Vandalism? How wonderful! (Vandalism)

Member Name: moonbailey

Product:	Vandalism
Date:	20/09/01 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: plenty

I know this site is automated but on clicking on the topic of vandalism in the speakers corner, the first thing I was confronted with was:

Vandalism.

Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Hmm. Now let me see....

I'm sure everyone has the same opinion on this so I'm not sure what this can achieve. Is someone from the government going to log in for his daily fix of dooyoo and read this?

Perhaps he'll think: Oh, don't they like vandalism? That's a shame - guess I'll have to ask those boys to stop, hey.

I honestly don't know what can be done about the appauling situation we've got ourselves into these days.

From my window I regularly witness arson (of public bins) litter (everywhere), and defacing of signs - and I live in a really nice area!

I'm lucky enough to overlook a small lake. There are safety rings hooked up all around to save any casualties that fall in. I've seen these get chucked into the middle of the water and the posts where they came from defaced on so many occassions, even the vandals seems bored with it! They simply wander along chatting, throwing the lifebelts in and kicking stuff as a routine that doesn't even seem to give them a thrill - it's just expected of them by the group they are with - a bit of a disgrace if they don't conform.

Worse still is the old phone box cliche. The one at the end of the road is smashed in on all sides at weekly intervals and replaced dutifully, like clockwork the following day.

Needless to say the bore of only throwing bottles and rubbish into the water soon grew tired and now they have taken to killing the ducks and wildlife. Is that vandalism? probably not but it's still sickening.

There is a little wooden gate over a bridge nearby which is rebuilt as often as the phone boxes.

It's just kids that do this - but even so - you tackle them at your peril. Lay a finger o
n them and you'll be banged up before the fence is fixed. Reason with them and wait for the hurl of abuse. Get too close and risk getting knifed for interferring.

Where has this new breed of vandals come from? Why haven't they got other entertainment provided? Where are the parents while all this is going on?

I have two theories. They are either working for the council doing the repairs - work supplied by their thoughtful offspring. Or they're locked up for similar offences.

I'd love to have a policeman posted outside my house all day to stop this unsettling crime - Hell they should be able to afford it the ammount of council tax we're paying - but I guess that's a little optimistic.

Any suggestions?

Summary: