This is a letter, from the editor, to the person(s) responsible for painting graffiti on Sweet Home’s newest mural, as reported on page 1, at 1206 Main St.
As a journalist, I’m all for freedom of expression, but I also understand that freedom requires responsibility. It also requires clarity.
I’m guessing most of the residents of Sweet Home had a chance to view your handiwork. But the problem is, most of us are a little unclear on what you are actually trying to say.
Do you have a personal beef against cops, or maybe, if you’re older than your actions would indicate, you have a beef against the cop who’s actually depicted on the mural?
Or were you actually referring to Big Government in general with your crack “No 1984,” which a lot of people surmised might be a reference to George Orwell’s novel on the topic of Big Brother?
The responsibility part comes with your method. By defacing that mural, you basically slapped us in the face.
Community funds that paid for the creation of the mural, and even though not every member of the community may be thrilled with the end result, it is an attempt at a tribute to the faithful officers who make our police force what it is – especially during tough times when they’re understaffed, underpaid and overworked.
The individuals honored by that mural are the ones who show up within minutes, if not seconds, usually, when something is going awry. I know because part of my job requires keeping an ear on what they’re up to. They break up fights. They spend countless hours “counseling” people who should have learned from others how to behave respectably. They keep the crazies in line. They bust burglars. They occasionally find time to do the investigation necessary to break up local drug operations. They unlock our car doors.
The mural is a little different than some others in the community, since the subject matter is a little more modern, but it definitely has an effect – maybe unintended.
How many of us, before we got used to it, involuntarily started to hit our brakes as we drove west on Main? It was actually pretty funny, how I glanced down to check my speed, then realized that it was the mural, not a cop car down there.
Then you came along and ruined it, at least for a couple of days. We wonder why.
Maybe you’ve had some bad experiences with cops. If so, I’m more sympathetic than you might think. I know someone who once got hauled off to jail by a couple of young Nazi-like highway patrolmen in another state who mistook a medical condition for drug use or something and didn’t listen. I’m the one who got the call the next morning to pick him up. It was a crock. He was a teetotaler in every way. Straight as an arrow. The cops didn’t care.
Yeah, there are bad cops, but that still doesn’t justify splashing your paint all over somebody else’s wall.
If you’re trying to make a point that government is evil, I certainly agree that it can be. But the very fact that you lash out by defacing somebody else’s property shows why government is necessary. If there were no public restraints, what would you do next?
My point is, you made our town look shabby and we don’t like it. We had representatives in town from an organization that has done a lot to help Sweet Home get back on its feet. It was embarrassing driving down Main Street and knowing they were seeing that.
Graffiti is cool only in the minds of people who inflict it on others. I know there’s a thrill factor for many. I’ve lived in California and seen plenty of it. It doesn’t look good and it doesn’t play well in Sweet Home.
If you want to make a point, consider writing a letter to the editor next time. Just keep it respectable so we can print it.