Graffiti Is Our Right, Not A Crime Professor Ramos Blog

Graffiti Is Our Right, Not A Crime Imagine not agreeing with something within your community, or even society as a whole, and wanting to express your protest against or for that issue. This is a very pressing issue like gay marriage, gun laws, war, or equality. Now imagine you decided you are going to become an advocate for that particular issue you feel so strongly about, and then you get arrested and charged as a felon for protesting peacefully. This happened a lot in the 1920’s with all of the segregation laws, but I am talking about now, 2019. You can be arrested if you protest via graffiti. Vandalism, defacement, doodle, scribbles, these are the derogatory terms used everyday for graffiti. Other famous pieces of work like The Starry Night, Girl With the Pearl Earring, or even Mona Lisa would never be associated with just a â€Å"doodle.† Those great masterpieces are art. We see graffiti literally everywhere, and since the beginning of its popularity, it has been a taboo. Graffiti may technically be a criminal act, but does condemning the act of graffiti violate our American rights? I am going to explain what graffiti is, who the most infamous artists are, why graffiti is so controversial, and why graffiti is indeed and art form and not a crime. According to the English Oxford Dictionary, graffiti’s definition states, â€Å"writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surfaces in a public place† (2019). According to the Urban Dictionary, graffiti’s definition states, â€Å"the practice of systematically and stylistically marking infrastructure† (2019). This clashing information can be a bit confusing, but the common factor is that graffiti is indeed markings upon walls. Believe it or not, the world is no stranger to markings upon the walls that were put up by the hands of humans. Some odd 2 to 3 million years ago, there walked cavemen on this Earth. There have been findings of these million year old caves that housed these beings, along with markings upon the walls of the caves. The markings told stories of their everyday life. Fast forward to the 8th century of Ancient Greece, Roman, and Egyptian times to their usage of graffiti. Plastered up on the walls of the palaces, tombs, and pyramids are beautiful murals and stories, for what they used for documentation purposes. Also in those times, people would carve or paint protest poems upon the buildings within the cities, in hopes of change among their society. Throughout history, graffiti was used as a positive outlook because walls were the only things that anyone had to write on. Graffiti was intended to send a message to society. Modern graffiti was first recognized in 1965 at Philadelphia’s Youth Development Center. Twelve year old, Darryl â€Å"Cornbread† McCray, tried to stray away from the gang or drug scene, so he mostly stayed to himself and took to drawing, but the juvenile center he was in did not carry the supplies for such expression. One day on his routine job of janitorial duties, he came across the storage of all work equipment, including spray paint. During his time in the facility, he practiced with the art of tagging, and when he got out of the juvenile center, he expanded his canvas. He had no idea he was going to be the pioneer to a movement by simply spraying his nickname, â€Å"Cornbread†, around the streets of Philly. Street art was the new revelation across the world. It stood for a cause worth going down for. Graffiti â€Å"is conceived as a system of communication and action† (Hocking 196). Banksy is the world’s most infamous graffiti artist today, but some â€Å"critics call him a fraud, yet admires call him a genius. While his art may be varied, one clear message emerges: a call for change† (Brenner 4). No one really knows exactly who Banksy is because well graffiti is illegal, and he has artistically bombed literally all over the world like England, Vienna, San Francisco, Barcelona, Paris, and Detroit. Banksy advocates peace, hope, love, and questioning of authority. It is our rights as American’s to use graffiti as a peaceful protest method for change, which is what all of these advocate artists are doing today.   The First Amendment states, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise therof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peacefully to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances† (First).   In simpler terms, any American is permitted to peacefully protest without the fear of punishment.   The most extreme form of punishment from being caught doing graffiti is â€Å"up to ten years of imprisonment, $5,500 in fines, community service, and be a convicted felon,† stated in Chris Denholm’s 2017 article, â€Å"Graffiti-The Mix†(P1).   Punishing advocates for speaking out against the government for wanting an honest change in the way things are goes against what our Constitution states.   Graffiti has been dubbed an anti-social behavioral lash out against society by psychologists.   In short, this means that a person, who p articipates in graffiti, is a mentally unstable person because they are consciously deciding to destroy public property with no remorse. Yes, technically graffiti is an unlawful act because they are purposely defacing someone else’s property and we all know that, but the â€Å"why† is so powerful that it is worth the consequences.   