Education

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) The Last Judgment. I was going to put up a graffiti picture, but then it occurred to me that the taggers or graffiti artists would probably like that.

Reason number 4232 I hold mostly conservative views is an article I read while I was a teacher at Fred C. Nelles in Whittier (since closed), the California Youth Authority (CYA) or: a jail for California's juvenile offenders. The writer made the case for graffiti being "art" and a legitimate way to bring attention to the oppression of Mexican-Americans (I wonder what she thinks of the white, middle class students who vandalize property.).

Today, I happen to work in a Los Angeles high school, Hunting Park High School, plagued by graffiti. At the beginning of the year, I always give a speech to students which I'll paraphrase here:

Why is graffiti the dumbest crime of all time? Think about it:

Graffiti is the only crime in the world that costs you money to commit. A hungry person stealing fruit? OK, I might understand. But going to the store and spending $10.00 to commit a crime that will give you nothing back except the respect of other losers? Dumb.

It also costs you time. Imagine if you spent the same time studying that you do climbing freeway overpasses to scribble something that decent people, including, probably, your parents, think is disgusting.

It not only hurts you personally, but it hurts your parents, school, and neighborhood. Do you think your parents would be more proud of you for doing well in school, working, and raising a family- or for having to drive you from the police station?

Would you rather the school spend money on more teachers and activities- or on painting the walls every month?

Why do you think the houses in some neighborhoods are more expensive than in other neighborhoods? Because more people want to live there, right? Well, do you think people would prefer to live in a place where they run the risk of having their property defaced- or in a clean place? You are costing your parents' money by lowering the price of their house. Why don't you try to raise the price instead? It might be your house some day.

What about businesses? Do they want to paint over the graffiti on their buildings every week? Wouldn't they rather go to a cleaner area? When companies move into a neighborhood, they provide that community with jobs and tax revenue. In other words, more money out of you and your parents' pocket.

Let's imagine somebody driving through a city. Let's say the person is a non-Latino: If he notices that he's more likely to see graffiti cruising through a Latino or Mexican neighborhood than a Chinese or White one, what do you imagine he's thinking about each people? How does having that reputation help Latinos? Do you have a right to complain about somebody who holds negative stereotypes for your ethnic group if there's some merit to them?

The most important reason, however, is simple: It's wrong to write on other people's property. When people own something, they have a right to enjoy it without others ruining it. Apply the Golden Rule: How would you like to wake up and see your house or sidewalk with some gross paint strokes on it?

"Yeah, but it's still art," you say. Here's an idea that's a win for you because you get to practice your art and win for your parents, school, city, and whomever you think is watching you: Buy a little book and write in it or paper over your wall and practice there.

A lot of people today were talking about this article on graffiti in the Los Angeles Times describing how graffiti vandals are getting more aggressive.