Jane Moon
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Everyday I park in the Coliseum Deck, and as I rush down a stairwell from the fourth story, I can’t help but cringe as I see spraypainted images of two American-Indians holding signs that say “Go back Mayflower” and “Stop illegal immigration” by some kid named Loki.
Before you make any rash judgments and send in forum letters telling me I’m a hypocritical, hateful, steaming pile of poo, it’s not that I have a problem with the message behind it. What bothers me is that my tax dollars are going to pay for the removal of that particular “work of art” from out campus.
And this problem extends way beyond the Coliseum Deck.
It’s difficult to walk 100 yards on campus without seeing some building or surface marked or tagged by some jokester who got too happy with a can of paint.
Why would people spray paint the Reynolds Tunnel, or anywhere on campus for that matter? We have the luxury of having the Free Expression Tunnel to paint whatever we want, with the exception of credible threats. The tunnel is such a great resource for us, but some feel the need to bypass it and waste the University’s money.
And spraypainting isn’t the only problem we have concerning graffiti on campus. Even something as simple as chalking in inappropriate places can make our campus unsightly.
University policy only allows chalking on horizontal surfaces, and for good reason. Right next to Loki’s lovely work someone chalked “Tancredo ’08,” (seriously? Tancredo?) and it has been there since summer.
I just ask people who choose to express themselves outside of the Free Expression Tunnel and horizontal surfaces to do one thing: freaking stop it.
The money for cleaning up comes from state appropriations, and we could use it for planting more flowers and beautifying campus, according to Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Kevin MacNaughton.
I don’t get tagging, and I don’t care if you think it’s art. If it’s outside of the Free Expression Tunnel, it’s pointless. Nothing is important enough to deface our campus with paint or chalk.
Graffiti outside of the Free Expression Tunnel is not just an eyesore, and I’m not just complaining about a pet peeve. And its not that I don’t want anyone to ever paint anything on campus, as I love seeing people what people have to say and paint in the tunnel.
The University wastes its money to clean up something so unnecessary, even though the University sanctioned the Free Expression Tunnel for, oh I don’t know, free expression. I just wish those who continue to vandalize our campus will stop being belligerent and start doing something that makes a difference, like caring about making our campus.