In today’s day in age, people have tried to be heard, but in turn have been forced to be silenced because of their unconventional thinking.   â€Å"These artists rely on graffiti’s rebel status both to communicate their message and, in the process, to undermine the free speech doctrine’s purported allegiance to designate forums and civil speech† (Carroll 12).   Not all graffiti artists are gang related; most are advocates for their cause for living.   These artists feel so strongly about the tough topics of the world that they want to share their passion by displaying the issues at hand.   Art does not have one straightforward definition.   Visual, auditory, and performing arts are all methods in expressing the creator’s imagination, beliefs, or conceptual ideas.   We are all taught at a young age that freedom of speech is to be practiced and taken advantage of, and graffiti defiantly should be protected under this law. Some cities around the country have been made aware that some people use street art for personal protests for certain groups and for cultural purposes to brighten the city. These cities have gone so far in understanding the need for street art among their residents that they have invested in â€Å"free walls†. In Whitford’s 2017 article â€Å"History and Trends of Graffiti†, he states, â€Å"free walls are integrated into cities so that artists can be expressive but not have the fear of being reprimanded†(P2). Every sketch, drawing, or painting has a purpose and I believe that graffiti has it’s own purpose to making a difference in any subculture. Graffiti brings awareness to issues of concern and it is so powerful of the changes it can bring. I understand that by using someone’s business or using public streets for canvases toward the cause of protest. It is not fair that certain places are targeted or â€Å"chosen† to get sprayed all over just to get the point across, but these artists strategically place each art piece in the societies that are being affected the most. Being convicted as a felon for peacefully protesting is a bit harsh. Cases that involve the same charge of â€Å"ten years imprisonment with a felony charge include aggravated sexual assault in the 1st degree, sexual assault in the 3rd degree with a fireman, and sexual offenders that have to register on the sex offender list for life† (Reinhart). There are consequences to everything, especially when trying to make change, so yes there should be some consequences for the business that get effected by these graffiti protestors. Another alternative may be community service either towards covering up the act if the business owner does not approve or community service in giving back. Having the same punishments are criminals who are purposely hurting someone should not be in the same category as trying to practice their First Amendment right. There is no wrong or right way in expression if done in a peaceful way. â€Å"To embed speech on a n object is not only to alter and to claim the object itself, but to transcend the impermanence of spoken word and to defy all forces that would silence or erase the uttered thought† (Carroll 18). Even though there are some downsides to graffiti within communities, the upsides are tremendous. Graffiti brings awareness to those who are blinded by what is going on around them, it causes people to really take a step back and think about issues that are unknowingly affecting them, and it brings people together to fight for a cause. Following the laws is what keeps society from mayhem, but laws have been broken because of change for decades now. Change is inevitable and sometimes everyone just needs to stop and smell the roses around him or her. Art in a frame is like an eagle in a birdcage. Works Cited BRENNER, LEXA. â€Å"The Bansky Effect: Revolutionizing Humanitarian Protest Art.†Harvard International Review, vol. 40, no. 2, Spring 2019, p. 34.EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=f6hAN=136010704site=ehost-live. Carroll, Jenny E. â€Å"Graffiti, Speech, and Crime.†Minnesota Law Review, vol. 103, no. 3, Feb. 2019, pp. 1285–1348.EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=134788095site=ehost-live. Denholm, C. (2017, March 06). Graffiti-The Mix. Retrieved from https://www.themix.org.uk/crime-and-safety/in-trouble/graffiti-9130.html â€Å"First Amendment.†Legal Information Institute, Legal Information Institute, law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment. Graffiti. (2019). Graffiti | Definition of graffiti in English by Oxford Dictionaries. (2019). Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/graffiti Hocking, Bree T. â€Å"Ornament and Order: Graffiti, Street Art and the Parergon.†Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. 23, no. 1, Mar. 2017, pp. 196–197.EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/1467-9655.12559. Reinhart, Christopher. â€Å"CRIMES WITH MANDATORY MINIMUM PRISON SENTENCES-UPDATED AND REVISED.†CRIMES WITH MANDATORY MINIMUM PRISON SENTENCES-UPDATED AND REVISED, cga.ct.gov/2008/rpt/2008-R-0619.htm. Whitford, M., Ashworth, G. (2017). History and trends in graffiti.Getting Rid of Graffiti,1-7.

