Graffiti

I was encouraged to attend a meeting in the newsroom today, and the topic of graffiti came up. I was the only person in the room to defend graffiti as an art form.

I made the distinction between graffiti and vandalism. Walls and other structures can be set aside for anyone to practice their art form. I will admit that I am impressed by some of the creativity I see in the vandalism downtown, but it is still vandalism.

It's that difference I make when I use the word "graffiti." I may refer to "graffiti vandalism" or "destruction of property" when referring to most of what I see downtown.

But the boss may hold me to saying "graffiti." Yesterday he was not gung-ho on my using the phrase "moral turpitude."