Brooklyn Six-Year-Old Is A Graffiti Vandal
By Just Stupid on Oct 17, 2007 in Stupid Laws, Stupid Politicians
According to The Brooklyn Paper, a 6-year-old Brooklyn girl is facing a $300 fine from the city for doing what city kids have been doing for decades: drawing a pretty picture with common sidewalk chalk.
Obviously not all of Natalie Shea’s 10th Street neighbors thought her blue chalk splotch was her best work — a neighbor called 311 to report the “graffiti,” and the Department of Sanitation quickly sent a standard letter to Natalie’s mom, Jen Pepperman.
“PLEASE REMOVE THE GRAFFITI FROM YOUR PROPERTY,” the Sanitation Department warning letter read. “FAILURE TO COMPLY … MAY RESULT IN ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST YOU.”
Since when is a kid’s chalk drawing “graffiti”? Since the City Council passed a law in 2005, which defined “graffiti” as “any letter, word, name, number, symbol, slogan, message, drawing, picture, writing … that is drawn, painted, chiseled, scratched, or etched on a commercial building or residential building.”
In other words, Natalie Shea is not an artistic little girl, but a graffiti outlaw?
No. The law goes on to say that the scribbles can only be called “graffiti” if they are “not consented to by the owner of the commercial building or residential building.” But how could the 311 caller possibly be expected to know if Natalie had her mom’s consent to use chalk on her own front stoop?
“He could have just asked!” Pepperman said. “This whole thing is ridiculous. Admittedly, this drawing was not her best work — she usually sticks to cheerful scenes, not abstracts, frankly — but to send a warning letter like that is outrageous.”
Pepperman ticked off any number of daily insults to common decency on her block, including (but not limited to) dog poop, garbage from ill-kept homes, and noise from car alarms. But Sanitation didn’t get a 311 call about those indignities. It got a call about a 6-year-old’s drawing.
“The report came in as ‘graffiti,’ and, as you know, the city is trying to crack down on graffiti on private property,” said agency spokeswoman Cathy Dawkins. Yep…. just stupid!
Technorati Tags: brooklyn, new york, graffiti, Natalie Shea, city council
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MIB | Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
If its not her property and the owner, the city included wants it removed, what is the value of definance and what does it teach the child? Chalk washes off, so it sounds like a parent with a problem to me! If mom thinks its art, do on the kitchen floor or bedroom walls. If that is not an acceptable medium, then its about issues of authority. If no one complained, it was a non issue, but city or private property is personal or shared and reality is graffiti is a 15 billion dollar problem and understanding ownership at 6 is a place to start.
JAF | May 28, 2008 | Reply
MIB did you read the story? The drawing was on her own property. Furthermore as you pointed out it’s chalk and so even if it wasn’t on her own property anyone who isn’t a complete tool could have easily washed it off themselves or asked her parents to wash it off. Instead they decided to file a complaint with the city thereby removing any and all doubt they are whiney stupid people fully deserving to be mocked on this site.