VANDALISM CAN BE ELIMINATED-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 new 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 defacing or ruining telephone booths.  Public transport, such as trains or buses, is often a target.  Seemingly, vandals do not care about anything.  Bu 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 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. Another youth, Erwin, was studying in school and working. He and his peers were seen as nice youths. Yet, their  pastime was to vandalized  the neighborhood.  Erwin's parents knew nothing  about that. Valter was an orphan who had little choice but to 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 martial 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.   (Note: If adults do this, then they are not truly mature adults, because that is not just mean but juvenile and stupid. Everyone goes through bad times at one time or another; that is no excuse to destroy property anywhere. Period! There are better ways to vent anger. A hobby, a walk, etc. ) 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, the doused him with flammable liquid and set him on fire. The victim, 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."  (Well, I hope they were made to pay for their pad deed. That is no excuse to do that to a human being. )  Whether vandalism seems victimless or not, the cost financial and emotional, is incalculable.  So, what can control or end vandalism?  

Next time: Who Can Stop Vandalism?

From the Watchtower magazine, 1999