I'm relatively new to town and have seen a good deal of graffiti and heard and read alot about the different approaches locals take on that issue.

So, my question is, what is the right response in that situation:

• Should I take offense, be angry that someone smeared stuff on my window, that I now need to clean-up?

• Is it art and I should feel honored that someone choose my store window for their self-expression?

What I did learn is that being angry and upset is usally seen as a lack of character and open-mindedness, since the place I pour my heart and money into supposally doesn't belong to me but to the people with markers and spray-cans.

So, enlighten me, invite me into your worldview. Perhaps I can learn something or even better, perhaps I could get to know the person responsible for it, so I could buy him a cup of coffee.

mathias

einmaleins

Commentary:

Citizens of Olympia woke up this morning to find that our state captiol building has been vandalized. Some one or some group of vandals spray painted anti-war slogans and the symbol for anarchists on some pillars.

With a typically callous disregard for our state, and the people who live here, they chose to vandalize public property to try to get a message across. The message comes after the milestone of four thousand U.S. casualties in the War On Terror began. A slightly longer news story can be found here.