Oregon Graffiti (Portland, Eugene, Corvallis: photo radar, felony, houses)

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by Imperial1904

I just read an article off the Klamath Falls newspaper website concerning the graffiti 'problem'. OK, yes there's an issue with graffiti in Klamath, not much but it's there. Now to call these taggings 'gang notes' is pushing it a little too far. In the picture they use, I don't see any 'gang graffiti', more like scribbling from preschoolers. There isn't a gang presence (and there never will be in Klamath Falls). What I see are wannabe's, harmless kids pretending to look like 'gangstas'. Some might be from parts of California, but I met a guy a few years ago that said he came out here from L.A. to get away from it. I see Sur 13 taggings around town. There is no turf to claim here. I saw one wall hit with tagging that read 'Sur 13 X3 Bay Area Hayward'. A Southern California gang from Northern California now in Oregon?

Klamath Falls is not the only place I've seen Sur 13 tags. In Coos Bay I've seen 'Sur 13 541'. I think it's pathetic. These kids in Oregon need a reality check and realize this is NOT California, there are no real gangs (with maybe the exception of Portland). I think these are the type of kids who will act like a 'gangsta' in their small town but act differently when they go to a big city. They're making towns look like s*** and for what? I see nothing they could gain from it.

Herald and News: Klamath Falls, Oregon > Archives > News > Local News > Taking aim at graffiti

The Herald and News is quite possibly one of the worst papers I have ever read, from a lack of copy editing, to the fact that national/international news gets sandwiched at the back between Sports and Classifieds, to the inane "life/editorial" articles to the fact that it costs 50 cents for about 4 pages of news AND unlike, say, The New York Times, you have to subscribe to an e-edition to read the day's paper. The fact that Klamath Falls is a small town is no excuse for the newspaper.

The articles states that increased tagging is a sign of "decline" - no, it's a sign that more and more people are moving in and we're developing growing pain problems

[PNWhike]

Throughout the Portland area it is now common to see gang tagging on a regular basis. The gangs are budding and growing throughout Portland. Drive by shootings are a somewhat regular occurance in SE Portland, Gresham and Hillsboro. Even places like Canby, Mc Minville, and Newberg have stabbings and shootings. Most involve young teenagers with roots out of, you guessed it, California. We had a gang fight/stabbing on a Tri-Met Bus #5 last week.The main culprit was arrested and a known member of the "18th Street". Three weeks ago there was gang violence on the MAX out in Hillsburrito. Groups of bangers started fighting on the Max and guys got stabbed. The police arrested a bunch of them and most ended up in the hospital. There never used to be any tagging issues in Portland until the last ten years or so. Stay turned as there is more to come.

[bobmulk]

Fine, pure1blue8; let's make tagging legal. Let's all tag YOUR house. Let's tag YOUR car. Are you one of those imbeciles who believes it's "art"? If so, perhaps we can tag your body with cancer-causing spray paint, feces or chocolate. After all, we're expressing ourselves, right?

Vandalism is NOT acceptable. You sound like a kid who doesn't want to have any boundaries, someone who doesn't want to be told what you can or can't do. Welcome to a democracy. We have laws and the laws do not allow brain-dead, immature, wannabe brats to vandalize personal property. When you grow up (if you grow up) you will realize the stupidity, foolishness and harm that comes from vandalizing.

[superman55]

Originally Posted by Imperial1904

I've been up and down all the main streets in Coos Bay/North Bend (many times after 8) and never saw any groups of 10. In fact, I have never seen any group larger than 4 or 5 people and they were skateboarding.

I know what gang members look like, I'm from Southern California and all I saw were harmless kids who don't know anything about gangs other than what they see on TV.

stupid mother ****ers dont know **** i grew up in long beach and compton ok places like k falls, bend, ptown, redmond they got gangs i gotta crew formed in bend after i moved her from so cal there can be gangs anywhere they start small and ppl mad dogged l.a. gangs when they first started but now look at it and ptown so shut up dumb ****s

[haggardhouseelf]

I haven't seen a whole lot of tagging in Eugene, but I have heard there are white supremacist gangs here. We also have gangs of hippies, cat ladies, trendy college kids, wayward youth, homeless people, druggies, and hairy women.

I don't think those gangs really make a habit of spray painting stuff, though. I'm guessing that they have other priorities.

I'm in a gang - the mom gang. You might see our sidewalk chalk tags on city sidewalks, mostly near playgrounds and parks. We have our kids do it so we won't get in trouble for marking up city property.

What's the point of being in a gang? I mean, what's the big draw for people?

