Thanks to Metroblogging LA for the shout out on my post about tagging. I’m a big believer in posting photos to illustrate my blather. I almost posted the photo of the graffiti, but then when Verizon Wireless wouldn’t let me log in to retrieve the photo from my phone, I got to thinking. First, I had a weak mental moment in which I engaged in that “maybe this is a sign” thinking—like maybe I *shouldn’t* post the photo. That was a mistake. I think that kind of thinking is major BS.
But, and I mean big but – I had *such* a strong negative reaction to what was clearly a gang tagging. Pasadena has had 5 homicides since May. I had just spent a bucolic afternoon at UCLA watching tennis. Watching for free, since Kiefer pulled out of the previous night’s match and they offered us free tickets for Sunday to compensate. I’d had a free glass of wine courtesy of the Wolfgang Puck bartender who was packing up the bar after the final match. I’d even said a friendly hello to my favorite tennis commentator, Cliff Drysdale and collected an autograph from him and Patrick McEnroe. I’m that much of a tennis geek. I had a relaxing afternoon. I was prone.
That’s the context for making that turn from northbound Lincoln onto Montana and seeing the big doo-doo. It was slap-in-face, blow-to-gut. We are getting nowhere fast on the kids-killing-kids issue.
I feel like I need to post it so you can see just how gang-y it is. It isn’t like these examples posted by Zach Behrens at LAist. It’s a benign graffiti vs crime graffiti thing. (Anyone else remember the best benign graffiti ever: “Agnes Moorehead is God” (scroll down a bit) in Hollywood?)
* * * * *
Sigh. Had a call from Jacque Robinson to tell me that it has been painted over (!) so I’m gonna post it. As long as gangs don’t start coming here to see what tags they missed (ha ha), I feel okay about it. But let’s not get artsy-fartsy about how the letter ‘T’ appears to have hips or anything.
Update: Another shooting reported in the Pasadena Star-News
Police investigate Pasadena shooting
Article Launched: 07/24/2007 09:07:35 PM PDT
PASADENA – Pasadena Police Department detectives Tuesday were investigating a shooting in a parking lot July 18 that left two men wounded.
The shooting was reported at about 11 p.m. in the 100 block of West Washington Avenue. Police said an argument between two groups of people in a parking lot escalated into a fight.
When police arrived, all the people involved were gone. However, some witnesses drove the victims to a hospital. Investigators later arrested five people, but it was not clear whether any of the five were booked in connection with the shooting.
West Coast Grrlie Blather 
Jacque is awesome for calling you.
Did Patrick McEnroe take your autograph, slam it on the ground, and use profanity?
When are we gonna start seeing “WCGB!” tags around town? 🙂
Kudos to Jacque for reading blogs, by the way.
Something more politicos should do.
I don’t think Jacque reads my blog. I sent her an e-mail about the tag (and one to her field rep too).
Oh.
She reads mine 🙂 She told me so 🙂 So I figured she read local blogs…cause who would single me out?
Is that letter T a vase or two faces?
There’s an old SNL skit with Giuliani where he goes around New York spraypainting “Sucks” under people’s tags.
Maybe we should do that in Pasadena.
Oh good heavens (the photo of the wall), that is quite uninspired. The style of the “T” does nothing for me. I’ve seen better “artwork” on a stall in Mr. T’s loo. Next!
Sincerely,
A. Fartsy
Graffitti Critic
A while back you and I talked about doing things that can make a difference. You are doing it. I am proud of you.
Bill
@ Bill – Thank you so much. The power of one is great; and the power of many is even better. Thanks for helping me feel like I’m part of a great team.
@Ms. A Fartsy,
All the old adages feel like cliches, but they hold true, which is why they come to mind so often. “A picture is worth a thousand words.” I thank you for reading and commenting.
I remain,
Ms. B. Fartsy
I just listened to “Fight The Power” by the Isley Brothers and it made me think of you.
fuck people who hate graffiti.
it means everything to us.
its a drug you know.
so don’t be hating or anything dude because i hate how people call the police for graffiti. the city’s should give us walls to fucken do graffiti on it so we don’t have the fucken police on us like always. police is always flashing lights to people just because of how they look and stuff. graffiti might be illegal but fuck it you know its not like every fucken law is not gonna be broken. but to me its not illegal because the cavemen carved into walls and they didn’t get arrested or punished did they?NO!! and now we can’t leave a mark of our own? they sure carved on fucken mountains of the presidents(the founding fathers) or watever. who the fuck gave them permission to carve on the mountain? that aint they’re mountain to be leaving they’re mark on there.it aint no difference man.maybe other people had problems with that and did they care? nope not 1 bit .graffiti artist aren’t all gangsters or “hoodlums” as you guys say.its for the people who love it and is addicted to it. the fans!the adrenaline rush is an addiction. best belive its the greatest feeling in the whole wide world. real shit dude.
do illegal graffiti for 2weeks straight. i bet you won’t be able to stop anymore.
graffiti is life!!
one love.