We understand it quite well, thank you very much

Figured my anti-tagging rant last weekend would attract at least one person offering apologism for the criminals who do this, and it did (though it’s relatively mild apologism). Even as the hard-working folks who have put time and money into improving The Junction over the years found themselves forced to spend more of both this week cleaning up after vandals, somebody dared to suggest it’s no big deal. Not only is it a big deal, it’s a huge deal, and I would challenge our city leaders to get something really big going against it, like this (as opposed to this tame page). Graffiti vandalism, particularly the “tagging” variety, is no more artistic than throwing a brick through a window. If you want to use spray paint to commit something akin to peeing your initials in the snow, do it on your own house, your own car, someplace where it’s nobody’s concern BUT your own.

P.S. One of the West Seattle Herald’s sister newspapers has an interesting story about some graffiti vandalism in the north end (although the editor should have cut out the irrelevant reference to the vandals’ speculated ethnic origins).

3 Replies to "We understand it quite well, thank you very much"

  • frustrated August 10, 2006 (10:55 am)

    Maybe the city needs to implement a “Graffiti Cleanup Tax”. Say $0.05 on each marker or spray can sold. Or they could just put it on property owners as an increase in property tax.

  • LB August 10, 2006 (1:57 pm)

    Having grown up in New York City in the 1970’s I can tell you first hand that living with graffiti blows. Riding the subway back then was like a trip to hell with every single open surface covered. It may be expression, but IMHO (in most cases) it ain’t art.

    In particular seeing someone else’s work defaced is what really pisses me off. Tagging a mural is offensive and should not be glossed over.

  • Keith August 11, 2006 (3:30 pm)

    Everytime I hear some sort of defense of tagging, I wish I could go into the house of the defender, uglify their home with spray painted words and creations of my own, and then see if they still think it’s “art.”

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