graffiti_hunter

This is my soap box rant.....
(The citizens of Atlanta are tired of bad city politics and this was a post from our SG ATLiens thread)

Please note these are my personal thoughts and don't wish to be kicked the shins if any does agree with my thoughts on the matter.....

I'm am one of the few born and raised Georgia Peaches ( hehe ). I grew up in actual town of Powder Springs ( West Cobb Co ), my father worked as a independent inner city truck driver, and my mom was a book keeper. In my early 20's I moved into the city of Atlanta and have been a city dweller ever since. I have seen our APD do amazing work or turn the cheek or down right be abusive/corrupt. I have been "lucky" enough to personally experience all these lovely sides of the APD.
What I realized is every city has all of the same challenges that we have and still manage to do their jobs honorably. Some of our smaller inner city communities really do an incredible job of serving their citizens but we still in general a fail to do so as a city. WHY? I believe it is the lack of leadership in our city government! No one to direct our officials in an actual direction. Our said leader ( ex: our major ) is too busy managing his career to actually tend to the needs of the city. What has he done for the city that has made any sort of impact - note: he has worked on lowering our debt due to our last major touring the globe wearing a ugly fake flower on her business suits. Sadly the cuts in budget have cost us greatly in the area's of Educator's, Fireman, and Policeman. We need the leaders to lead and stop trying to be famous. Try becoming famous by doing the job you were elected to do and do it well. You'll be surprised how things will start to fallen into place.

*** Note: This years total useless waste of city money goes to re-en-statement of the Anti-Graffiti Task Force. We Graffiti Artist have always followed the invisible list of Rules that APD "put out there" for us. Mr. Major has decided that our cities Graffiti has to go and is wasting 30,000 this first fiscal quarter on painting over said works - which not all pieces were painted because some group decided it was acceptable art. Since the major is so out of touch with our urban artist he is turning way many amazing artist that have been coming to the city for years. Atlanta wants Art but only on their terms.... sad!
Benefits of Graffiti that some don't think about...
- We makes boarded up buildings/abandoned become something better than an eye sore.
- By having taggers in abandoned zones the homeless population is lower...they get tired of being bother by taggers working around them so they move somewhere else.
- The city actually is known for its kickass Graffiti Artist. We have artist travel here to do there work and most of the time stay during festival season selling art.
- Actual Graffiti artist police their own groups...
- Every Graffiti Artist I know covers up all found gang tags. The city is for everyone not just for bullies with bandanna and spray cans.
........I can go on and on.
So for you HOME OWNER ASSOCIATIONS folks <----- Don't move into an area that isn't cookie cutter perfect! That is what the suburbs are for - the city is a living breathing thing that is moving all the time. For those of us who chose to move somewhere that isn't polished/perfect we don't like you guys pushing this "perfect living" down OUR throats. Sorry your money can fix it all!

Personally I'm looking forward to the summer when the air will be filled with sounds of little taggers moving about wagging an artist war!

Don't waste money on paint over paint!