VANDALISM - Why

"I HAVE nothing to say."  These words were written in huge letters on a newly painted wall in a pleasant neighborhood of Sao Paulo. An act of vandalism, you might think. And graffiti is just one kind of vandalism.

Imagine that irresponsible vandals have damaged your car.  Or you may note that public property-useful to many- has been damaged or destroyed by vandals.  Why?  Yes, Why?  Have you ever wondered why acts of vandalism abound?  In many places, vandals seem to find delight in deffacing or ruining telephone booths.  Public transports, such as trains or buses, is often a target.  Seemingly, vandals do not care about anything.  But what is behind much of the vandalism that we see or suffer from?

Marco, a youth from Rio de Janeiro, became frustrated after his team lost a soccer game-so frustrated  that he began throwing stones at a bus loaded with fans of the winning team.  Or consider  Claus.  When he did not do well in school, he became so enraged that he hurled stones  and broke windows.  However, the "fun" evaporated when his father was asked to pay for the damage.  Another youth, Erwin, was studying in school and working.  He and his peers were seen as nice youths. Yet, their pastime was to vandalize the neighborhood.  Erwin's parents knew nothing about that.  Valter was an orphan who and little choice but the make the streets of Sao Paulo his home.  His best friends were a gang of vandals, and he went along with them and also learned marshal arts.  Such examples show that there are faces behind vandalism, and the trigger for, or emotions  involved in, vandalism vary.

"Vandalism may be an act of revenge or a way of expressing a political opinion.  Both  young people and adults sometimes commit the crime just for "fun,' " says The World Book Encyclopedia.  However, rather than being just youthful fun, vandalism can be seriously destructive, even deadly.  A group of youths wanted to "have some fun," and when they saw a man asleep, they doused him with flammable liquid and set him on fire. The victim, an Indian, later died in the hospital. According to a report, 'the young men allegedly said they did not think  anyone would care as several beggars had been burned on the street, and  no action had been taken."  Whether vandalism seems victimless or not,k the cost, financial and emotional, is incalculable.  So, what can control or end vandalism?

Next time: Who Can Stop Vandalism?

The Watchtower, 1999