The Ugly Side of OB

More scenes of Ocean Beach than we care to view or think about. But the taggers have found their canvas and its our cliffs.

Here is another sampling of what some people think is the worst spate of graffiti on Sunset Cliffs then they can remember. These were taken recently by local photographer Jeff Stone.

This an ugly side of OB and we have been attempting to hold a community forum on tagging, spray-art, the costs to local businesses, who sells spray cans and other connected issues. Some are ready to toss graffiti taggers into the ocean, others want to have a dialogue with them, while others are ready to collect a reward for turning them in.  On a positive note, some are getting ready to hold a paint-out graffiti party.

What’s your opinion?

Frank Gormlie
A former lawyer and current grassroots activist, I have been editing the Rag since Patty Jones and I launched it in Oct 2007. Way back during the Dinosaurs in 1970, I founded the original Ocean Beach People’s Rag - OB’s famous underground newspaper -, and then later during the early Eighties, published The Whole Damn Pie Shop, a progressive alternative to the Reader.

11 thoughts on “The Ugly Side of OB

  1. I heard there’s a $500 reward for catching taggers. With the way times are nowadays, you’d think that we would have these little snot-nosed punks hemmed up. Hey, I’m keeping my eyes wide open! I want that $$$…

  2. With a handful of dedicated OBecians we could tackle litter and tagging issues quickly. We’ve got hardcore local surfers, gnarly bikers, crazy punk rockers, and more. Combine that with the all-night eyes of our currently homeless population we could identify and rehabilitate our misguided neighbors. I’ll work on a plan….any suggestions?

  3. Homeless on the Sea Wall, dirtiest streets in San Diego, piss in the streets because we want your money not your waste, aggressive pan handlers, live and let live, police are pigs, legalize marijuana, and by the way no drawing on rocks. Typical OB, piss, vomit and sell drugs on my sidewalk but don’t paint on a rock, call my dog a name or require me to use a restroom.

  4. At some point, the great debate should cease, don’t you think? If you don’t want to look at the crap, get a group together and start cleaning the rocks and cliffs. There are a number of products that are supposed to do the trick. Elephant snot has a certain appeal- “Fight back with Elephant Snot!!!!” but it requires hosing the surface after the application.

  5. It’s not even cool-looking. Sometimes I see graffiti on the highway or something and think, “wow, that looks really cool,” but it’s just plain hideous.

  6. Maybe its time for some Civic Deterrence. Lots of people love OB. The litter and grafitti are disrespectful. Don’t wait for the police/government to solve your problems! We have the resources in our backyard.

    How bout we get a few teams of heavy bikers and local dog owners to agree to patrol the neighborhood for a few late nights a week? Communicate by cell phone and figure our where the kids live. We can give these kids a good scare and a wake up call without violence. A little intimidation always helps. After a week or two, every motorcycle, and dog bark will serve as a deterrent. Talk to the all- night homeless population for clues, and offer a $50 dollar reward for the kid who spray painted the cliffs. I’m not calling for violence, just looking to send a message that this isn’t ART and doesn’t belong in OB.

    Stand up for your neighborhood.

    Any suggestions?

    No more litter; no more tagging in OB.

  7. nomorelitter, nomoretagging, do you have contact information? maybe create an email for the purpose so you don’t have to publicize your own personal info….

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *