Really Pacific? I know firsthand that spray paint is a fun pastime, but to randomly paint the Boxer statue and a defenseless tree next to the spirit bench is a blatant example of disrespect to Pacific, art and nature itself.
This piece is directed at the students who committed these acts. Obviously I don’t know who could take accountability for this behavior, or I’d go talk to them myself, so when I say Pacific know that I’m referring to a select anonymous person or persons.
Let’s start with the purple spray paint on the tree next to the good ol’ spirit bench. While the spirit bench is known for its layers and layers of spray paint, a defenseless tree is not. Being the investigative journalist that I am, I have confronted both Gamma Sigma fraternity and Alpha Kappa Delta sorority members, seeing as their Greek colors are purple. Both groups assured me they did not and would not spray paint the tree or any tree for that matter. So, to whoever spray painted that tree, I’m truly disappointed. Trees are a symbol of life, Mother Nature and a healthy environment. You sprayed permanent paint all over Mother Nature. Feel like a douche yet?
I try to give everyone a chance, but after careful examinations of the tree the amount of purple paint on the tree does not appear to be a test to see if the can was empty or not. There are large streaks of paint in one general area near the trunk. Not only does that tree look pained, but to take that paint off would actually hurt it. Trees are living beings, and that tree is going to be unattractive and purple for years and years to come. By spray painting that tree, you have validated the rumor that Pacific isn’t full hearted about being environmentally friendly. You’ve associated any student who has ever painted the spirit beach with an ignorance of nature. And seeing as spray paint isn’t exactly machine washable, one individual has left a permanent example of disrespect for us to walk by every day.
More recently, the Boxer statue’s face was spray painted with gold spray paint. While the Boxer may have dreams of aspiring to Ke$ha, that was not your choice to make for it. Being both Pacific’s property and an art piece on its own, I am amazed at the lack of forethought an individual had. Taking the appearance of someone else’s masterpiece is not admirable and doesn’t make one a badass. While I can admit that the Boxer statue would have looked legit in a top to bottom coat of gold, that didn’t happen. It looks more like someone was attempting to torture the Boxer, suffocating him by spraying directly down the throat of Boxer. It doesn’t look good and doesn’t make sense. I know Boxer is old and covered in spider webs and the occasional Taco Bell packets, but there are more direct ways to say that you think Boxer needs a bath.
Ultimately, these two examples highlight the need for us all to think of how our actions affect our community before we act upon them. While I realize I’m being overtly opinionated, which I feel students could be a lot more of, and this is not even the biggest deal of things I could complain about, I feel for that tree and Boxer. I think highly of the general student population at Pacific and think it would be possible for everyone to practice holding each other accountable. Why not hold each other to a higher standard of respect?
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