“On the Horizon” showcases the opinions and creative talents of individual Horizon writers.

Cassandra Moreno is a student at the Bronx High School of Law, Goverment and Justice, and a Highbridge Horizon staff reporter.

On the Horizon: Not all graffiti is bad

By Cassandra Moreno
Staff Reporter

I am only a teen-ager and I don’t look at life as hard as adults do. I have spoken to my mother about graffiti and she says, “Well, it depends on where it is and what it is on it.” That is one thing we do agree on.

Is graffiti art or is it vandalism? It is still a matter of opinion. I have seen both sides of it. The building that I grow up in has graffiti on it and it does look horrible. I remember it being removed a few years ago, but it came back for whatever reason. It’s funny, most of it I don’t even understand what it says. The graffiti on the building seems to get bigger and bigger overnight. Anderson Avenue is a cool street to live on and I do agree with my mother, when it is not in good taste, do not tag up the buildings and the insides too.

On the other hand, there are good examples of graffiti. I have seen cartoon characters like the Rugrats and I even saw a small building (can’t remember where but it is in the Bronx) that one side was full of children’s faces. It looked beautiful.

Does graffiti hurt; yes it can if there are bad things and words of threat on it. According to graffiti.com, in low income areas, graffiti is seen more than in wealthier areas. Outsiders look at graffiti-ridden areas like they are a place of high crime and places to fear and never go to. Some call it vandalism and no matter what, it is considered bad.

During the 1960’s my uncle said there were hip-hop spray-paintings all over the place, like in the subways and more on abandon buildings.

“It looked good,” he said. “Young people expressed their thoughts through graffiti.” I guess that was New York then, but I still see it and most of it is good.