When it comes to graffiti, we’ve found over the years that the best response is to quickly remove it – or paint over it – and move on.

Bringing attention to the dastardly deed is playing right into the hands of malcontent(s) who put it there. Imagine the thrill one gets when his handiwork is highlighted in the local newspaper, TV or radio station. That’s why you will rarely see a story about graffiti in this newspaper. We won’t give the satisfaction.

Graffiti doesn’t happen as often here as it does in bigger cities. Perhaps that explains the strong reactions when it happens in our community. For instance, the Pilot received an e-mail this week from a Curry County resident  angry about graffiti that had been sprayed on a rock at a local park.

“ .... the lack of concern in this community tells me a lot of what’s to come; this is the end of my living here ...,” he wrote.

We can understand the frustration, but it’s hard to see how one instance of graffiti is enough to force someone to leave the area. Where are they going to go? A cave on a mountaintop?

Looking around the communities of Brookings, Harbor and Gold Beach, we really don’t see much graffiti. When it does appear, it seems to disappear as quickly  — thanks to some quick-acting graffiti busters. Thank you, whoever you are.

Gang members, or wannabe gang members, are often the instigators of most graffiti.  Fortunately, there is not much gang activity in our communities thanks, in part, to our relative isolation from large cities and our dedicated law enforcement agencies.

So, the next time you see some hastily scribbled graffiti, get angry, and then grab some paint remover, a bucket of paint and a brush, or contact the owner of the besmirched property and ask them to remove it quickly.

Let’s not give the defacers any chance to bask in the fruits of their labor.