(03-18-2023, 07:41 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: I mean...I would argue that it is oppression and it is just an issue of severity and impact. But maybe you prefer the word repression? For the life of me, I'm not clear on what the distinction is.
Whichever word you prefer, I think there is a difference between public and private property here. The public property does belong to all of us. Unlike someone's private property we are all entitled to some say in how the public infra works, and I do think not everyone gets the same say in this.
That being said, I doubt taggers have this in mind when they are vandalizing public property, nor do I doubt they would distinguish between public and private property much. But I think it's more of a general experience in society than a specific grievance with specific city policy, as, for example, I might take issue with. But my ability to articulate my grievances more clearly doesn't entirely invalidate other grievances.
It’s not a matter of using exactly the right word. It’s that maintaining property by, for example, re-painting it after it has been tagged is not oppression (nor repression, either). That’s all. If that is oppression, then it becomes very difficult to talk about actual oppression.
I think your overall approach of not just trying to eliminate the problem by opposing it but rather understanding why the problem exists and dealing with root causes is good, but it doesn’t help to use serious words like “oppression” to talk about something as mundane as re-painting property. There are people in this world who can’t wear what they want, hold hands together, or fly their flag for fear of severe criminal penalties from the government or “mob justice” from the people around them. Lumping them in with people whose unauthorized alterations to public infrastructure are removed is absurd and insulting.