Community Perspective
Take note of graffiti ‘blooming’ in your neighborhood
Published Sunday, May 11, 2008
Have you noticed that more and more stylized scrawling is blossoming on traffic signs and bridge foundations around Fairbanks? I thought that this was just another sign of global warming, but it has more to do with testosterone than CO2, and we actually can do something to control it.
I first started noticing graffiti on traffic signs last summer.
I suspected that it was more than weekend high-school kid mischief, because there were only a few different patterns, and it was popping up in a number of different areas.
This winter, at a presentation for the local “Weed and Seed” committee, I learned that a couple of organized groups are “tagging” traffic signs and other public places to identify their territory, brag about their exploits, and warn competing groups of their presence.
This kind of nuisance is new to the Fairbanks area and it is in our interest to take action to control the phenomenon before it leads to more destructive mischief.
Graffiti is at least as old as civilization. Some people consider it the freest form of free expression. It has even been elevated to an art form in some areas. Graffiti also has its dark side. The stylized scrawling and dubious advertisements found in restrooms and other public places are perpetrated with malice intent. Someone is using the property of others as their infrastructure to promote anti-social behavior. This isn’t innocent fun. It is simple vandalism that has no redeeming value, and it spreads like chickweed if we don’t actively control it.
Graffiti is far less likely to reappear if it’s removed promptly. If, however, it isn’t, others seem to feel a need to respond to the initial posting. Then it spreads rapidly.
Fortunately, this is a problem we can control without waiting for a government agency to take care of it for us. Spray paint takes a few days to dry completely and it isn’t as durable as the underlying finish even when it is completely dry. So a citrus-based cleaner or petroleum-based solvent such as Goof-Off and a little elbow grease will usually take it right off. I’ve tried them both recently and can report good results. (A word of caution though: Work a small area at a time to be sure that the cleaner won’t damage the underlying surface and that you won’t make a bigger mess than is there already.)
So if you find graffiti has sprouted in your neighborhood, grab a can of cleaner and some rags and just wipe it off. It’s really that simple.
If you like extra credit, you can first take a picture of the graffiti and forward it to the Volunteers in Policing at graffiticleanup@gmail.com or call them at 451-6518 so they can keep track of what’s going on in your neighborhood. They also have cleaning agents and supplies and are available to help clean up bigger sites.
It is also a good idea to be more vigilant about protecting your home and property, because the graffiti could be an indication of hoodlums operating in your neighborhood. An ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure.
Finally, we can plant seeds to prevent graffiti and generally improve our neighborhoods by simply slowing down and acknowledging kids on the street with a wave and a smile. Most of them are just probably just hangin’ out, and a smile will let them know that real people live around here — not just “adults.”
With a little effort, we’ll find children blooming rather than graffiti.
Mike Prax, a former Fairbanks North Star Borough assemblyman, is a resident of Fairbanks.
Community Discussion
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Mike,
Thank you for taking the time to talk about this issue. I attended a training on gangs, and the trainer's suggestion mirrored yours: Photograph it, let VIP know, then get rid of it. I have no problem using a little elbow grease compared to living in a community where graffiti is a small indicator of the greater underlying problem.
Another suggestion that came out of this training was for the community to get involved with our youth. This is certainly beneficial in a number of ways. Young Life, Joel's Place, Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Boys & Girls Clubs are all worthwhile youth organizations that appreciate volunteers. There are a number of youth who not only need, but would truly appreciate an adult who is willing to be a mentor, or a friend.
The first line of help for Kids is at home.
I would like to suggest that a mandatory class for all parents be held at the beginning of school. This class can show parents how important it is to plan activities on weekends with their kids. This will cost money but will be money well spent.
Absence parents from their kid’s lives are the biggest problem. If these kids spend all weekend out with friends and no time as a family, they learn from their friends how to behave.
Parents that work all day, in the evening the kids spend the night on computers, instead of having some social time with them, needs to change. Limit the time on computers and TV’s.
If you can get parents to parent their kids, spend social time with the kids, and then they would not need gangs to feel
Good about them selves. .
graffiti is showing up all over alaska, cities and towns alike. cleaning up the graffiti right away is the answer, that way the artist won't get the recognition that they're looking for. let's all do our part to clean up our towns/cities.
And despite the fact that I'm no fan of George W., I've been disgusted by the number of stop signs around town that have the word "Bush" painted below the word "Stop." Our local activists should show their belief in the rule of law by volunteering to clean all those signs up.
We have a correction to the phone number listed in the column. It should be 450-6518.
Mr. Prax,
Thank you for this timely information.
-RK
Maybe we could also find the kids who did it, hand them the bucket with soap and water and make them clean it up. Same with any other vandalism, have their community service include their cleaning it up and repairing it.
The main problem with graffiti in Fairbanks is that it's so lame -- just folks tagging their names or something. There's no really good or insightful tags in town. I'd love to see something that really made me think. Unfortunately, I don't think we can get Banksy (http://www.banksy.co.uk/) or any of the really good LA or NYC taggers up.
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