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The Brickyard: The Code
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Life at The Brickyard. Photo by Greg Scott. |
On any given day, somewhere between 15 and 150 drug addicts can be found haunting the dusty ground of a legit brick salvage company at Cicero Avenue. This is the community known as the Brickyard. Like other areas in the city of neighborhoods, The Brickyard has its own history, culture, economy; its own social structure and hierarchy. Today, sociologist Greg Scott shows the first of several portraits of this place, its residents, and the code by which they live. Learning to abide by that code is, for many, a matter of life and death.
Related: Video of Greg Scott introducing residents of The Brickyard
Music Button: The Itch Incident, “Soother”, from the CD Chillicious, (Waveform records)
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Maryam, Morton Grove // Monday, July 21, 2008 @ 5:57 PM
It wouldn’t be acceptable anywhere else in society for someone to come and burn someone’s house down. Throughout the rest of society, even if you live illegally, you get an eviction notice, something. It’s not right that a person’s home and all their belongings get burned down. And I think that’s what we forget. These are people. And the tents are their homes. No matter what it looks like, no matter where it is, it doesn’t change that their lives should have just as much meaning as everyone else’s.
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Virginia, chicago // Monday, July 21, 2008 @ 8:55 PM
Thank you for giving a voice to those who are rarely given one. I hope that others will continue to listen and open their minds and hearts long enough to realize the mistake we are making as a society in ostracizing addicts. looking forward to hearing more.
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Lesley, West Rogers Park // Wednesday, July 23, 2008 @ 1:08 PM
What a wonderful piece of journalism. It shed so much light into the lives of addicts and a glimpse into how a society most of us never see operates. Well done! Looking forward to hearing more.
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Garrett, Uptown // Wednesday, July 23, 2008 @ 8:20 PM
It is so unfortunate how America
has come to treat drug users and addicts. This is documented as a legitimate disease! Yet the gov't offers nearlty no help to the people like those in the piece. Something has got to change. People have to work and join together to make a change in the way society treats addicts. Burning down their homes and belongings, that horrible, having to rebuild you own home every few months. I feel terrible for these people and hope someone can start some grassroot campaigns
to stop the mistreatment of drug users. I all for it!
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Josie Bergin, Lincoln Square // Friday, July 25, 2008 @ 3:59 AM
In comparison to the previous radio doc I find it interesting that there is a battle between the harm one can do to themself vs. the victimization within a community (indiviual vs. society). Although the two are both based upon heroin addictions I would argue that these two radio docs convey a "code" we battle daily within any culture. Yes, this situation is a bit more blunt, but how is different than wanting acceptence, respect, and comfort. The overdose and the brickyards show the struggle between self and society, where is the median? Not everyone has a heroin addiction, but we all want to be accepted.
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Linus, Lincoln Park // Tuesday, July 29, 2008 @ 5:24 PM
I agree this was quite a fascinating piece and incredibly informative. This contributor has done his homework. What I find most edifying in this and the other pieces he's done so far is the idea that the junkies mentioned are not really different from those in other socioeconomic situations (e.g., those of us who listen to the radio in the morning in our affluent middle class complacency). Everyone wants to feel safe and loved. If your going to tear someone's home down at least be honest with them when and why your doing it.
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Allison, Roscoe Village // Wednesday, July 30, 2008 @ 1:08 AM
These last three segments on addiction and drug use have really underlined one theme: community.
People living in the Brickyard, warehouses, or streets may come off as completely different from the rest of society, but in reality they are not. Similar to the greater half of society, those in the Brickyard or on the streets contribute to their communities by: working for their pleasures, paying bills or living fees, upholding relationships, creating homes, having families...it's just a different way of life, and frankly I think that their community deserves respect like any other.
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