Vandalism Running Wild Locally

A few incidents of recent vandalism are sure to have people angrily writing on messageboards and blogs. Let’s go over the recent attacks on inanimate objects and how they show the downfall of America, or something.

• The vandalized item: Daniel Faulkner’s memorial plaque at 13th and Locust. The time: Sometime between Saturday night and 10 a.m. Sunday. The damage: “Fuck him” written across the late officer Faulkner’s plaque. The culprit: Uh, Free Mumia people were in town over the weekend, so them. Or could it be a set-up attempting to demonize the innocent (but annoying) protesters? Yeah, I’vealready thought about this too much. The likelihood alcohol was involved: 100%.

• The vandalized item: About two dozen flags, part of a display of over 4,000, one for each solider killed in Iraq. The time: Sometime overnight. The damage: Two dozen broken flags, duh. The likely culprit: Unclear, but probably the Mumia people, or some right-wing warmongers. There’s also a chance it was a hard-up flag manufacturer. The likelihood alcohol was involved: 100%.

• The vandalized item: Mets fans’ dignity, as at least two fans of the New York National League club were arrested. The time: Saturday’s Phillies-Mets game. The damage: I’d say “clean arrest records,” but who knows if that’s true. Let’s say the price of a ticket and bail. The likely culprit: The Mets fans themselves, of course. Phillies fans are veritable saints. The likelihood alcohol was involved: 100%.

Wow, annoying people vandalizing heartfelt displays. Uhm, shocking.

Shirt Happens

Here’s a story about a dude who makes those memorial shirts at The Gallery. No, really: Here’s a story about a dude who makes those memorial shirts at The Gallery.

“A lot of the kids who come in to get shirts are under 21,” said Sam Do, 21, another attendant at Personalized Tees in the Gallery. “We put together collages of different moments and that seems to spark memories of better days. A lot of times they start to cry.”

It takes less than 15 minutes for images to go from picture frame to garment. Typically the cost is $15. Do takes a picture, places it on a scanner and the image pops on to his computer screen in seconds. From there he gets customers to write the tribute they want. He chooses the fonts and style and approves it before printing out an iron-on transfer.

The transfer is centered on the shirt or other garment and put into a hot press, all crammed into his kiosk. Moments later he pulls a shirt hot off the press, finished and ready to go.

Do said they almost always are able to satisfy customers. Almost.

“One guy wanted me to print a shirt dissing (disrespecting) a dead guy and I wouldn’t do it, Do said. “I refused to do it. It was something negative to someone who died.”

It’s good to know there are some people left with morals in the world. So what if they’re t-shirt cart workers?

Shirts pay tribute to crime victims [Camden Courier-Post]
[Photo via Courier-Post/Al Schell]