09-10-2011 historical graffiti
Art or vandalism? It’s a long standing debate about graffiti. For some people, graffiti looks ugly and damages the property where it’s left. Others consider graffiti a form of self-expression and a celebration of public spaces. The word comes from the Italian graffito, which means “a scratch,” and like a deep scratch, graffiti can be difficult to remove. Many of the inscribed names, initials and dates depicted here, were made prior to the Mission José reconstruction. Prior to 1936, the church structure was in a decrepit state and partial ruin after many decades of disuse. It is interesting to find that the marks left behind from the Missions’ former visitors have not only survived the initial reconstruction, but also benefited from the latest phase of preservation. This hints toward a sense of pride for the historical scratches, and almost understandably so. But please, if you wish to leave a record of your visit, remember to sign the provided Guestbook, and not the walls.
MyVelleity~ photoblog 
I must say that I’m not very fond of graffiti. It all comes to were they do it if it’s a fitting place that’s okay.