Graffiti.

SF Chronicle Article on Graffiti

Why is it ever so bad here in San Francisco?  There’s tons of graffiti here.  99.44% of it is mindless tagging too, like this:

There’s a simple reason why there’s so much graffiti in our beloved city:  because there’s not enough punishment!

San Francisco is the only place where I’ve lived where you, as the property owner, can be fined if you don’t clean up your property quickly after you’ve been hit with graffiti!! Since 2004, property owners are responsible for cleaning up graffiti on their property within 30 days or face a fine that could reach $500!  Talk about adding insult to injury and making the victim pay!

And what about the hooligans that deface others’ property?  They usually get community service or probation.  No Jail.  No pain.  

There are those that say “Graffiti is art!  We must protect it!”  To that I say – it might be art but its still vandalism!  Look, I could be a great artist, but I bet if I etched the Mona Lisa into the windshield of your car you wouldn’t be too happy.  I bet if I tatooed Michaelangelo’s The Last Supper on your forehead, you wouldn’t be too terribly pleased.

Then there are those who say, “Oh, we should build a community graffiti-wall so these artists can express themselves!”  Look pal, go express yourself on your own dime, mmmkay?  

(1)  I as a taxpayer refuse to pay for someone else’s desire to “express themselves”

(2)  Any reasonable person will tell you that a community graffiti-wall will not stop graffiti and mindless tagging.  Its the thrill of illegality stupid!  How else can you explain this:

 

Art or not, graffiti is vandalism, and its time San Francisco get tough on graffiti.  We need jail time for these hooligans.  And if folks are going to complain about our jails being overcrowded, then fine, I say if you get caught damaging others’ property through graffiti, then your own house/car/bike/clothes/skateboard should get damaged too!  

Graffiti someone’s business?  Yup, that will cost you 80 grit sandpaper all over your car’s windshield and hood.  How do you like that?  

Sheesh.