Writing Prompts for Journal Topics and Writing Ideas

Writing Prompts for Journal Topics and Writing Ideas May is often a beautiful month, full of flowers and sunshine. May also celebrates a week for teachers during  Teacher Appreciation Week. Many of the following writing prompts for each day of May are written to take advantage of this time of year. These prompts provide teachers a great way to add more writing time in class. Some have two suggestions, one for middle school (MS) and one for high school (HS). These can be simple writing assignments, warm-ups, or journal entries. Feel free to use these any way you wish. May Holidays American Bike MonthFlower MonthAsthma Allergy Awareness MonthNational Bar-B-Que MonthNational Physical Fitness and Sports MonthOlder Americans MonthNational Hamburger Month Writing Prompt Ideas for May May 1 - Theme: May Day(MS) May Day is a traditional celebration of Spring in countries around the globe, often including dancing and flowers around a maypole. However, May Day is rarely celebrated in the United States. Do you think that Americans should celebrate May Day? Why or why not?(HS) In Chicago 1886, 15 people were killed during the Haymaker Riot strikes held to protest poor working conditions. In sympathy, European nations, many  socialist or communist, established May Day to honor the cause of the worker.   May 2 - Theme: Holocaust Remembrance DaySome people argue that the Holocaust is too disturbing for students to learn about  in middle school or even in high school. Write a persuasive paragraph explaining why it should be included in the curriculum.   May 3 - Theme: National Day of Prayer is usually observed on the first Thursday of May. This  day is an inter-denominational event when faiths from across the country pray for the United States and its leaders. The word pray was first used in the  early 13th century to mean ask earnestly, beg. What would you like to  ask earnestly, beg for  in your life?  Ã‚     May 4 - Theme: Star Wars DayThe date comes from the  catchphrase, May the 4th [force]  Be With You.What is your opinion about the Star Wars film franchise? Do you love it, hate it? Are there reasons to appreciate the series? For example,   from 2015 to the present, the   film series has made millions of dollars: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)   over $900 millionStar Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) over $600 millionRogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)   over $500 million May 5 - Theme:  Cinco de MayoMany people across the United States celebrate the day, but they do not know what Cinco de Mayo commemorates. The day recognizes when  Mexican Armys victory over the French at the  Battle of Puebla, in 1862. Should there be more education on knowing this holiday or other international holidays?  Ã‚   May 6 - Theme: American Bike Month(MS) 40% of Americans have a bicycle. Do you know how to ride a bike?   Do you have a bicycle? What could be the advantages of having a bicycle? What are the disadvantages of riding a bike?(HS) Urban planners include more bike lanes to reduce car traffic. The benefits of bicycles in cities are the reduction of car emissions and the increase of exercise. Is this planning a good thing? Or, is this planning something cities should do? Could this planning be like the idiom the says something is needed like a fish needs a bicycle  ? May 7 - Theme: Teacher Appreciation  (Week May 7-11)What qualities do you think a great teacher must have? Explain your answer.Do you have a favorite teacher from your school experiences? Write a letter of appreciation to that teacher. May 8 - Theme: National Train DayHigh-speed trains can travel fast with some prototypes with speeds over 400 mph. In theory, a high-speed train could race up the East Coast, from NYC to Miami, in seven hours. The same trip would take a car about 18.5 hours. Should Americans invest in high-speed rails for trains or in roads for cars?     Why or why not?May 9 - Theme: Peter Pan DayPretend you were in J.M. Barries story about Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up and remain eternally young. Which part would you most like to see or do: fly, visit with mermaids, fight the pirate Captain Hook, or meet the mischevious fairy Tinkerbell? Explain your answer. May 10 - Theme: Civil Disobedience.In 1994, political activist  Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africas 1st black president. Mandela followed the example of the civil disobedience practices used by Gandhi and Martin Luther King.   