From what I've read and documentaries I've seen and the few ex-gang members I've known, the life of a gang member sounds horrible. You waste your time messing around with violence, vandalism, drugs and alcohol, and do absolutely nothing good with your life... you hurt all kinds of people and especially hurt the ones you love, you hurt innocent people you might not even know, you spread nothing but hate and violence... then end up either dead or with a criminal record. I really don't understand the point of it all.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf

We also have gangs of hippies, cat ladies, trendy college kids, wayward youth, homeless people, druggies, and hairy women.

You forgot to mention the most dangerous of all:
Red Hat Bessies - Red Hat Society Chapter, Eugene Oregon pictures from clubs & activities photos on webshots

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by karlsch

You forgot to mention the most dangerous of all:
Red Hat Bessies - Red Hat Society Chapter, Eugene Oregon pictures from clubs & activities photos on webshots

Oh that's right! When my son was much younger, we happened upon some red hat memaws in the park. He blurted out, "Mama, are they communists?" ... his dad always jokingly refers to Santa Claus as this hippie communist that breaks into your house on Christmas Eve... so my son equated wearing lots of red with being a communist, even though at the time he hadn't a clue what a communist was...

[OregonOner]

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf

What's the point of being in a gang? I mean, what's the big draw for people?

From what I've read and documentaries I've seen and the few ex-gang members I've known, the life of a gang member sounds horrible. You waste your time messing around with violence, vandalism, drugs and alcohol, and do absolutely nothing good with your life... you hurt all kinds of people and especially hurt the ones you love, you hurt innocent people you might not even know, you spread nothing but hate and violence... then end up either dead or with a criminal record. I really don't understand the point of it all.

its all about finding somewhere to belong, and feel accepted, protected, and to earn peer respect, no matter how twisted it may seem. its just a different way of life.

[1208]

Not all graffiti is gang related. Not even most.


There are gangs in Oregon, but you probably won't see them. I spent time in LA and didn't see any gangs there, either.

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf

I haven't seen a whole lot of tagging in Eugene, but I have heard there are white supremacist gangs here. We also have gangs of hippies, cat ladies, trendy college kids, wayward youth, homeless people, druggies, and hairy women.

I don't think those gangs really make a habit of spray painting stuff, though. I'm guessing that they have other priorities.

I'm in a gang - the mom gang. You might see our sidewalk chalk tags on city sidewalks, mostly near playgrounds and parks. We have our kids do it so we won't get in trouble for marking up city property.

What's the point of being in a gang? I mean, what's the big draw for people?

From what I've read and documentaries I've seen and the few ex-gang members I've known, the life of a gang member sounds horrible. You waste your time messing around with violence, vandalism, drugs and alcohol, and do absolutely nothing good with your life... you hurt all kinds of people and especially hurt the ones you love, you hurt innocent people you might not even know, you spread nothing but hate and violence... then end up either dead or with a criminal record. I really don't understand the point of it all.

Please read, my Eugene friends:

it's here: sad. it breaks my heart when i see buildings/fences hit. it isn't like the commercial bldg owners can take it: throwing good money after bad... fences are tagged, buildings have scribbling at the ROOF TOPs.


THE NEW THING they do is

SCRATCH UP the GLASS. *****wtH*****


there was one tagger, for awhile that wrote OPEN on vacant buildings along the corridor of willamette/amazon...

a new tagger spray paints Frankenstien on electric boxes.


on high & 18th there's a cute vintage apt. bldg that gets hit all the time with spray paint.

about a year & half (2 years?) ago the word was that the schools were thinking about banning red/blue. like it was in CA?

then you can't even get those colors at the store for the adults! when i lived in so. cal, i couldn't get a nice red blouse or sweater for anything for 10 years!!!! i hated it! i never saw red clothing until i moved HERE! you won't know what you have until it's gone....


it's sad because these kids don't appreciate what a loving state Oregon is. they're slapping us around like we're their b*tches!


i'm from south east LA & i'm sick of the F/M/S/541 whatever 13's. do you know what they think "13" is for????

M - the 13th letter of the alphabet. "M" for murder. like THEY are sssoooo tough. sheesh. i never saw an F13 member that i know of, even tho i was in their territory for about 20 years. but i sure saw their NUMBER everywhere.


Oregon is love & peace & '70's kickedbackness. not all this uptight city c*ap.

can we just put some pink hearts all over the graffitti???


what you taggers don't know is that Oregon loves you. Oregon IS love & happiness. we embrace you as PEOPLE but you need to find a legitimate OUTLET for YOUR creativity. OPEN your eyes/mind & you, mr./miss tagger will find it!


we don't have $$$ to clean up scribbles on our buildings or to replace SCRATCHED GLASS man! we're poor & struggling! it's hell to have someone mess up walls & windows!

sorry, haggardhouself.... it is here... on my end of town

kate in south east eugene

ps MOM gang *L* ME TOO! watch out dudes, we could love you to death hahaha: we're watching YOU


the revolution will NOT be televised

because

it will be LOVE