San Antonio taggers...BEWARE!!! (Kyle: live, legal, drivers license)

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Deep Forest

You mean he was here promoting "tagging" ??? 99% of this graffiti is garbage and calling it "art" does not exonerate anyone. If you deface any property, public or private, it's a crime. It's proof that these "artists" weren't taught the difference between right and wrong.

He was actually here in town performing....so this was a side show, not the object of his visit. The media didn't cover Cheech promoting tagging either. Not really the type of personality to elevate an "art".

[CameraGirl]

We just moved here and live in a very nice neighborhood and the very first week we moved in- someone drew a huge penis just up the road from our house (at one of our neighbors house) and wrote the word "Dick"- under it in case the artwork was not enough . We went outside with our powerwasher to help try to clean it off. It was our first involvement with our neighbors (not exactly what I had in mind for our first neighborhood event). Anyway, it didn't come all the way off and so we called "311". Which is a community hotline that is set up to help with these matters. They did come out and had to completely re-surface our road. It's funny before we moved here I had been very concerned about tagging. I hate it- it just flat-out trashes a place. So, when we would visit here I would always have an eye out for it. But, I had been extremely relieved to see that I saw very little of it. After our street was tagged like literally starting that week- it was "EVERYWHERE". Mind you we just moved here. But, seriously- it had popped up on walls & buildings where none had been the day before and continues to be the case. Some very decisive and quick actions need to be taken, before so much exists that we can't even get a handle on it and people grow apathetic to the battle.

Also, as a side note- Cheech Marin- was not here promoting "tagging". He was here for a comedy gig. He is also one of, if not the top collector of chicano art in the world. He might appreciate Graffiti artists, but in no way is he promoting taggers. Graffitti artists ply their wares on T-shirts, sneakers, canvases and walls with permission of the owners. Taggers are usually Juvies- just messing up private property and property values and creating eyesores so that it is hard to take pride in our city.

[rd2007]

geesh, another graffiti "art" fanboy...

put a bounty on the little "artists" and I guarantee the city will get better looking quick.

and as far as Westcreek being ghetto, not hardly, but it has made a change for the worse. However, the same goes for most of the city. Irresponsible parents are the primary culprit, but there are a few other contributors, especially a couple of natural disasters to the east...

[WilGar]

#1 Art is commissioned and is not a "gift" by a tagger.

#2 When I lived in San Antonio, I once had a meeting with Howard Peak about airport noise mitigation. During out discussion, he asked what other item needed to be address by the city. I told him tagging. He looked like I came from another planet. I told him no bigger cancer can infect a city faster. Block by block the cancer grows. Drive down San Pedro and look at the tagged neighborhoods on the west side and how quickly it is eradicated in Monte Vista.

[texasdreamin]

Busted taggers in our city have to spend their weekends van driven from location to location (City supervision) cleaning the graffiti off of signs and walls. They are given a rag and cleaner and that is how they spend their day.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by texasdreamin

Busted taggers in our city have to spend their weekends van driven from location to location (City supervision) cleaning the graffiti off of signs and walls. They are given a rag and cleaner and that is how they spend their day.

What city is that?

[perticusrex]

Originally Posted by WilGar

Drive down San Pedro and look at the tagged neighborhoods on the west side and how quickly it is eradicated in Monte Vista.

Someone else mentioned how the graffiti on a neighbor's property was cleaned up by the city in a very nice neighborhood, meanwhile in my neighborhood it was too bad so sad, and nothing has ever been done about it. Ive called 311, it was a waste of my breath. It's frustrating the differences in priority neighborhoods and areas have in this community. I have knocked on neighbor's door and my husband has actually offered to repaint fences (at no cost) and most people were receptive and appreciated the offer, some mentioned that they were uncomfortable removing the crap because of its underlying meaning. Crossed out names or written in a different color represents something more than just "so and so waz here." Normally I mind my own business, but when it comes to straight up vandalism I tend to take a different route, because someone else worked hard for their home, car, etc.

[WilGar]

Originally Posted by perticusrex

Someone else mentioned how the graffiti on a neighbor's property was cleaned up by the city in a very nice neighborhood, meanwhile in my neighborhood it was too bad so sad, and nothing has ever been done about it. Ive called 311, it was a waste of my breath. It's frustrating the differences in priority neighborhoods and areas have in this community. I have knocked on neighbor's door and my husband has actually offered to repaint fences (at no cost) and most people were receptive and appreciated the offer, some mentioned that they were uncomfortable removing the crap because of its underlying meaning. Crossed out names or written in a different color represents something more than just "so and so waz here." Normally I mind my own business, but when it comes to straight up vandalism I tend to take a different route, because someone else worked hard for their home, car, etc.

Never dealt with 311. I think it is a band aid. I would, however, become a pest along with your neighbors to your city councilman . If he/she wants to continue, it requires your vote. Make yours a neighborhood the taggers fear and your councilman respects.

[CameraGirl]

I live in a nice neighborhood- where pride of ownership is greatly displayed. I do not live in a million-dollar neighborhood. I called 311 and so did our neighbors and it was probably the team effort that got their attention. Several of our neighbors and us spent close to half a day, trying to clean this graffitti off our street and off a near-by street. We didn't just sit back and wait for the city to come to the rescue. BUT, as taxpayers- you should call 311- because it is a service that is there for you. If they are getting overly inundated with calls lately- I don't doubt it. The whole city appears to be covered in graffiti- right now. But, the more calls they get- the more aware the city will become of the problem. The city can't afford to clean the entire city- all the time. But, once they start seeing the magnitude of the problem and feeling the pressure from residents and taxpayers to do something about it they will have to knuckle down on these no good taggers and their families. And Yes-- I do feel that both the kids and the parents of these kids need to be held accountable. Perhaps, the paper should run all caught "taggers" names & pictures in the paper, along with their home addresses. As well as making them serve community service time- by cleaning up graffiti. This is very damaging vandalism and is hitting property owners right in the wallet and bringing down the value of homes, neighborhoods and even of the city of San Antonio. Trust me people will not be psyched to move to or promote a city covered in Graffiti. It's a huge turn-off to everyone and everything concerning economic growth.

[perticusrex]

It may be everywhere but in some areas it is clearly more prevelant. I bet putting names and faces in the paper will be seen as a badge of honor rather than one of disgrace.