Graffiti Problem (San Antonio, Anton: insurance, how much, felony)

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by mojokitty

Here's just a thought on this. I agree, I hate driving around town and seeing really horrible graffiti on businesses. I must say, I am not sure why people want to do this and I haven't researched the history of tagging. Anyways, if it is truely "an art form" and I agree, art is subjective, then why not try to give the artists a place to "perform". I was thinking, would it be dumb if SA invested in some sort of graffiti studio/gallery or park of some kind? That way, people could go and express themselves without defacing everywhere. Other people could go to this designated spot and view the art and maybe see how it is done, watch an artist at work if you will. Maybe this would encourage this type of behavior on other venues, but at least it might give the "taggers" somewhere other than the side of a building. Just a thought!

First let me say that I like the ideas of LEGAL grafitti walls, because I think there is some artistic merit to grafitti.

The problem is that, as SanAntoQT said, grafitti walls won't reduce tagging, because tagging is primarily territory marking. For example, there is a one story building at San Pedro and I-35 which has a grafitti mural on its side. Now granted no one has tagged the mural, but the front of the building and the building just across the street are repeatedly tagged.

By the way, I think most of the "its freedom of expression" posts are just meant to bait forum members into responding in a "kill 'em all" way, rather than attempting to actually debate any merits of grafitti.

[mojokitty]

Like I said, I don't know about taggers, tagging, grafiti artists, etc. I just know that if some of them are expressing themselves artistically, then maybe a place to express their art would help. I can't imagine wanting to show my art but not have anywhere to practice it or display it. I think that would cause a person to have more anger over the whole thing and probably do it illegally, which most people would say is vandalism. The whole "legal" graffiti thing was just an idea that might help the city right now. Because let's face it folks, there's nothing else out there that's making matters better.

[*mud*]

Originally Posted by martinezm

Hello there and yes i must agree on what mostly u are saying graffiti is more common now these day we see it every wear frm bus stops to famous places ext...But idots these kids are not you see because i am one of those idiots u speak so vanely about graffiti is more common now a days because of the way these kids are growing up it is a way to express a new option in what people are afraid to lable as art we have to understand that it is not a problem that is going to go away we need to find a soulution to help the younger kids understand the cosqences and the postive out comes by placeing a sort of extra cricular activety for these kids to express there so common and new generation of art if we can give them a better understanding and a place to learn have hands on and vent ther artistic abillitys i feel we will have less vandlism and more postive outcomes because the fact of the matter is what kids are seeing on tv now days on cool clothing lines that they feel is cool is why they are trying to emtate what they feel is to be cool but what they dnt kno is that there is a better way and we need to show them we need more people to to understand what these kids are into now a days is not gonna go away we see it every were frm rap videos to clothing and it because you see it there thats the same reason why u see it in our schools what these kids do not know is that there are people makeing a profit off this so called idot excuse for art as u might say so we need to start in the schools and teach these ''idiots'' (rite) the postives and negitives my soulution every school with the exception of a few who cant afford an art class should have a lesson.. (like i do).. on graffitti art the postives and negitives ext....... and that way all the idiots can be smart like u...........

Longest sentence I have read all day.

Whale maybee i didunt reed tha hole sintince.

mud

[Merovee]

Their is a risk in graffiti that has always been there since day one and nothing will change that. In Texas the risk is even a bit greater since due to a certain law, if caught by a private property owner after sunset and he feels that he might not be able to recoup the cost of the damage if the tagger does not stop when asked, the property owner has the legal right to shoot the tagger to stop them in hopes of gaining recompense to his property. This also applies towards other types of vandalism.

Not only has a tagger been shot but also someone else who was stealing a prize rooster. In both cases the property owners were within their rights. Sadly the rooster thief died. This was during the 90s so I am not sure if similar incidents have happened after. Caveat tagger.

Scroll down to section 9.42 for further information.

http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/PE/content/htm/pe.002.00.000009.00.htm (broken link)

[goodmanm]

It's strange that the law actually specifies "during the nighttime". I don't understand why the time of day would come into play for this.

A friend of mine had his house robbed during the day. What this tells me the only action he could have taken if he had came home and caught them in progress is call 911 and hope the cops arrive in time?

[traveler guy]

Originally Posted by mojokitty

Here's just a thought on this. I agree, I hate driving around town and seeing really horrible graffiti on businesses. I must say, I am not sure why people want to do this and I haven't researched the history of tagging. Anyways, if it is truely "an art form" and I agree, art is subjective, then why not try to give the artists a place to "perform". I was thinking, would it be dumb if SA invested in some sort of graffiti studio/gallery or park of some kind? That way, people could go and express themselves without defacing everywhere. Other people could go to this designated spot and view the art and maybe see how it is done, watch an artist at work if you will. Maybe this would encourage this type of behavior on other venues, but at least it might give the "taggers" somewhere other than the side of a building. Just a thought!

That isn't dumb cause they have a studio just like that in LA.

[traveler guy]

I've been reading some of these post and some people posted some ignorant stuff. To me graffiti is a art that is a voice to those not heard in the nation. It's funny that most people confuse tagging and graffiti. Tagging is that ugly scribbling you see most of the time which is not art but marking of territory by gangs or posers. Graffiti in the other hand are those beautiful murals you see which is artwork totally different. When I was young I used to do that graffiti and before you judge me it saved my life. It was from there that I saw my purpose in life which was to be a artist and diversified my talents to airbrushing and I'm working on becoming a tattoo artist right now. I think it saved my life cause at the time I was 11 years old and being pressured to join gangs,
and all that stopped me was my art.

[hadleyzoo]

I agree with you traveler guy. Tagging and graffiti are two different things. Good for you for not succumbing to the pressures of joining a gang!

[yosoyway]

The main problem is the tagging. I think everyone agrees on this. But how is this problem stopped.

Obviously the city is not doing enough or can't do enough. Now these bastards are even tagging road signs to the point that you can't see what it says.

I say go after the parents.

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by yosoyway

The main problem is the tagging. I think everyone agrees on this. But how is this problem stopped.

Obviously the city is not doing enough or can't do enough. Now these bastards are even tagging road signs to the point that you can't see what it says.

I say go after the parents.

This would be an option only if the offending party is a juvenile. What do you do if the tagger is of majority age? You cannot go after a parent of an adult.