OUR VIEW: Vandalism is bad for everyone

“If you’ve ever had to climb to the top of a water tower to defend your sister’s honor; you might be a redneck,” says Jeff Foxworthy. However, one does not have to be a redneck to be affected by vandalism. The recent and ongoing theft of holiday decorations, etching in the back of university chairs, and bending the HPER Field goal posts do not reflect positively on the Logan community.

Logan is a beautiful place to live, but is made ugly by these cheap, pointless “thrills.” No purpose is served by ruining someone’s yard or home. Holiday decor is inviting and livens neighborhoods. Stolen decorations discourage others from further holiday display and the neighborhood’s value depreciates. Whatever happened to other thrills like Laser Tag or playing Fugitive?

Students are annoyed with “elementary kids” scratching their names on the university desks and chairs. Most people know not to leave their names as evidence. Defacing university property is distracting in class, offensive and expensive. Why destroy things that will cost money later on?

Saturday, the women’s rugby club played a match with makeshift goal posts put together with PVC pipe and duct tape. Not only is this pathetic, it reflects poorly upon USU. Where does the insensitivity of vandals begin and end?

It is left up to the residents to encourage alternate activities for these individuals. As an observer of vandalism said, “Do we want to promote total anarchy? I guarantee those chicken s—- who vandalize would be afraid for their lives if there were no laws ‘abiding citizens’ had to obey.”