Followers of the Buddy Holly crosswalk in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, with a painted depiction of the rock and roll legend’s iconic glasses, will quickly should say goodbye to it. That’ll be a day that may probably make them cry.
Lubbock Metropolis Council members stated this week they haven’t any alternative however to take away it, to adjust to a directive from the Trump administration and Republicans to rid the general public roadways of any political messages or art work.
Laredo, in South Texas, eliminated a mural in October that protested the border wall alongside the southern border with Mexico. In August, Florida officers eliminated a rainbow-colored crosswalk outdoors the Pulse nightclub the place 49 individuals have been gunned down.
Lubbock’s crosswalk was first put in in 2020 and is close to the Buddy Holly Heart, a downtown museum with reveals honoring Lubbock’s most well-known native son.
“It’s such a tasteful cross section and people like it. But what do you do?” stated Metropolis Council Member Christy Martinez-Garcia, who was amongst these questioning why it needed to go.
Lubbock obtained a letter from the Texas Division of Transportation with “some harsh wording” that threatened the attainable lack of state or federal funding for street initiatives if such art work was not eliminated, David Bragg, Lubbock’s interim division director of public works, informed council members on Tuesday.
“This was very broad letter. I don’t think it was intended to go after, say, the Buddy Holly glasses. Unfortunately it did,” Bragg stated.
Mayor Mark McBrayer stated town had no alternative however to conform.
“Probably everybody here got some communication from people wanting that not to be the case,” McBrayer stated. “But I don’t really feel like we have the wherewithal to do anything about that without trying to litigate it and I don’t think there’s any appetite here anyway.” Bragg stated the elimination will occur throughout regular upkeep subsequent yr.
On Oct. 8, Abbott directed the division to make sure that all Texas cities and counties are in compliance with federal and state pointers on roadway security and that symbols, flags and different markings conveying social or political messages are prohibited, in addition to any signage and indicators that don’t instantly assist visitors management or security.
“Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways,” Abbott stated in an announcement.
Abbott’s directive got here after Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy despatched letters to all U.S. governors in July saying that intersections and crosswalks should be stored free from distractions.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” Duffy’s assertion stated.
Holly was born and raised in Lubbock, positioned in northwest Texas. He determined to play rock and roll music after seeing Elvis Presley carry out in 1955. His greatest identified songs embrace “That’ll Be the Day,” ’’Rave On” and “ Peggy Sue.”
Holly was solely 22 when he died in a Feb. 3, 1959, airplane crash close to Clear Lake, Iowa, that additionally killed Ritchie Valens and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson. The three rockers’ deaths have been immortalized in Don McLean’s 1971 music “American Pie,” and have become often called “the day the music died.”
