Chalk Vandalism and the New Imperial Age

The 99%'ers were back in action in LA this last weekend.  It's hard to report their diabolical new tactic.  They are using chalk to write their messages on the street.  Don't worry though, the LAPD is willing and able to protect us from this threat.  They were unafraid as they lept into the fray and started arresting the brazen chalkers.  Apparently writing things in chalk on the street is not protected under free speech.  Writing things on the street in chalk is now considered vandalism.  Yes, chalk on the street is the new vandalism.

Young Vandal at Work

In the wild west that my house is, we often write stuff on the front sidewalk with chalk.  Sometimes it's a guest artist's version of a cow, sometimes I write messages to Zach, sometimes the boys use it to keep score while they are playing cards, sometimes we just draw some flowers.  Even in this wild and free chalk-a-delic zone, things occasionally go wrong.  I had to scold Zach and make him take the hose and wash off a naughty picture he had drawn once.  But see, that's the thing with chalk... it takes three seconds to wash it off.  I'm about to make a statement but I'm not sure if it's true...but here it is: I don't think people should be arrested for things that can be fixed, as good as new, in three seconds.

Now I could go on and on and tell you what we thought constituted vandalism back in the day, but why give you ideas?

My biggest fear about this new found crackdown is that the drug lords in Mexico are going to read the LA Times and realize what a bunch of wussies we are and invade California.  Mostly just the coastal areas... I don't think they really have any reason to take over Bakersfield, for example.  They could come in and hang a couple of dead bodies from freeway overpasses and we'd take our chalk inside forever.