"O" Street Blogger vandalizes new Bagley Bridge

LodgeDodger · May-08-10, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by wolverine

Shoot, I'm lucky to even have a pen on me walking around, and I'm architect. Carrying sharpie..... Why??

I'm not sure. I just always carry a Sharpie, a highlighter, my nice pen [[black ink), and a red pen. Sometimes there's no explaining things.

Ravine · May-08-10, 06:25 PM

At all times, I have on my person a ball-point pen and a magic-marker. I use the magic-marker at work, a lot. I keep it with me because I'm not inclined to "load up" stuff like that before I leave for work, and I'm not one of those folks who has an obsession against carrying anything in their pockets. I carry half of my damn life in my pockets. So if you see me outside in my street clothes, I can produce that marker quicker than Zorro drawing his goddam sword.
As for the pen, I have found that it is inconvenient to not carry a pen. You never know when you might want, or need, one, and I'm not one for excusing myself and asking nearby folks if they have one I can borrow. Plus, I am a natural self-expresser [[to the great chagrin of many in my immediate vicinity,) so it is natural for me to carry an implement with which I can write.
All of the "Why?" reaction to the woman carrying a Sharpie is not surprising, here on DY, though. It is common practice on DY to insist that anything other than one's own way of doing things is odd, warrants suspicion, and indicates low & furtive motives.

LodgeDodger · May-08-10, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Ravine

At all times, I have on my person a ball-point pen and a magic-marker. I use the magic-marker at work, a lot. I keep it with me because I'm not inclined to "load up" stuff like that before I leave for work, and I'm not one of those folks who has an obsession against carrying anything in their pockets. I carry half of my damn liefe in my pockets. So if you see me outside in my street clothes, I can produce that marker quicker than Zorro drawing his goddam sword.
As for the pen, I have found that it is inconvenient to not carry a pen. You never know when you might want, or need, one, and I'm not one for excusing myself and asking nearby folks if they have one I can borrow. Plus, I am a natural self-expresser [[to the great chagrin of many in my immediate vicinity,) so it is natural for me to carry an implement with which I can write.
All of the "Why?" reaction to the woman carrying a Sharpie is not surprising, here on DY, though. It is common practice on DY to insist that anything other than one's own way of doing things is odd, warrants suspicion, and indicates low & furtive motives.

For a while there, I was feeling a bit twisted. Thank you for making me feel okay about myself. ;-)

Ravine · May-08-10, 06:44 PM

What is twisted is the implication that there is something remarkably strange and downright suspicious about someone having a Sharpie with them. But, as I stated, that type of egocentrism is rampant here on DY.

LodgeDodger · May-08-10, 07:17 PM

Actually, quite a few people commenting about the article in The Detroit News question why anyone would carry a marker with them...

Ravine · May-08-10, 07:25 PM

I never "play the race card," but I'm going to play it, here.

If that had been a white guy in his 40's or beyond, the "tagging" may have been condemned, but I don't think the Sharpie-carrying would have been held to such scrutiny and suspicion.

**wolverine** · May-08-10, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ravine

At all times, I have on my person a ball-point pen and a magic-marker. I use the magic-marker at work, a lot. I keep it with me because I'm not inclined to "load up" stuff like that before I leave for work, and I'm not one of those folks who has an obsession against carrying anything in their pockets. I carry half of my damn life in my pockets. So if you see me outside in my street clothes, I can produce that marker quicker than Zorro drawing his goddam sword.
As for the pen, I have found that it is inconvenient to not carry a pen. You never know when you might want, or need, one, and I'm not one for excusing myself and asking nearby folks if they have one I can borrow. Plus, I am a natural self-expresser [[to the great chagrin of many in my immediate vicinity,) so it is natural for me to carry an implement with which I can write.
All of the "Why?" reaction to the woman carrying a Sharpie is not surprising, here on DY, though. It is common practice on DY to insist that anything other than one's own way of doing things is odd, warrants suspicion, and indicates low & furtive motives.

Maybe because sharpies have a risk of leaking and making a mess more than a pen. An artist I could understand carrying one around with other supplies if they do work all over the place. But it's a common occurrence for me to see young adults around here in Chicago to whip one out and start scrawling their street alias on the corner of a building or on the bridges. For all the responsible people, it is just strange. What exactly on the street or running errands would you use it for? Why not keep a sharpie or highlighter at the office or studio, and one at home like most normal people. Back in architecture school, I used to use X-acto knives on a regular basis. Does that mean I carried it around with me all the time?

So yes call me one of those common people on DYES who likes to judge. I have no problem with that.

**PaulTHowell** · May-08-10, 09:08 PM

An article i read stated the bench was wooden, and had been carved on. That was just extremely poor planning.

As for Ms. Oneida, I would guess that she planned to do it, especially if there was a camera there. Strikes me as kinda immature.

Ravine · May-08-10, 09:20 PM

"...For all the responsible people, it is just strange."

Nah, not really. But, I am strange.
And I don't presume to think of anyone as common, nor do I think you are being horribly judgmental. A little bit, maybe, but in some ways, I can't tell if you are agreeing, or disagreeing, with me.

As for me, I work at an office, but I don't have an office. The stuff I need, I must carry, which is why for me, clothes that lack pockets are useless!!

[[Sometimes, the pocket-loading thing works against me: forgetting that I was toting a nail-clipper, I was compelled to surrender it before boarding an airplane. Sorta pissed me off, but it was my error for not having remembered to place it inside my luggage.)

