# One tagger who got it right **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 6, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981 "2007-01-06T22:49:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/1 "2007-01-06T22:49:10Z")
Maybe this should go in the pit, but others may have a different point of view regarding “urban street art”. IMHO, 99.99% of tagging is vandalism; just some punks with spray paint defacing public property. Only a few blocks from where I live, they’ve adorned _mature redwood trees_ with their friggin’ gangsta graffiti. But this morning I spotted a perfect piece, sprayed in big white letters on the side of a bridge. The \*artiste \*must have had a brilliant flash of insight before he decided to declare: > [@](#): > > I’m a Fuck Up! You speak for for all of your kind, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/2 "2007-01-06T22:53:16Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] Maybe this should go in the pit, but others may have a different point of view regarding “urban street art”. IMHO, 99.99% of tagging is vandalism; just some punks with spray paint defacing public property. Only a few blocks from where I live, they’ve adorned _mature redwood trees_ with their friggin’ gangsta graffiti. But this morning I spotted a perfect piece, sprayed in big white letters on the side of a bridge. The \*artiste \*must have had a brilliant flash of insight before he decided to declare: You speak for for all of your kind, dude. [/QUOTE] _ **Oh what I would have given to catch the shithead who tagged a Redwood…** _ It would have been bloody. Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/3 "2007-01-06T23:17:06Z")
They tagged the trees … :mad: My comment regarding taggers would fit better in the Pit. I’ll just think it. You can fill in the gaps. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/4 "2007-01-06T23:36:51Z")
Redwoods is awful. Similarly, a few years ago some stupid hippy motherfucker tagged fucking _Stonehenge_ with green paint. “L I V E”, one letter on each stone. However I like the tale of the graffiti seen on a wall in a posh area of North London at the time of the invasion of Iraq: **War is very naughty** ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/5 "2007-01-06T23:57:13Z")
There’s a minor public school a few miles from where I stay, and the building has a grand entrance with some columns in the Ionic style. A few years ago some local teenagers thought it would be funny/smash the system/summon Cthulthu if they sprayed the name of noted Satanist death rockers “DEICIDE” onto the columns, one letter per column. I don’t know at which point they realised there were in fact only six columns available, but the school sported a rather plaintive “DECIDE” for a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/6 "2007-01-07T00:26:24Z")
Sweet Justice. [http://www.nypost.com/seven/01062007/news/regionalnews/graffiti\_kid\_killed\_by\_lirr\_re](http://www.nypost.com/seven/01062007/news/regionalnews/graffiti_kid_killed_by_lirr_re) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/7 "2007-01-07T10:55:16Z")
Linky no worky. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/8 "2007-01-07T11:01:32Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Linky no worky. [/QUOTE] What 'e said. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/9 "2007-01-07T11:35:27Z")
[This could be the story.](http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--struckbytrain0106jan06,0,680871.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork) And no, that’s not “sweet justice” – that’s tragic. ---
**Author:** ![Kraut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b77776/32.png) [@Kraut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kraut)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/10 "2007-01-07T11:55:55Z")
[QUOTE=ltfire] Sweet Justice. [http://www.nypost.com/seven/01062007/news/regionalnews/graffiti\_kid\_killed\_by\_lirr\_re](http://www.nypost.com/seven/01062007/news/regionalnews/graffiti_kid_killed_by_lirr_re) [/QUOTE] Yeah, nothing sweeter than a kid getting hit by a fucking train. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/11 "2007-01-07T14:59:57Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] [This could be the story.](http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--struckbytrain0106jan06,0,680871.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork) And no, that’s not “sweet justice” – that’s tragic. [/QUOTE] Yes the tragedy was that the 1,000 people going home on the train were late for dinner due this Darwin Award winner tagging and not being smart enough to stay off the railroad tracks. Oh and a correction to the news story, he wasn’t a good boy, he was a fucking vandal. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/12 "2007-01-07T15:13:39Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] There’s a minor public school a few miles from where I stay, and the building has a grand entrance with some columns in the Ionic style. A few years ago some local teenagers thought it would be funny/smash the system/summon Cthulthu if they sprayed the name of noted Satanist death rockers “DEICIDE” onto the columns, one letter per column. I don’t know at which point they realised there were in fact only six columns available, but the school sported a rather plaintive “DECIDE” for a few weeks. [/QUOTE] Not to impugn your version of events, but how do you know that ‘DECIDE’ wasn’t the original word of choice? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/13 "2007-01-07T15:16:46Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Oh and a correction to the news story, he wasn’t a good boy, he was a fucking vandal. [/QUOTE] Charming… Tell us how you really feel, [Vidocq](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Miserable). ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/14 "2007-01-07T15:20:43Z")
Pardon, that would be Javert of course. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/15 "2007-01-07T15:42:55Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] Charming… Tell us how you really feel, [Vidocq](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Miserable). [/QUOTE] Where I come from “good boys” don’t break the law, and destroy other people’s property. You seem to be using some definition of the word good of which I am unfamiliar. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/16 "2007-01-07T15:53:01Z")
What Rick said. Vandalism is, IMHO, a more serious crime than burglary and should be treated accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/17 "2007-01-07T15:58:48Z")
[QUOTE=chrisk] Not to impugn your version of events, but how do you know that ‘DECIDE’ wasn’t the original word of choice? 🙂 [/QUOTE] The court reports. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/18 "2007-01-07T15:59:48Z")
That is as may be, but are you really comfortable with how callous you have allowed yourself to become? Are you ok with the idea of hounding a person who shoplifted bread to feed their family for twenty years or more? FTR, I think that vandalism is a serious crime too, and should be punished. I just don’t find myself comfortable with the idea of applauding the gory death of a vandal. (Unless perhaps it was a particularily brutal Vandal from a historic account, heh.) To each their own I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/19 "2007-01-07T16:07:32Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] That is as may be, but are you really comfortable with how callous you have allowed yourself to become? Are you ok with the idea of hounding a person who shoplifted bread to feed their family for twenty years or more? FTR, I think that vandalism is a serious crime too, and should be punished. I just don’t find myself comfortable with the idea of applauding the gory death of a vandal. (Unless perhaps it was a particularily brutal Vandal from a historic account, heh.) To each their own I guess. [/QUOTE] 😕 Where have I ever advocated jail or the death penalty for someone who is stealing bread to feed their family? :dubious: Tagging is dangerous (DUH), reduces property values, promotes more crime, and DOES NOT FEED THE TAGER’S FAMILY. Need some more straw for that argument? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981/20 "2007-01-07T16:20:09Z")
[QUOTE=LSLGuy] What Rick said. Vandalism is, IMHO, a more serious crime than burglary and should be treated accordingly. [/QUOTE] How is it more serious? When I was thirteen, my biggest act of rebellion was scatching my name on the pew in front of me at church. The pew was in the sanctuary reserved for kids, and thus it was old and decrepit, but I was nonetheless a vandal. And a remorseless one at that. Are you telling me that I deserved to be hit by a train for what I did? It sounds like the boy was at least creating beautiful, patriotic art. If given a legitimate canvas, he could have gone on to do good things in his life. Being tough on crime doesn’t mean you have to be a dispassionate fuck. You can disapprove with what he did while still feeling pity for him. If all thirteen year olds got hit by a train whenever they did something stupid, there would be no thirteen year olds left. Especially 13-year-old boys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-tagger-who-got-it-right/386981.md?page=2)