Background Information

Graffiti is drawing or marking on a surface. Graffiti can be viewed as vandalism or street art. Graffiti, as an urban expression, started in the northeast part of the country, in places like Philadelphia and New York City in late 1960s. Graffiti started popping up around the country and even the New York Times did an article about a graffiti artist, “Taki 183 Spawns Pen Pals,” who began writing his nickname and street number in subways. Graffiti can be found anywhere in any city: trains, subways, fences, walls, roads, bathroom stalls, etc. The city of San Marcos is no exception.

People graffiti for different reasons; graffiti can be an art form, a way to protest or rebel, a way to gain popularity and skill be drawing on a public place, and other graffiti is gang related and marks gang territories.

In a 2008 press release to encourage the community to get involved in a Graffiti Abatement Initiative, San Marcos Mayor Susan Narvaiz is quoted, "“While the graffiti problem in San Marcos is not severe, it is a quality of life issue. We want to enlist the help of the community to eliminate graffiti as quickly as possible.”

Debates about the visual quality, the meaning, and the defiance of graffiti go on in every community. The San Marcos community has created a debate about graffiti, but not about posted graffiti, but before the graffiti is put up and someone is holding material with the intent to make graffiti. The San Marcos Police has a proposed graffiti ordinance (explained earlier in the blog with a link to it) that has some members of the community supporting it and others wary of the intent and enforcement.