There is no excuse for stupidity, ever.

Whether it's a deranged visitor taking a razor blade to a masterpiece in a museum or a youthful vandal allegedly spray painting his name across a landmark in the Grand Canyon—one of the true natural wonders of the world—outrage isn't difficult to come by.

Where graffiti is concerned, much it seems depends on context and intention.  Is it done with malice in mind or ironically to spruce up a blighted area?

While on their 1804-1806 trek across the American West, William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition carved his name into the natural stone monolith called Pompeys Pillar in Montana.  The native Americans who saw it might have viewed it as an act of destruction.  Today it's a historic artifact (not to mention a national monument).

Wildlife Art Journal readers will find this report from Kurt Repanshek at National Parks Traveler to be intriguing. Kurt has a story about a Canadian man, Lucien Lionel Chenier, who is  accused of spray painting part of his name into the Duck on the Rock outcrop in Grand Canyon National Park. 

Kurt obtained a copy of the arrest report and this was the description of the park ranger who apprehended the suspect: 

"Chenier admitted that he spray painted the letters 'LUCI' in red spray paint on the Duck on a Rock Feature. Chenier told me that he intended to write his full first name, Lucien. He stopped only because the tour leader and bystanders started yelling at him."

Chenier is now facing federal charges;  deservedly so.

On the other hand, some acts of graffiti can also result in good, not harm.  Read this WAJ story, When Barbarians Crash The Gate , about the London-based Graffiti Kings.  After years of being called outlaws, the Kings have actually been enlisted to help improve eyesore neighborhoods in England's capital city.  In fact, some of the Kings also think of themselves as wildlife artists.

What do you think about graffiti.  Is it art or a criminal act?  What should the penalties be for perpetrators who deliberately try to damage private and public property?