52nd City

The stencils proclaim "Bill McClellan, Motherf-ckers!"

The anarchy signs and the other silly anarchsit slogans that I've seen around town are often placed on wonderful old buildings -- you know, on works in the open air art museum of the People: the city. Hooligans!

First, a quick response to Michael's post. In de-spamming the comments section of the blog, a task which I undertake daily, I accidently deleted one of Claire's posts, which automically put the eco-ab--nc-.o-g suffix into the banned camp. I apologize, as this was a simple keystroke error on my part, done in the haste of knocking out a typical day of prolific porn spamming. Sorry x 10.

There's not hidden message. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU TWO!

This post appeared on a neighborhood listserv this morning. I remained stunned that the "A" is not a part of everyone's cultural awareness. Shocked, really:

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There appears to be gang-related graffiti along Louisiana across from Roosevelt High School, where Louisiana intersects both Hartford and Juniata Streets. In addition to the *profound* messages, there is a spray-painted capital letter "A" within a circle. I've also seen this gang logo (?) near the intersection of Arsenal and Arkansas, so I'm guessing this must be a gang symbol.

My husband called the CSB, and left messages for both Joe Thele and for Officer Don Re. As my husband just left for the sub-station open house, I'm sure he'll find someone over there to speak with about this issue.

I'm curious to know if 1) this is a new gang that has moved into the neighborhood and 2) if anyone else has noticed any new (blue) spray painted graffiti on their block. Thanks.

I hope you sent out a response correcting them...

The gf and I rode our bikes up to Earth-day. We noticed all of the spray-painted objects. I'm as anti-authoritarian as the next guy(perhaps more so), but this sort of propagandizing isn't exactly going to win hearts and minds, nor will it educate. Scheomehl pots: hadn't heard that one before. Sounds so old-school. Funny.

Wrote this back. And, yes, I'll be the one crying when I get graffed tonight:

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The "A" stands for anarchy and has been a fairly established symbol for decades, as witnessed in any back alley from Paris to Eugene, OR.

The "gang," as such, is probably found living in group housing along Cherokee Street, publishing little-read zines, baking tasty muffins and riding second- and third-hand bicycles.

Variations on these same messages are seen frequently along Jefferson, So. Broadway and many of the state streets between; along with various stretches of Forest Park Southeast and other nearby neighborhoods.

I, too, was surprised to see such a prolific run of message "bombing," which suggests to me that our one of our government-questioning, young paint warriors must've gotten into his cups at one of South Grand's late-night drinkatoriums, w/ Krylon in backpack, as, normally, this type of sustained industry might be looked down upon by members of the sect.

The feckless vandals managed to hit just in time for my parents to see their handiwork during the Grand South Grand house tour on Sunday.

I think I saw some gang symbols in town too! This gang "Core Project" has been leaving their stickers everywhere!

The really weird thing is that Fletch & I were out to grab a bite tonight & who should we see but Mr. McClellan himself! Enough to make a girl paranoid, that. Don't worry Thomas, if I hear ball bearings rattling around inside a paint can tonight I will go out give them some earnest talk. Works better than whupass in these cases, I think.

Following a show at Fort Gondo, a few of the aspiring activists (?)(uninspired Basquiats?)(kids with too much time) attempted to give 'em what for in that bastion of the establishment, Cherokee Street.

The folks on Cherokee awoke to find the wanna-be Saccos and Vanzettis had tagged everything within reach. An example of their rapier wit: "Work is Terrorism". This was spray-painted on the side of an ongoing rehab.

I certainly have some appreciation of the attitude. I spent plenty of time scouring Orwell, Sinclair Lewis and others, I even went to an AYF meeting or two. That said, I don't think cooperative action towards social betterment and the breaking down of oppressive structures included spray-painting A's on buildings people (many of whom fall on the low end of the "proletariat") worked hard to improve.

I know Galen was apoplectic, you can't get spray-paint off brick.

It's funny because when a certain anarchist community center on Cherokee was tagged by a street gang, those kids threw a fit and painted over the tag immediately. Never mind the call to action of the "artists" or the purity of the crude expression -- the anarchists swiftly moved to defend their Private Property!