The first step to fixing a problem is to acknowledge that it exists.

Occasionally a politician will slip up and admit why they fail to take even that basic first step.

And this Councilwoman dropped jaws with three words that proved how good old fashioned “honest” graffiti made her city a lawless hellhole.

A Seattle politician used what at first seemed like pretzel logic to explain away the graphic proof that her city has become a lawless hellhole.

Seattle City Councilwoman Teresa Mosqueda has taken to using a new euphemism for the graffiti that plagues her Seattle neighborhood.

Seattle Councilwoman’s twistedly creative term for graffiti: “unsolicited creative expression”

Mosqueda is of the opinion that gang graffiti and Antifa tagging is “unsolicited creative expression” and art.

The graffiti problem is so pervasive that it prompted a proposal by Mayor Bruce Harrell to implement a six-point program to clean it up.

Nonetheless, Mosqueda endorses the statement of a radical group on the matter.

Thank you to Paul Nunn of @Urban_ArtWorks for your insightful comment on graffiti abatement this morning. pic.twitter.com/DHTR2Sv40X

— Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (@CMTMosqueda) November 8, 2022

Paul Nunn of Urban Artworks says, “Rather than taking a purely punitive approach to erasing graffiti from the urban landscape, Seattle could create an innovative policy environment that incentivizes investment in art and artists, and redirects resources to rapidly respond to truly detrimental vandalism. The narrative that painting over graffiti discourages new graffiti is perpetuated mainly by for-profit graffiti removal businesses, and not based in research. This mindset of lumping unsolicited creative expressions into criminal behavior while dumping taxpayer dollars into reactive abatement strategies needs to be reevaluated.”

So, you see, the real problem is those dastardly graffiti removal businesses.

But, not really.

In all likelihood, Mosqueda is merely upset that her cronies didn’t get the removal contract.

Or more likely, all of the parties from City Council and the Mayor to the vandals and the removal contractors are trying to bilk as much out of taxpayers as possible.

Mosqueda knows that even if taxpayers fork over more funds to Urban Artworks, that it isn’t likely to slow down “business” one bit for the graffiti removers. The only thing that might do that is actually punishing vandals instead of rewarding them.

Politicians don’t want to punish vandal if they can seize the opportunity for some good old fashioned “honest” graft

“They didn’t steal a dollar from the city treasury. They just seen their opportunities and took them,” that’s how the 19th century New York State Senator and Tammany Hall Boss, George Washington Plunkitt described such a racket in a short book he dictated titled Honest Graft.

This is what the citizens of Seattle and most everywhere else are up against – good old fashioned “honest” graft.

Meanwhile, back in the truly honest world where people rely on the voluntary support of paying customers, experience shows that businesses covered in graffiti see fewer customers.

Gang signs don’t tend to draw big crowds.

Additionally, in Seattle many businesses are already struggling due to the crime surge of the past couple of years.

These businesses are saddled with the costs of cleaning the mess up and Mosqueda, their elected representative, has a cavalier attitude.

Given the leftist propensity to freak out over any deviations from the party line, one wonders if Mosqueda would take the same approach to say, Pro-Life messages on public buildings.

Allowing tagging gang signs to fester really just demonstrates a lack of civic pride.

These activists never support law enforcement or the criminal justice system.

As a general rule, taking punitive measures to stop teen criminal activity can prevent that criminal activity from escalating.

It’s also helpful to the community’s well-being.

But, sadly for Seattle, with leaders like this it’s no wonder why a once-great city has declined so dramatically.

Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.