Peter T Schmitz wrote:
As I read, on-line, the StarTribune's headline "Punishment for graffitiWM: A study done in Centreal neighborhood a few years ago showed that the taggers, as opposed to gang banger graffiti, are usually suburban white youth from 18 to 25 years of age.
vandals' parents clears Senate" , I cursed under my breath at our U.S.
Senate. Those darn Republicans are at it again, I thought. So imagine
my surprise and despair when I read on only to discover that this is a
bill that cleared the DFL-controlled State Senate today by 62-3. The
bill's sponsor is Senator Linda Berglin (at least she's earned my
gratitude for reminding me why I defected to the Green Party just when
Pawlenty and Bush nearly made me reassess my decision). In essence, parents of youngsters found responsible for damaging property through
graffiti would be forced to come up with restoration money. Furthermore,
property owners will be able to seek three times the amount it cost them
to restore their property . . . So why stop at graffiti, a crime that
many of us,correctly or incorrectly, associate with marginalized
populations (e.g., inner-city youth of color)?
WizardMarks, Central
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