Freedom of Expression

It's a difficult thing when you begin to question the system that was built to serve you. However, in the words of Albert Einstein, "No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it."

When my partner and I first brought our business to San Jose we spent the first year and a half chasing taggers (literally) out of our neighborhood two to three nights a week. We occupy a building created in the early part of the last century and had no desire to see it's beauty lost to a "dog-marking-the-tree" mentality. On the occasions that we caught them in the act we chose to confront them and challenge them with our beliefs on the issue of Art vs. Vandalism. We told them straight up that we would have much more respect for them if they were trying to put something positive out there.

All photos ©Two Fish

We beat ourselves up after every encounter wondering how we could confront them with these high standards without giving them alternatives. It's been said that stifled creativity is often connected with violent/destructive behavior. It makes sense·

Look at how far people have gone in history to preserve their First Amendment Rights. Are we overlooking that this is a form of speech? Should we be searching for a way to open the channels of creativity as opposed to cutting off any and all positive flow of communication due to the few lost souls that abuse the privilege?

Zero Tolerance is never the answer.

Here, it is just the question·


Anno Domini