Dallas Grafitti Wipeout Set for May 20
I read this post on the dallasblog.com regarding the upcoming Grafitti Wipeout. I’ve had conversations before with quite a few people on this issue. WHY IS THE GRAFITTI ABATEMENT COMMITTE THE ONLY PROGRAM THAT HAS SUCH MOMENTUM IN DALLAS!? It baffles me that there are other major issues in Dallas happening at the moment that have miles of balled-up red tape surrounding them, but getting rid of grafitti…well that’s all green lights and paved roads. Yes, grafitti is a crime due to property damage and maybe tresspassing, BUT the criminals are just art kids from the suburbs!
It seems that Dallas still has this 1980’s mentality that grafitti is connected to street gangs. So in the process of “cleaning up the streets” from grafitti, then they are thinking that they are discouraging the gangs from being attracted to those areas and robbing and shooting them up. So in the plea to clean up Dallas, they have convinced corporations and volunteers to contribute their money and time to feel like that have “made a difference” in their community just because there is fresh paint on a wall…ha…it’s the same notions that compelled those art kids from the suburbs to paint there too!!! To make a visual change. To make a personal contribution. To be seen and heard.
Dallas Police Chief Knuckle recited a little story at the Deep Ellum town meeting where he stated that he has made it a personal mission to clean up the grafitti in Dallas because he didn’t like seeing it on his jogging route. So you got a man holding the scissors to the red tape, and only when it’s his personal mission will he start chopping away with a vengance while at the same time holding them back at his disgression. So good for him. His favorite jogging route is getting a fresh coat of paint, and all those suburban art kids are behind bars or paying thousands of dollars in fines, all now with criminal records. Good job. I can’t wait to walk down my newly painted street and get heckled by homeless people who need shelter and psychiatric care, or see all the businesses in my neighborhood close down because they are competing with the stripmall-subsidized-supercenters that keep spreading like the plague in this town…or how bout being forced to drive a car in this city, paying outrageous amounts in gas, because there is no mass transit system in place that can get me to and from places like the airport…or how bout biking….
I’m glad people want to clean up this city, make a difference in their community, etc., it’s just that I feel that things like cleaning up grafitti should already happen by the community members. If someone doesn’t like the grafitti on their jogging route, then get some paint and cover it up. Save the corporation money, and the red tape scissors for the things that really need major first-aid in this city.
Word up Mark! We talked about this one night in Denton.
I recall the highly publicized town hall meeting at the Gypsy Tea Room where a city council member began to talk about the plan to revitalize downtown, but instead of shedding some light on the plan, she asked the crowded room for suggestions for a plan. Last time I checked wasn’t that their job…to come up with plans that we can vote on?
It was pretty irritating to see those who are responsible for city planning not have a clue. I will definitely do my part to make the Dallas a destination… but I doubt very seriously that they will be taking any cues from Art Prostitute… this from the reaction of Laura Miller when I introduced myself to her, gave her an issue of our book, only to be met with a look that said, “I have no idea what you are saying to me.”
I sure am glad they have that grafitti under control…so as I go down from my stab wound I can take in that Sekt free trash dumpster that was really putting us all in jeopardy.
Ok, it’s dumb. They just tag everything. Rarely is it art. It’s just their name, on everything. It has no value. Say something or draw something and I’d support it, but these guys are lame un-punks.