Call It What It Is

One of your recent News of the Week items referred to “the handiwork of tagging crews.” Excuse me, but were you referring to the crime of vandalism and property damage properly called “graffiti”? Your terminology makes it sound like this despicable activity is some version of folk art, or the labor of legitimate workers like the sales personnel in a department store. These vandals are not artists and they are not workers. Quit verbally downplaying the seriousness of this disgraceful crime that damages, offends, and costs us all. Get rid of that “tagging” term. Call it what it is.—Jay Vandelft