Man accused of writing on Alamo wall

San Antonio Express News ^ | 2/18/09 | Robert Crowe

[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.

[laotzu]

Ed McMahon?!! I’m saddened to hear that about him.

[Red Badger]

Mirror image?....Dyslexic?..........Ignorant?...............Stupid?............All of the above?................

[Red in Blue PA]

““He did say it (the graffiti) was a project, and that some professor wanted him to put those initials on some building”

Charge the professor too!

[sonic109]

Probably has some meaning to Mexicans perhaps? What is this assclowns name ?

[VRWCmember]

Yeah, I was surprised. He always seemed like such a nice guy in those Publishers Clearinghouse commercials and Medicaid supplemental insurance commercials. I was very disappointed to see him show such lack of respect and common courtesy at such a revered monument.

[ozark hilljilly]

Roman numerals?
L= 50
C= 100

[Zalmon]

Lake Como Crips (LCC) - Based on the westside of Fort Wort, Texas?

http://www.insideprison.com/prison_gang_profile_CR.asp

[cubreporter]

Defacing any property should be dealt with legally. No one has a right to do that.

Defacing our memorials and other treasures in this country should be a much larger penalty.

[Mouton]

Having lived in Texas a good part of my life, I say they should hang this scumbag.

[sam_paine]

Exactly! I caught that too! Professor telling the kids to put it on SOME building? As if other-than-the-alamo was ok!

[Candor7]

I HAVE BEEN TO SACRED SITES ALL OVER THE WORLD,
and I can tell you that the Alamo ranks in the top 5 places I have been, because of the sacred quality of
the environment there.

The other of the top 5 in my book:

Ise Jingu ( Japan National Shinto Shrine)

Culloden Battle Field ( Scotland)

Kalapa Valley ( Nova Scotia)

Ten Ba Jingu ( Heaven Horse Temple) Japan

Little graffitto idiots who cannot see properly do things like this, and their lives are simply little smears of shite on the purity of ancestral sacrifice.Because of that, they will bring misfortune on themselves and thier families.
Liberals likely.

The Alamo is very much like a Shinto shrine dedicated to the ancestral American warriors of freedom. They are still there for thier energy of compassion does not wane. We should not forget it, and it is the most poweful shrine in the USA.

[Candor7]

Texas Ping

[laotzu]

Defacing our memorials and other treasures in this country should be a much larger penalty

Many times in my life, I have seen the desecration of national monuments. Never...not once by a conservative; always by a liberal. (ditto for spitting on soldiers or burning our flag)

Little wonder that penalties aren't more severe. Hell, it might even qualify you for public office.

[monday]

“LCC = 250?...........”

Since this is a 44 year old taking art classes I am going to guess that LCC stands for Log Cabin Club, a gay rights organization. His professor probably thought it would politically symbolic if he sent out all of his students to deface property in the name of gay rights.

[laotzu]

the Alamo ranks in the top 5 places

A great post. I envy your travels.

As a Texan, I have always found the Presidio La Bahia, outside Goliad, to be even more moving than the Alamo.

[Tex Pete]

I, for one, would physically stop someone if I saw him defacing the Alamo. I would bet I could find a few fellow Texans who would help...at any given time.

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[WayneS]

Wouldn’t 250 be CLC?

[WayneS]

I vote for option 2.

[WayneS]

Ooooops.

You’re right.

I just posted that CLC was 250, but THAT would be 150, wouldn’t it?