Editorial

Everyone has something to say, but not everyone wants to take credit for it. Being anonymous used to be a lot more challenging. You had to write on walls in the bathroom with a Sharpie if you wanted to say something. Today, we usually just log in to our favorite Internet forum.

Don’t be fooled, though—that guy in the bathroom is still there, with his Sharpie.

And he’s not alone. In fact, writing on bathroom walls is as strong as it has ever been. Just because the computer has become the dominant form of anonymous expression, that doesn’t mean the Sharpie-packing bathroom poets have gone anywhere.

When nature calls, we all see it whether we want to or not. Messages ranging from obscure jokes to conversations about religion or politics. Portland State seems to have a themed joke involving “grout,” which is ironically written on the grout of the bathroom walls.

But it raises the question: Aren’t we supposed to be college students? Most people who have something to say about religion or politics probably prefer to talk about it over pizza at HotLips, rather than penning it onto HotLips’ bathroom stalls.

How sophisticated can you really be if you’re making your points on bathroom walls?

What is even more puzzling is the fact that people actually respond to the bathroom messages. Consider, for a moment, why your friend is drinking so much coffee. Could it be he’s taking part in a discussion about God in stall four?

Why would he do that?

Obviously, penning anything onto a bathroom wall is vandalism. Just because it’s a lot easier to get away with while you defecate, rather than set up an elaborate spray-paint stencil, doesn’t mean you should do it.

So, while it is an interesting form of expression and entertainment, it’s still just vandalism—and vandalism is a crime.