# Mayor: Cut thumbs off graffiti 'punks' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 4, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513 "2005-11-04T18:21:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/1 "2005-11-04T18:21:55Z")
> [@](#): > > The mayor of Las Vegas has suggested that people who deface freeways with graffiti should have their thumbs cut off on television [http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/04/mayor.thumbs.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/04/mayor.thumbs.ap/index.html) Wow, please remind me to write off Las Vegas as a good place to live. How can an elected official be this stupid in this day and age? Mayor Oscar Goodman needs to be thrown out of office and sent to a mental hospital. I do love this quote: > [@](#): > > Another panelist on the show, state university system regent Howard Rosenberg, said cutting off the thumbs of taggers won’t solve the problem and \*\*Goodman \*\* should “ **use his head for something other than a hat rack**.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/2 "2005-11-04T18:25:43Z")
Well, it **would** solve the problem. Hard to hold a spray can without thumbs. 😃 But saying that on television was probably unwise. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/3 "2005-11-04T18:27:44Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Well, it **would** solve the problem. Hard to hold a spray can without thumbs. 😃 > > But saying that on television was probably unwise. Did you read the entire article. He was also promoting the whipping of children. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/4 "2005-11-04T18:32:22Z")
Maybe I’m just sick in the head (_Maybe_?) but that’s fuckin’ hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/5 "2005-11-04T18:37:56Z")
Aw, come on…we like Oscar Goodman here in Las Vegas…he was (really) a mob lawyer before being elected Mayor, he has struck a deal with Bombay Gin for him to always drink it at public functions (the money goes to the city) and when the Feds were threatening to start putting nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Oscar swore he would set police blockades at every entrance to Las Vegas and turn them away. Oscar is everyone’s favorite nut uncle. We love him. And one more word out of any of you and we’re gonna take you on a little drive out in the desert some night. Oh, and **jrfranchi** , sorry, but please put your thumb on this table here…you heard me. It’s the law. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/6 "2005-11-04T19:33:09Z")
Oscar Goodman: The 6-Million Dollar Moron ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/7 "2005-11-04T19:54:14Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Did you read the entire article. He was also promoting the whipping of children. :eek: I’m a teacher, remember? There are times when I think this is a _marvelous_ idea! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/8 "2005-11-04T19:56:14Z")
I dunno, I kinda like the general idea, an this Oscar fellow. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/9 "2005-11-04T20:00:45Z")
You don’t cut the thumbs off, you just break them. Now no more of this talk, we will take you in the back room and work your kneecaps over with a clawhammer. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/10 "2005-11-04T20:01:56Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I’m a teacher, remember? There are times when I think this is a _marvelous_ idea! 😃 Would you at least compromise on thumbscrews? Minimizes permanent damage at least. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/11 "2005-11-04T20:05:01Z")
Sounds like a joke to me. And a reasonably funny one at that. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/12 "2005-11-04T20:15:10Z")
I’ll still be taggin if I have to use my bloody arm stump to press the spray nozzle! They came for the tagger’s thumbs and I said nothing, because I wasn’t a tagger… ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/13 "2005-11-04T20:17:42Z")
It sounds funny to me, and I see no use in graffiti-sprayers, anyway. I mean, I don’t really mean their thumbs should be cut off, but it’s nice to think about. damn graffiti sprayers, messing up my neighborhood - YOU KIDS! GET OFF THE LAWN! ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/14 "2005-11-04T20:20:47Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > I’ll still be taggin if I have to use my bloody arm stump to press the spray nozzle! > . It’s just a flesh wound! ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/15 "2005-11-04T20:21:54Z")
When tagging happens in Vegas, thumbs stay in Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/16 "2005-11-04T20:26:54Z")
> [@Duke of Rat](#): > > You don’t cut the thumbs off, you just break them. > > Now no more of this talk, we will take you in the back room and work your kneecaps over with a clawhammer. Is that what they do to jaywalkers in Vegas? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/17 "2005-11-04T20:30:34Z")
Mayor: For every wall that you deface, I cut off a finger. Tagger: Uh, mine or yours? Mayor: Yours! ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/18 "2005-11-04T20:34:08Z")
I won’t tell mr.stretch about this–he’d think it was a great idea. Actually, mr.stretch thinks that taggers should have their hair spray painted, have to wear the lovely orange coveralls and they should be put to work cleaning up graffiti–with the added bonus of letting the public throw rotten fruit at them while they work. In the closest “big” city here, property owners are required to clean up graffiti on their property within a short period of time (I think it’s a week) or they are fined $400. The City periodically goes around and paints out graffiti with whatever color of paint they get from combining a bunch of donated paint. We have a huge tagger problem and the City’s solution just makes everything uglier. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/19 "2005-11-04T21:04:32Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Is that what they do to jaywalkers in Vegas? Cheaters, in the mob days (or so the stories go). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513/20 "2005-11-04T21:14:50Z")
Anyone else visualizing Trashcan Man strolling past a line of crosses with the decaying bodies of graffiti artists hanging from them? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mayor-cut-thumbs-off-graffiti-punks/329513.md?page=2)