Filed under: Communication, Urban, Violence, Youth | Tags: graffiti, Los Angeles, war
The war against graffiti is getting stronger and stronger. Los Angeles, as well as Denver and other cities around United States, has been considering new restrictions on the sale of aerosol spray paint cans and etching cream to people under 21 years old. The fight against graffiti also includes reference to gangs, especially related to criminality, violence and drug use among young cultures. As a result, these activities are punishable with fines or prosecuted as felonies or crimes, and in these cases, it could signify several months and even years in prison.
What is the problem about graffiti? The removal of graffiti costs high. The public spending rises to thousand of dollars. Even when governmental authorities declare that these practices deface buildings, public transport and monuments throughout the cities, the main topic is related to budget. City councils could not use that money in other projects and it hurts their relationship with citizenship. However, it is not only an economical cost. This could cause trouble during election times. Besides that, the content of graffiti matters. Graffiti artists not only tag their names or signatures, some of them use impressive designs or slogans to promote ideologies, denounces and countercultural alternatives.
Youth cultures are a paradox. On the one hand, the global market and the media demand them a life of success and consumption. On the other hand, the contemporary societies exclude them. Young people suffer of unemployment, school desertion, police repression, emotional stress and uncertainty about the future. These collectives, as Mexican anthropologist Rossana Reguillo pointed out, have a relation with social change and they also have political struggles on topics as abortion, cultural diversity, sexual tolerance, climate change, drugs use and others. In fact, the content of some graffiti mean an aggression towards the current system and its debilities or principles.
Why do the media and governmental agencies promote graffiti as crime and not as an expression? My hypothesis is that with an increase of the stereotypical information about these “deviant” groups, they could build consent and promote several reactions with a "zero-tolerance" perspective. As Chomsky declares, this is a strategy to control. It is hard to assess if all the graffiti is related to criminality, but it is impossible to deny that in particular contexts is linked to claim territories. However, many young groups just use it like an artistic expression or a life style. This is not necessary wrong. For example, Naomi Klein has identified how corporations and business use graffiti artists to advertise their products too, especially because it is “cool” and it attracts young people. Do we have “legal” graffiti and “illegal” art crimes? Big money rules the market!
Filed under: Communication, Sexual diversity, Violence | Tags: GLBT, homophobia, Israel
Two gay teens have just passed away. A gunman, armed with an Uzi submachine gun, fired in a support gathering at Café Noir, a Gay Center in Tel Aviv. The shooting attack was soon published in some GLBT media and referenced in several tweets around the world. The killer escaped and Israel Police has started a manhunt to catch him. After three or four hours, Tel Aviv was gone of Twitter’s trending topics.
Besides of the malware threat and the spam, the content of the tweets was related to censor the crime, to promote demonstrations in support and to spread the new information about the scene, particularly by updating the facts or by translating the news to another language. However, some of the content in this trending topic had political propaganda against Israel and condemn the act by blaming the country. This is the main idea I have decided to analyze.
Was this hate crime related to religious boundaries? It is possible. Is homophobia spreading only in Israel? No. And it is easy to assess it. For example, two or three days ago, a psychologist was judged in Brazil, because of her activities as therapist in order “to cure” homosexuality. Similar cases could be followed in Iran, United States, Mexico, Germany and other countries. Why to judge Israel with that emphasis? The answer refers to a historical process of hate crimes between Palestine and Israel, and it also includes stereotypes and stigmas, that are older than World War II. Or is it because the weapon was from Israel too?
Homophobic behavior is rising everywhere. Is it a symptom? What is the sickness? The contemporary world promises diversity and tolerance, but the facts show that these processes are still utopian. We have two cold bodies and several wounded victims to prove it. What is the point to promote the peace and respect, or the condemnation of a violent act, if we are doing it with stigmatization against others? Tel Aviv was just a case. Another example of what is happening everywhere. One more relevant discussion could be proposed, for example: Is global media ignoring this kind of hate crimes against GLBT? The shooting was a trending topic before to reach traditional media. Why does it happen? My hypothesis is that this “gay show” does not include any “king of pop”. I expect to be wrong.
