Posted on 02/19/2009 6:32:37 AM PST by laotzu
The alleged perpetrator might call it art. But others consider it defacing the Shrine of Texas Liberty. An Illinois man suspected of defacing the Alamo was arrested Wednesday and charged with criminal mischief after authorities witnessed him writing on the historic site’s northeast wall, police said.
Stephen Henry Wise of Evanston, Ill., remained jailed on a $2,000 bond.
“Defacing the Alamo is like desecrating a grave,” said Alamo Director David Stewart.
According to a police report, the 44-year-old suspect wrote the letters “LCC” on a patch of limestone at a corner near Avenue E and Houston Street. The wall is part of the original Long Barracks constructed by missionaries in 1724, Stewart said.
The letters, scrawled with a piece of clay or pastel art pencil, were about 8 inches high, authorities said. Alamo rangers were not sure what LCC means.
Though the letters were cleaned off the stone, the suspect still faces a state jail felony charge of damaging a public monument.
“He wasn’t your typical graffiti tagger,” said Sgt. Alfredo Gonzales, an Alamo ranger.
Gonzales said the suspect, who described himself as an artist who works for a municipal government, was apologetic and cooperative when confronted by authorities about 8:45 a.m. after a witness reported seeing the man writing on the wall.
“He did say it (the graffiti) was a project, and that some professor wanted him to put those initials on some building, so he chose that wall there,” Gonzales said.
The suspect told authorities he was unaware the wall was part of the Alamo’s original structure.
Graffiti is rare for the Alamo. Most visitors are respectful, but rangers record about two incidents every month involving people simulating the infamous incident in which heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne urinated on the Alamo grounds, authorities said.
“Most are just posing for photos, but we kick them off the property,” Gonzales said.
On Jan. 1, police arrested a 23-year-old man after a park ranger observed him actually urinating at the Alamo about 2:45 a.m. Because urine is corrosive to limestone, pulling an Ozzy at the Alamo also is a state jail felony.
Illinois, Vermont, or California are far superior choices. But, of course, you won't receive a proper education there.
That is wrong!!!! DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!
I thought that was a death penalty offense in Texas.
I always thought Ozzie was an a-hole, but that’s the first I heard anything about him pissing at the Alamo.
Rome is covered with ugly graffitti — but the ancient and historical buildings are untouched.
Seems the current wave of barbarians in this country don’t have ANY respect for our culture.
“I thought that was a death penalty offense in Texas.”
It should be.
LCC = 250?...........
A right piece of $hit, that Ozzie.
Did he write on the basement wall?
“Alamo rangers were not sure what LCC means. “
Loony Corrupt Commies?
Liberal Commie Cabal?
Let’s Crash Capitalism?
Or maybe it’s simply something as lame and pedestrian as his initials, or his girlfriends’.
What man keeps women's clothing in their own size in their hotel room?
The wall he wrote on is part of the original Long Barracks constructed by missionaries in 1724.
So a professor assigns students a criminal act? This is a professor that needs to find out first hand how bad of an economy we are dealing with.
About 10 or 12 years ago I took my family to the Alamo. While we were in the building, going through the exhibits we noticed (along with everybody else inside) an obnoxious group loudly and boorishly laughing and yammering in boisterous voices. They were carrying open cans of beer that they were drinking as they toured the Alamo. I recognized one of them as somewhat of a celebrity — Ed McMahon from his days on The Tonight Show. Apparently Ed didn’t bother to read any of the signs at the entrance advising visitors that the Alamo is a memorial, a place of reverence for the Texas patriots who gave their lives in a fight for freedom. Or, maybe he was too drunk to comprehend the words.
No man does.
“He did say it (the graffiti) was a project, and that some professor wanted him to put those initials on some building, so he chose that wall there,”
Illinois college professor? Ayers?
No, 250 would be CCL just like Concealed Carry License.
They were probably Sharon's.
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