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The Oklahoman Digital Delivery

By John Shaffer / Guymon Code Enforcement Officer

Of all the things I could write about nothing really stuck out in my mind, until I was driving to work this morning.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, graffiti. 

That’s right, graffiti.  It is all over town everywhere you look.  I don’t know if it is supposed to be a sign of manhood or maturity or what, but spray painting a symbol on a fence, a building, or a car …… woohoo!  Sounds like a lot of fun to me, I think I will run right out and by me a fresh can of spray paint and wait until dark. 

All kidding aside, this is becoming a vast problem in our community and I think it is time that the citizens take a stand against it.  What can we do to prevent it?  That is a very good question and, to be honest, I really do not have an answer for it. However there are things to do to possibly discourage it. 

For one thing, it’s illegal to paint graffiti, it’s vandalism and people can be punished for it.  So my first recommendation is if you see someone spray painting the neighborhood fence some night, call the police and report it. Don’t look the other way because you don’t want to get involved. If they can catch someone putting the graffiti up, then the police can prosecute to the full extent of the law, but if they do not know about it because someone who saw them failed to report it.  I don’t know if people are afraid to call the police or if they just don’t care if people spray paint their markings on someone else’s property. 

Another thing citizens can do is cover it up. I know paint is not cheap and it takes a little time to go out and repaint part of a fence or a building, but if we can cover it up as fast as it is being sprayed on maybe we can show whoever is doing this that the citizens of Guymon are not going to put up with it. 

The City itself has many places that need to be painted and one of the biggest eyesores are the trash receptacles that have symbols and profanity painted all over them.  The City has recognized the problem and has been taking steps to help prevent this such as working with some organizations and having them sponsor certain areas of town.

But when it comes to your own property we need to raise the level of pride we have in our community and not accept this anymore. 

Let’s get rid of the graffiti and show these vandals that we are not going to put up with it anymore.  If you are a business, take pride in it and cover up the graffiti, if you are a homeowner spend a Saturday morning and do a little cover up painting.

The bottom line is that graffiti is illegal for someone to paint it onto your property and it is very unsightly to the rest of the community.  So let’s turn up the ol’ pride switch and show these vandals that no matter what they do, we are not going to put up with it. 

So let’s review:  If you see someone painting graffiti, don’t be afraid to call and report it and lastly cover up the graffiti as quickly as you can so that the irresponsible person that painted it knows that you won’t put up with it.