Atlanta Graffiti (hotel, house, neighborhood)

[Love Cobb]

I am originally from Chicago and I live in Southwest Cobb off Powder Springs Road near E/W connector and they are building some very nice $300k-$400 homes in the area. Last week there were gang signs on my childrens middle school (Cooper), now I saw for myself just the other day Gangster Disciples (Chicago gang) graffiti on one of the houses slated for demolition for a new community. Cobb Police has a great task force for gang prevention/intervention so I am not that worried. But is was a reminder that they are here!!!

[OhioNative]

Originally Posted by coolyfett

Unfortunately Bob everyone does not think like you do. How people see things has nothing to do with age man. You have the right to feel how you feel, but its just your opinion NOT FACT. I like it. Others like it. U don't like it. Others don't like it. I rather see the kids with spray cans over guns any day.

Would you feel the same if they spray painted your property?

[Love Cobb]

Mural Art (which is depicted in the original response post) is part of urban culture nationwide. Go to any major city and you will find it some where. This is not grafetti. Grafetti, especially by gangs is meant to mark territorial boundaries. I don't mind the murals but that uzi was uncalled for and sends the wrong message to every one least of all children. Who ever painted the mural probably got paid or at least had the permission of the property owner.

[brian3219]

Originally Posted by OhioNative

Would you feel the same if they spray painted your property?

Writers don't go around writing on peoples personal property. Ask any graffiti writer what he won't write on and they will say that they wont write on houses, cars, houses of worship, schools, and many other things. There is a difference between graffiti and vandalism. Graffiti is an artist writing on something without permission and vandalism is someone trying to destroy property. While graffiti is always vandalism, vandalism isn't always graffiti. It isn't destroying anything its just adding color to something. If you go out and paint on a bridge the bridge still stands, it just has paint on it.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Love Cobb

I am originally from Chicago and I live in Southwest Cobb off Powder Springs Road near E/W connector and they are building some very nice $300k-$400 homes in the area. Last week there were gang signs on my childrens middle school (Cooper), now I saw for myself just the other day Gangster Disciples (Chicago gang) graffiti on one of the houses slated for demolition for a new community. Cobb Police has a great task force for gang prevention/intervention so I am not that worried. But is was a reminder that they are here!!!

I live only about 3 miles from there, lovecobb. And that's close to where some of the biggest growth in gang activity is. Here's a strange one too - go into that new Walmart there near that intersection and take a look at how many handgun/weapon magazines they have on the mag rack - like 35% of the total mags are weapons related. GEEZ. (not saying magazines create gangs, but that's kind of like putting a bunch of dessert magazines in the waiting room of a weight loss clinic).

I'm not naming names or saying names, but I will say that I am aware of a couple of Cobb police officers who are not wildly confident in the abilities of some of the people who run the anti-gang division at Cobb. The opinion seems to be that they wildly underestimate the problem and aren't as proactive as they could be. Enough said, but it IS a growing problem in this area that may not be properly addressed yet.

Go on the Silver Comet trail and the trails that spur off of it in this area - graffiti everywhere.

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by brian3219

Writers don't go around writing on peoples personal property. Ask any graffiti writer what he won't write on and they will say that they wont write on houses, cars, houses of worship, schools, and many other things. There is a difference between graffiti and vandalism. Graffiti is an artist writing on something without permission and vandalism is someone trying to destroy property. While graffiti is always vandalism, vandalism isn't always graffiti. It isn't destroying anything its just adding color to something. If you go out and paint on a bridge the bridge still stands, it just has paint on it.

Good Post Brian. I agree it just add flavor to certain things and/or places. Believe it or not there are rules to graffiti. I would say Brain has given some great examples of the No No list. Active Schools, Homes, Churches/Temples, Cars, Advertisements, Store Windows, Statues, Landmarks etc etc.

Expressway walls, Overpasses, Sidewalks, Trains, Underpasses, Backs of buildings, Exterior business walls (depending on the area), Trains, Fences or Walls exposed to Expressways, & Trains. In the the Graffiti culture all these kinds of locations are fair game. I guess you just have to have an eye for it. If you don't like it fine, if you do like it fine. It really doesn't matter, everyone has different taste of what they are into. Its a free county. Peace

[ajax general]

I forget what movie I saw this in, maybe one of the Police Academy series? The wall that sprays the painter back...that was hilarious, though probably not cost-effective.
Graffiti or murals or whatever you want to call it is something I am accustomed to seeing in the inner-city. That doesn't bother me too much as I am used to it, almost expect it to be there; even though I agree that it is not a good thing if it is not your property or you have not received permission from the owner. At least on public property one can make the argument that as a taxpayer one can claim ownership of a small piece of wall.
What does bother me is seeing the tags in suburban neighborhoods indicating gangs marking their turf, etc. That is disconcerting, as it doesn't quite match the clean suburban setting. In the inner-city it looks better, strictly from an aesthetics point of view.

[brian3219]

A lot of good arguments here.

[Love Cobb]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

I'm not naming names or saying names, but I will say that I am aware of a couple of Cobb police officers who are not wildly confident in the abilities of some of the people who run the anti-gang division at Cobb. The opinion seems to be that they wildly underestimate the problem and aren't as proactive as they could be. Enough said, but it IS a growing problem in this area that may not be properly addressed yet.

Go on the Silver Comet trail and the trails that spur off of it in this area - graffiti everywhere.

One problem in this corridor of Cobb is that there isn't enough organized recreation for the youth. Bowlling alleys and rec centers are fine but they need something more, i.e. skate parks, etc. The poor skater kids in this area have resorted to the side walk, empty parking lots or behind Freds off Floyd Rd. Unfortunately the business men and politians in the area probably feel it will draw an undesirable element.

[Windu]

So graf writers have a moral code governing buildings they avoid defacing. How nice.

So I guess those who happen to own commercial buildings which they would like to remain one solid color are just out of luck, eh? They should not have a say-so as to whether "color" gets added to the building they paid for, I guess.

Let's admit it for what it is. The graf artists are vain and need to have their egos stroked by painting on buildings that as many people as possible will see. Fair enough. Graf fits certain areas of certain cities and adds to the flavor. But it doesn't belong everywhere, and graf artists should respect that. To flip it, they wouldn't want a nice Laura Ashley style, floral print wallpaper hung in their favorite hip hop club, right?

And taggers (not to be confused with graf writers/artists) have no redeeming qualities. Scum with Krylon.