Visualize Whirled Peas" and "God bless the whole wide world. No exceptions!". And one that suggests we stock our schools with books and qualified teachers and let the state department hold a bake sale to purchase weapons.
A neighbor recently commented to me that the most common injury of residents in my neighborhood was the strained shoulder, acquired from reaching around to pat themselves on their back for being so liberal.
Apparently, someone made available city issued BELIEVE trash cans. Black sturdy plastic with the simple white BELIEVE on it's face. Several dozen can be seen when walking the alleys near my house.
A few weeks ago, Greta and I were walking to the hardware store. We took a shortcut through an alley to enjoy a glimpse of some of the beautiful courtyard gardens. I smiled at the whimsy of one neighbor who'd altered their trash can, which now simply stated "MAKE BELIEVE." I took their message as innocent, which I'm sure it was intended, rather than one of sarcasm which I am sometimes a fan of. It lightened my step as we continued with our errands.
