Just so we're all on the same page. This is tagger graffiti done to my shop in April of last year, and our whole block. They don't paint murals, and I don't want a mural on my repair shop either. If no one cleans this crap up, and the police don't act, the taggers hit the buildings time and again. If you think Connor and Ellie went overboard on the tagger they caught in the preceding story, you would have been horrified to see what I would have done to my building's tagger. :)Thursday, December 4, 2008
They Don't Paint Murals
Just so we're all on the same page. This is tagger graffiti done to my shop in April of last year, and our whole block. They don't paint murals, and I don't want a mural on my repair shop either. If no one cleans this crap up, and the police don't act, the taggers hit the buildings time and again. If you think Connor and Ellie went overboard on the tagger they caught in the preceding story, you would have been horrified to see what I would have done to my building's tagger. :)
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I would agree that taggers who target private businesses and public buildings are breaking the law and should be punished. I'm not defending them, only saying that, in my opinion, the police in your story seemed more physically violent and aggressive than they needed to be.
Part of it is that I've been harassed so many times by police just for having long hair that I tend to react negatively to police using violence against non-violent criminals. You've had some negative experiences with taggers so naturally that has influenced you. It's only a matter of my take on your characters; it says nothing about how "you" should feel or react.
And yeah, that's some pretty ugly stuff there. I just bought a calender, though, that had some really fascinating tagging art. It was all done legally and with permission, though. Some of it is very brightly colored.
Connor and Ellie approached the perps in the story with overwhelming force because of the gang affiliation. Nearly all tagging in Oakland is done by gangbangers marking territory. Take my word for it, you don't want to take them on with anything less. They are violent criminals.
By the way, I appreciate all your comments, Charles. I understand your take on the story. It's what makes writing worthwhile. :)
That's graffiti!
The kind of thing I was talking about is this:
http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm
'That's graffiti!'
Yep... I believe I stated that. It's the only brand we have in Oakland. A few business buildings have murals on their walls done by really talented artists; but they've been tagged over too.
I know what you mean, Miladysa, and if someone wants to commission pictures on their building, I have no objection. For myself, I don't even want the Mona Lisa on my building. If I want a picture, I'll buy one with a frame for my house. :)
Me too :D
In my area of the suburbs we only get the ugly tagger stuff as well. THe gangs are pushing their way into the area and staking a claim on areas. It's an eyesore on fences, trucks, houses, and utility boxes in addition to street signs.
A couple months back they tagged a highway sign on I95, ended up causing a whole slew of accidents as people tried to read it before the state finally replaced the sign. Unfortunately, they couldn't just remove the sign since it was the only one labeling those exits. They had to wait for a replacement one.
Makes me want to invest in video surveillance cameras and try and catch some in the act. Of course, one of those said gangs is MS-13 so, yes, they are violent criminals. They've used a machete on at least one local kid who didn't cooperate with them.
You have outlined the escalating viral infection of gang graffiti perfectly, VL. I wish I could tell you it’s an easy virus to beat, but it isn’t. Even when a neighborhood takes back control, the battle is ongoing. I have no clue as to why local and federal law enforcement don’t do whatever it takes to destroy an outlaw illegal alien gang like MS 13.
I can imagine what you would've done to your shop tagger...
Always best not to visit those dark recesses, Vesper... :)
Its easy to justify going to town on someone that defaces your property. Disagree? Its likely because you have a kid doing it.
I'm not sure what point you're making here, Kerry. They weren't kids. They were gangbangin' thugs running with the 38th Avenue gang. This was back in 2008. Most of them are in jail now.
Sorry, i didnt look at the date. Just really sick of all the crime. Cant safely walk my daughter down the street anymore. People need to wake up and see whats going on.
Okay, good. I see where you're coming from now, Kerry. I've been in the demilitarized zone in East Oakland with my shop for nearly 40 years, so I know what you mean. Without leaders who will back the police full bore, bad neighborhoods remain bad.
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