Ravine · May-08-10, 09:32 PM

Jeez. I forgot to state, for the record, that I think it was truly childish, irresponsible and deplorable of that foolish woman to do what she did, especially [[other posters have already made this point) since she regularly prattles on about her efforts to impress social responsibility upon her children.
That "do as I say, not as I do" bit is OK for folks who don't mind later visiting their kids in prison.
She probably doesn't accurately measure the gravity of this misdeed, but it pretty much puts her column in the same general area as Mitch Albom put his when he pretended like he was somewhere that he wasn't.

**Jimaz** · May-08-10, 09:32 PM

We're all Graff Artists. Everyone who responds to this thread is one, by definition. This thread is one big endless wall waiting to be tagged even further.

Ravine · May-08-10, 10:12 PM

Sometimes a point can be stretched so far that it just snaps apart and leaks weird gunk all over the place.

**eno** · May-08-10, 10:50 PM

I'm no fan of Oneita. I find her articles weakly written and uninteresting. That being said, she has taken responsibility for her actions and expressed shame and regret. She has made herself an example of the very people she writes about. We've all done something that we later regret, hopefully nothing as serious as vandalism. All things considered, I'd hate to see Oneita fired for her momentary mental lapse. She's not the only one who would suffer from her loss of job and income. Fortunately, the State had the wisdom to apply a protective coating onto the bench so ink wouldn't permanently adhere to it.

Ravine · May-08-10, 11:27 PM

I'm not for firing her, either. While she is not exactly famous, the fact is that most of us are not publicly recognized, at all whatsoever, so the type of "public" embarrassment she is now undergoing is rather punishing, on its own.
And-- God, I hate to use terms such as this one-- she has the opportunity to use this episode as a "teachable moment" for herself and her children.
As for her readers, I would say that she has, at least temporarily, self-revoked any little credibility she may have possessed.
Still, she's only a blogger. None of this is all that deep.
Although I will say, given that she is only a blogger, I side with those of you who found her appearance on WDIV's "Flashpoint" to be puzzling. Hell, if she qualifies for being a panelist on that show, I think I qualify, too.
[[But that wouldn't work out; as some of you may have noted, once I get "the floor," I can drone on for quite a while...)

**Goose** · May-08-10, 11:47 PM

this to me is the same as the idiots i see daily in detroit toss their mcdonalds wrappers out the windows of their escalade.....

someone else will take care of it.....

Ravine · May-09-10, 02:24 AM

Careful, Goose. The last time I cited that particular bit of Detroit sociopathology, I was accused of racial stereotyping... although I suppose my having used "KFC boxes & empty Martell half-pint bottles" as the example may have had something to do with it... still, I was merely [[hello, John) reporting what I saw.

Buy American · May-09-10, 08:14 AM

She apologized because she got caught...plain and simple. She's a hypocrite.

**iheartthed** · May-09-10, 09:19 AM

She's an editor. That is why she was carrying a marker. It really isn't that hard to figure that one out.

**iheartthed** · May-09-10, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Ravine

I never "play the race card," but I'm going to play it, here.

If that had been a white guy in his 40's or beyond, the "tagging" may have been condemned, but I don't think the Sharpie-carrying would have been held to such scrutiny and suspicion.

It would have been condemned by the minority as an outsider defacing their community. It would have been defended by the majority as good natured fun. The minority would be accused of being hypocritical. The cycle continues.

Michigan · May-09-10, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

It would have been condemned by the minority as an outsider defacing their community. It would have been defended by the majority as good natured fun. The minority would be accused of being hypocritical. The cycle continues.

Only in your mind.

**RealityCheck** · May-09-10, 10:15 AM

Outrage spreads, unsurprisingly.

Chris J. Kobus, an associate professor of engineering at Oakland U., has a strong blog post here -- with 20 provocative comments. Excerpt from his post yesterday:

Jackson, apparently fearing for her job, is sorry that she got caught. . . . Would she be ashamed if she weren't caught? I doubt it.

Regrettably, the suburban educator with a doctorate -- who should know better -- couldn't resist this broad-brush swipe:

Residents have been waiting for this span for 42 years, and vandalized the hell out of it in less than 24 hours. This pretty much sums up Detroit in its totality: They want everything paid for by someone else, and when they get it it turns to fecal matter in mere hours.

He's at theblogprof@gmail.com for anyone inclined to react directly.

**Baselinepunk** · May-09-10, 10:34 AM

"O" is nothing short of a Class 1 ~~~~~~ bag. She is absolutely, fucking awful. Having her "put it out there" is gimmicky and is a poor reflection of the Freep editorial staff.

Quit trying so hard, Freep.

**iheartthed** · May-09-10, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Michigan

Only in your mind.

Why haven't you been banned yet?

**preserve** · May-09-10, 11:05 AM

I had an older nun in high school who used to always say "Fools names and fools faces are always seen in public places"
and that was before sharpies!

**R8RBOB** · May-09-10, 12:48 PM

I suppose after reading these responses I guess I should be different in my response. What Ms. Jackson was stupid. She allowed herself to indulge in an old habit of tagging and she got caught. Egg on her face and she had to apologize.

For the record vandalizing is so dumb. Spraying graffiti on bridges, on walls, anywhere is so tacky that rational minded adults like Ms. Jackson should avoid participating but they can't help it. They got to put their mark down so the whole world can see it. Just dumb.

That said, the response to this is mind-blowing. The actions of one dumb Detroiter who is Black actually opened up comments about Blacks and their role in society. I read comments about how Blacks cry victim to get something for nothing and I had to ask what does that have to do with a dumb female who resorted to pulling out a marker to mark on a bench? Graffiti is as old as apple pie. Taggers are of all colors, all races and they are in every state in the union. From New York City to Los Angeles, people are tagging walls, bridges, streets, cars, etc... It happens and it's wrong but so is murder and murder like tagging have no preference in race or color.