# To get my mind off the elections for awhile, here's something I've been wondering for a long time, but keep forgetting to post **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-get-my-mind-off-the-elections-for-awhile-heres-something-ive-been-wondering-for-a-long-time-but-keep-forgetting-to-post/924769 "2020-11-04T17:54:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-get-my-mind-off-the-elections-for-awhile-heres-something-ive-been-wondering-for-a-long-time-but-keep-forgetting-to-post/924769/1 "2020-11-04T17:54:25Z")
Who said this: “il n’y a pas d’art sans vandalisme”? (There is no art without vandalism.") In the 1980s, there was a crackdown on vandalism, ironically, because stuff that was usually 12-year-olds spraypainting clumsy obscenities, or illustrations thereof, had been replaced to a great extent by real artists who were painting some really beautiful things around town. One guy, who was known as “Tom Cat Spray” had beautiful and provocative images to the point that many building owners and merchants _wanted_ a Tom Cat original on their building. They were trimming branches, and even painting white rectangles on buildings as an invitation. At the point, the city retaliated big-time, and started instantly removing all the new graffiti, which special attention to any that was signed, and fining anyone who did anything that could be construed as encouraging it. The the above slogan started appearing everywhere. No one knew whether the artists themselves initiated it, or their supporters did it on their own. At the time, someone attributed to quote to Voltaire, or someone-- I can’t remember. So, first of all, is the quote real, in that it originated outside this particular movement in bloom, or did one of our ilk just make it up, and pass it off as being from the pen of someone mighty. “Americans” is the best attribution this crowd can come up with. I’li end this for now, and if anyone has a better idea, post it, please, It’s possibly not even originally French. "Yeah, why don’t you go back, Djb ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-get-my-mind-off-the-elections-for-awhile-heres-something-ive-been-wondering-for-a-long-time-but-keep-forgetting-to-post/924769/2 "2020-11-04T18:44:49Z")
What the hell, this isn’t GQ, so the first answer being purely speculative isn’t a problem. The first thing that came to mind was that it sounded like something that would resonate with Marcel DuChamp. ---
**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 5, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-get-my-mind-off-the-elections-for-awhile-heres-something-ive-been-wondering-for-a-long-time-but-keep-forgetting-to-post/924769/3 "2020-11-05T13:42:15Z")
Modnote: In the future make sure the thread titles more descriptive of the thread. I’m going to close this one in fact. ---
**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 5, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-get-my-mind-off-the-elections-for-awhile-heres-something-ive-been-wondering-for-a-long-time-but-keep-forgetting-to-post/924769/4 "2020-11-05T13:43:10Z")
Closed on November 5, 2020, 1:43pm UTC