STICKERS!!?!????

Right this very moment Jesus is weeping.

What was it that Jessica Alba got in trouble for while here shooting a movie? Was it something like this?

While I recognize that illegal placement of signs shouldn’t be done, I’m really confused why there is becoming a borderline-obsession over this issue. It seems like there are plenty more pressing problems out there. I don’t remember the outrage when I saw both Mary Fallin and Jari Askins signs in illegal areas.

We need to remember the intention of the group placing these signs. Are they intentionally trying to deface the public property? Doubtful. Are they intentionally trying to harm the quality of life in Oklahoma City? Doubtful. Should they stop? Yeah, but let’s think about their motivations.

I really think those passionate on this issue need to step back for a second and tone down the rhetoric. Many of the questions sent to those placing the signs are far from being neutral and are incredibly accusatory.

VI: Man up! Admit your mistake, get your people out to clean it up, pay for city effort of the cleanup, write a big check to Oklahoma City Beautiful, and issue a press release that opens with the words “We’re sorry.”

You’re making yourselves look very, very foolish. It’s hard to believe you’re a ‘marketing and branding’ company.

The sad thing is, you’re dragging others down with you. The DoH, the city, and your past and present clients. Not to mention your employees who will lose theirs jobs as you slowly lose customers.

How bad will you make it for them before you man up and do the right thing?

Heck, even Jessica Alba apologized.

@Kurt D – Yes, they did do it intentionally. If you read the previous posts of Steve’s, you’ll see that Tim from VI said specifically that it was intended to be ‘edgy’ and ‘gritty’.

Their motivations were to spend federal and state tax dollars to deface public property in order to generate ‘buzz’.

Would you tolerate it if someone defaced your own home so that they could generate ‘buzz’? Why would anyone put up with that?

I intend to see that VI pays a price, to insure that they don’t see value in this. My hope is that this will keep them and others from thinking that defacing property, public or private, will bring in the cash.

For me, anyway, it’s not the “who” or the “what for” but rather the arrogant disregard for the law/ordinances pertaining to these things. I believe it’s a slippery slope when we look the other way, or when we utilize the “ends justify the means” argument, for allowing this particular type of signage in certain circumstances.

My particular concern here–and I believe this to be true for quite a few of the people posting about this topic–is not based on the entity or entities responsible for the message, or on the content of the message, but rather the apparent flippant attitude and lack of respect for our city code. If we are to allow the laws to be broken occasionally, then where should we draw the line? What might be considered an acceptable rule-breaking to some will necessarily be unacceptable to others. Who, then, is to be the final arbiter?

There are many, many, *legal* means by which one can spread a public service message, express a political viewpoint, advertise a product or service and the like, without the use of illegal signage. The in-your-face way that it’s being done–and defended–in this case smacks of a serious double standard that I’m just not comfortable with if we are to live in an ordered society.

Right there with you Kurt. Shouldn’t we be more concerned that there’s a need for the stickers in the first place? Too bad everyone doesn’t get this riled up over the fact that we’re 49th in health status in the US.

Apparently a number of people posting here don’t understand the purpose of a blog. I’ll help you out. A “blog” is a place where the “blogger” can freely obsess over whatever the writer’s particular niche or passion is. It’s a place where they can discuss things that may or may not be worth coverage by mainstream outlets. For most reporters’ blogs, it’s also a place to discuss or expand on things that won’t fit into ever-shrinking newspapers.

In this particular case, the blog is by a downtown-focused business writer with a particular passion for urban development. It is not targeted at general interest readers, but instead mostly at downtown development nerds.

There are surely plenty of things to dog Steve about, but writing “obsessively” about downtown or near-downtown’s development, appearance or functionality is NOT something you can dog him for. That’d be like griping at Darnell Mayberry for “obsessing” about the Thunder.

Steve:
What is the law on a sticker like this? Does it matter if it’s permanant or not? Is all defacing created equal? I remember the kid who got the police called on him when he used a sharpie marker on a desk because it was permanant.

Also, on a tangent, what about the Oklahoman and its unsolicited distribution of that weekly paper on everyone’s driveways? Littering? Public nuisance? Yes, I’ve seen them flying around my neighborhood all the time.

Oh, for shame, for shame.

@Fartacus – I can provide photographic evidence on a weekly basis of this happening at my house.

Here is a question for y’all. Why AREN’T you up in arms about this very same issue come voting time? Different name but same principle right?

And, while I may not be clear on exactly what 5320 is, what if this was about raising awareness for something that was worth raising awareness about?

Follow @5320polluters on Twitter to keep up to date with the 5320 tax scandal, and VI Marketing and Branding’s involvement.

As New York City found out years ago, ignoring minor legal violations like this one tends to breed disrespect for the law and can lead to other, more serious violations. Besides, this stuff looks ugly and is placing an unfair burden on city taxpayers.

Can’t someone make them stop? Isn’t there some sort of prohibition against using federal funds to support illegal activities?