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Friday, 07 December 2007 06:15
Welcome To SaveLAMurals.org Feedback and Blog page. In this section please feel free to write your opinions, suggestions and questions. 


What's Up L.A?  City Policy is part of reason for the loss of Los Angeles Murals.

Currently accepted graffiti abatement practice calls for the removal of tags from a vandalized wall within 24 hours on any city wall....except a mural site.
If a tagger marks a blank wall it is removed within 24 hours and if a mural is hit the graffiti remains. If the purpose of your tag is to "get up" and stay up, which wall would you choose? This policy makes the Mural site the preferable wall. We need to change this policy and remove the graffiti from the murals within 24 hours also.

HERE ARE POLICY CHANGES THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

1. Enforce the Vara Act (the Visual Artist Rights Act) which makes vandalization of a mural a criminal offense. Vandals should have higher penalties for destroying murals than a blank wall. Restoration of the mural can be done as the money is raised.

2. Post telephone numbers for people to report vandals with their cell phones while driving through the city. How many people, for example, saw the vandalization of the Olympic murals while it was occurring? We should Report destruction of art. Ordinary citizens can be part of the graffiti deterrent.

3. Have youth serve mandatory community service time for vandalization. If you make a mess, then you clean it up.  Let taggers work off the cost of their vandalization at an hourly rate. Accountability and civic responsibility needs to be taught. It isn't learned unless opportunities for learning occur.

4. Open places for youth to paint that are sanctioned. It isn't an accident that the closure of graffiti yards coincides with the increase of graffiti on the streets.

5.  Revive Los Angeles' mural program so
works are restored and new works are created. Mural works that are neglected create a climate of disregard of art on all levels.

6. Last how about a “Sin Tax” on spray can paint ? It is bad for the environment anyway.

These are just a few thoughts on the direction our advocacy could take.  Any other ideas ?
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