Consider Kings statement, Any man who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community on the injustice of the law is at that moment expressing the very highest respect for the law.For what injustice would you practice civil disobedience?ORMay 10: Theme: PostcardsIn 1861, the US Post Office authorized the first postcard.  Postcards are usually sent from a vacation place or as a greeting card to mark an event, or even just to say hello.Design a postcard and prepare a message. May 11 - Theme: Asthma Allergy Awareness MonthDo you have asthma or allergies? If so, what are your triggers? (What makes you have an attack or sneeze, etc.) If not, do you think that schools do enough to help those who have asthma and allergies? Why or why not?May 12: Theme: National Limerick DayLimericks are poems with the following scheme: five-lines of an anapestic  meter (unstressed syllable, unstressed syllable, stressed syllable)   with a strict  rhyme scheme  of AABBA. For example: There was an Old Man in a tree,Who was horribly bored by a Bee;When they said, Does it buzz?He replied, Yes, it does!Its a regular brute of a Bee! Try to write a limerick.   May 13 - Theme: Mothers DayWrite a descriptive paragraph or poem about either your Mother or someone who is a Mother figure to you.ORMay 13 - Theme: Tulip DayIn the 17th century, tulip bulbs were so prized that traders would mortgage their houses and fields.   (provide a picture or bring in real tulips). Describe a tulip or another flower using all five senses. May 14 - Theme: Lewis and Clark ExpeditionWilliam Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was able to create a map of the Louisiana Purchase by merely walking through and exploring it. Today Google uses  cars with custom cameras over  five million miles  to develop their Google Maps apps. How do maps figure in your life? How might they figure in your future?May 15 - Theme: L. F. Baums Birthday - Author of the Wizard of Oz books and creator of Dorothy, the Wicked Witch of the West, the Scarecrow, the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Wizard.Which character from the world of Oz would you most like to meet? Explain your answer. May 16 - Theme: National Bar-B-Que MonthThe  word barbecue comes from the Caribbean word â€Å"barbacoa.† Originally, barbacoa was not a way of cooking food, but the name of a wooden structure used by indigenous Taino Indians to smoke their food. Barbeque ranks in the top 20 most popular foods in the USA. Whats your favorite picnic food? Do you like bar-b-que, hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, or something else entirely? What makes it so special? May 17 - Theme: Kentucky Derby(MS) This horse race is also called  The Run for the Roses for the draped blanket of roses placed over the winning horse. This idiom uses a rose, as do many other idioms. Choose one of the following rose idioms, or any other idiom you know, and give an example as to when it could be used: a bed of rosesa rose by any other namebed of rosesbloom is off the rosebring the roses to (ones) cheekscome out smelling like a rose (HS) Just before the race at the Kentucky Derby, the crowds sing My Old Kentucky Home. The revised lyrics of the original song by Stephen Foster changed the  word darkies,   and substituted the word people. Crowds now sing: The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky homeTis summer, the people are gay... Should songs with questionable lyrics from years ago continue to be used for public events? Are there songs that are so inappropriate that they should be dropped entirely? May 18 - Theme: International Museum DayThere are numerous world-class museums around the world. For example, there is The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Hermitage. There are also some oddball museums such as Museum of Bad Art or the National Mustard Museum.If you could create a museum about any topic, what would it be about? Describe two or three exhibits that would be in your museum.May 19 - Theme: Circus MonthIn 1768, the English equestrian  Philip Astley demonstrated trick riding by trotting in a circle rather than a straight line. His act was named a circus. As today is circus day, you have a choice of topics: If you were in a circus, which performer would you be and why?Do you like circuses? Explain your answer.Do you think circuses should feature animals? Why or why not? May 20 - Theme: National Physical Fitness and Sports MonthEach state requires a specific number of minutes that students should participate in physical activity.   