Graffiti Thugs

[GrauGeist]

We'll see. I had a hard time writing it without using profanity. I'm handicapped without profanity, as my vocabulary is cut in half.

I hear ya', Matt...

While in Europe, I saw graffitti on priceless antiquities and structures even at the Acropolis, on ancient Greek and Roman structures and statuary. It was even on the side of a villa, inside the excavation at Herculaneum, and everywhere in Venice on the sides of churches, buildings and statues.

It's also everywhere else, like in Bulgaria - on Churches, private property...even headstones in the cemetary...

This is not creative expression, it is the invasion of private property and destruction of world heritage. You just can't paint over 2,000 year old Roman plaster that has miraculously survived not only the passage of time, but the catastrophic forces of a volcano. It is destroyed forever.

There is no possible way to express my feelings about this without using expletives...

 

[Lucky13]

I hear ya', Matt...

While in Europe, I saw graffitti on priceless antiquities and structures even at the Acropolis, on ancient Greek and Roman structures and statuary. It was even on the side of a villa, inside the excavation at Herculaneum, and everywhere in Venice on the sides of churches, buildings and statues.

It's also everywhere else, like in Bulgaria - on Churches, private property...even headstones in the cemetary...

This is not creative expression, it is the invasion of private property and destruction of world heritage. You just can't paint over 2,000 year old Roman plaster that has miraculously survived not only the passage of time, but the catastrophic forces of a volcano. It is destroyed forever.

There is no possible way to express my feelings about this without using expletives...

I'd show the spray can up, there *rses, make them sit near an open fire and watch the event unfold!

 

[A4K]

Good letter Matt.

Like Eric said, some of these guys are good, but most extremely bad. Public walls, sign posts and the neighbouring block of flats I see out my window are NOT the place for their shite, rather a canvas if they think they are that good.

I remember too where a local gang member turned up at my mother's place once and threatened to beat up everyone in the house if they didn't paint out a d!ckhead tagger's name from the front fence by the time he got back. That tagger deserved a frikkin' beating for causing such a situation, let alone defacing private property.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

To me it does not matter if they are any good or not. There is a place for "art" and someones private property or even public buildings is not a place for it.

 

[Matt308]

And by gov't providing these guys a place to do graffitti only provides the appearance of condoning the action. There are many cities around here that do this and I find it incredulous.

 

[Matt308]

And the Editor's response:

Matt, thank you for writing such a great letter and contributing to this discussion. Our policy is to print the first and last name, along with a city of residence. That is what gives the letter legitimacy. On another note: If your house did get vandalized, I'd be more shocked that these young vandals actually read our paper!
Thank you for the consideration.

-- Andy Hobbs, editor

And mine:

Absolutely not. I find it disappointing that the paper editor can verify the source and will not accept a "NAME AND ADDRESS WITHELD BY REQUEST" position, when this is such common place in other domestic and international publications.


I beg to differ that this tagger will not be reading your paper. You have given him exactly what he wants with your article and you be assured he wants to see more. I am sorry for Federal Way that you chosen not to use my letter.

Matt


Case closed.

 

[meatloaf109]

The editor is, IMHO, an @ss!

 

[bobbysocks]

if the "ART" strategy doesnt work they will use the "Freedom of Expression" route.... everybody has the right to express themselves dont they??? ERRRRR!!!! the supreme court always sucks that one up...and probably would in this case too.

 

[Matt308]

I said screw it and told him to publish it. I'll take the risk, I guess. So it's in the paper. Not sure which edition yet.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I hear ya', Matt...

While in Europe, I saw graffitti on priceless antiquities and structures even at the Acropolis, on ancient Greek and Roman structures and statuary. It was even on the side of a villa, inside the excavation at Herculaneum, and everywhere in Venice on the sides of churches, buildings and statues.

It's also everywhere else, like in Bulgaria - on Churches, private property...even headstones in the cemetary...

This is not creative expression, it is the invasion of private property and destruction of world heritage. You just can't paint over 2,000 year old Roman plaster that has miraculously survived not only the passage of time, but the catastrophic forces of a volcano. It is destroyed forever.

There is no possible way to express my feelings about this without using expletives...

I even saw it in the dome of St. Peters Dome in the Vatican, for crying out loud.

I said screw it and told him to publish it. I'll take the risk, I guess. So it's in the paper. Not sure which edition yet.

Set up a camera and catch his ass, and then tear him a new ass_hole.

 

[Matt308]

I have been thinking about a camera. But in the middle of summer any F*ck wearing a hoody and a baklava is gonna be hard to catch.

Somebody has to stand up to these pricks.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree...

 

[RabidAlien]

Well, if he does come and tag your house with his "free expression", your dog was just "expressing" himself by ripping the turd a new one, wasn't it? Bonus: you can then sue the manufacturer of the leash/collar that *happened* to come unbuckled at the most inopportune time!

(all sarcasm, of course)

For what its worth, motion sensors and floodlights aren't all that expensive. Roaches scatter when the shiny lights come on.

 

[A4K]

Good on you for posting Matt, but can't believe they couldn't just write 'Name withheld by request', have seen that many times in magazines and papers.

 

[GrauGeist]

yeah...that all encompassing "freedom of speech" being used as a catch-all for thinly veiled acts of "I'll do as I damn-well please" is really getting old with me.

So if it protects douchebags that want to paint on the side of my house, I suppose it would protect me when I want to decorate the side of thier skulls with a piece of seasoned american hickory...I mean, I'm simply expressing myself, right?

As far as that editor requiring a full name and town is B.S., we have contributions to our local paper that have either thier name withheld or the editor uses thier initials...this editor sounds like one of those CNN correspondants that demanded to have full disclosure on sensative military information during the gulf war. eff that...