If your state requires  physical fitness activity for the next 30 minutes, what activity would you choose? Why? May 21 - Theme: Lindbergh Flight DayOn this day in 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off on his famous flight across the Atlantic. Would you like to learn how to fly a plane? Why or why not? May 22 - Theme: Older Americans MonthDo you believe that older Americans are treated with enough respect today? Explain your answer. May 23 - Theme: World Turtle/Tortoise DayToday is World Turtle Day. Conservation efforts are demonstrating success, and turtle populations are up.   Tortoises can live long lives. One,  Adwaita the Tortoise (1750-2006), is reputed to have lived over 250 years. What events would a tortoise who lived that long have witnessed? What event would you like to have seen? May 24 - Theme: First Morse Code Message SentA simple substitution code is when you replace each letter with a different letter. For example, all As become Bs, and Bs become Cs, etc. I have written the following sentence using this type of code so that each letter of the alphabet is written as the letter that comes after it. What does my sentence say? Do you agree or disagree with it?Dpef csfbljoh jt fbtz boe gvo. May 25 - Theme: John F. Kennedys Speech About Sending a Man to the MoonOn this day in 1961, John F. Kennedy said that America would send a man to the moon before the end of the 1960s.   We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too. Why is this speech so significant? Should Americans continue space exploration because it is hard?   May 26 - Theme: National Hamburger MonthOn average, Americans eat three hamburgers a week. What is your favorite type of hamburger or veggie burger? Is it plain or with toppings like cheese, bacon, onions, etc.? If not a hamburger, what food do you (or could you) eat three times a week? Describe a favorite food using at least three of the five senses. May 27 - Theme: Golden Gate Bridge OpensThe Golden Gate Bridge is a symbol of San Francisco, recognizable by people all over the world. Do you have any symbols or monuments for your city or community? What are they? Even if you dont have a symbol that you can think of,   explain why you think these types of symbols are important to people. May 28 - Theme: Amnesty International DayThe goal of Amnesty International is to protect and promote human rights across the world. Their motto is, Fight injustice and help create a world where human rights are enjoyed by all.  In some countries, genocide (the systemized killing of an entire ethnic group) is still being carried out. What is the responsibility of the United States? Do we have a duty to step in and stop these types of human rights violations? Explain your answer. May 29 - Theme: Paper Clip DayThe paperclip was created in 1889. There is a paperclip game  to play that pits you against market forces. There is also a movie,  Paper Clips, featuring middle school students who collected  one  paper clip  for each  person  exterminated by the Nazis. The paper clip was also a symbol of resistance in Norway against  Nazi  occupation.   This small everyday object has made its way into history. What other uses could you come up with for a paper clip?ORTheme: Memorial DayMemorial Day is a federal holiday that originated when decorations were placed on the graves of Civil War soldiers. Decoration Day gave way to Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.What are three things that we can do to honor those men and women who died while serving in our military?   May 30- Theme-Emerald GemstoneThe emerald is Mays gemstone. The stone is a symbol of rebirth and is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth. The color green  is associated with new life and the promise of spring. What promises of spring do you see now?   May 31 - Theme: Meditation DayA combination of anecdotal and scientific evidence  suggests that meditation in schools may help improve grades and attendance. Yoga and meditation may help students at all grade levels feel happier and more relaxed. What do you know about meditation and yoga? Would you like to see meditation programs brought into your school?