San Francisco Columnist Isn't Opposed to Spray Painting Ads

The San Francisco Chronicle's Jon Carroll understands why some would want to deface an anti-abortion advertisement on public tranportation.After all he's done something like that:

I was an American citizen in Australia, and what we were going to do involved climbing over several high fences and spending a fair amount of time -- art is hard -- on very private property. I could be deported. Today I might think harder because if I were caught I might get on some double-secret no-fly list or tossed into an Egyptian hellhole with other "terrorists," including some non-quotation-mark terrorists. But that was then, so I said yes.

We stood on a red bus-stop bench and hoisted ourselves over the first fence. We worked under the soft darkness of a new moon. We put our spray cans in holsters and we climbed the fences. Our target was a Marlboro billboard that faced morning commuters on a Sydney rail line. It was about 12 yards from the tracks. I had already confessed to my complete lack of graphic ability, so I was given a corner of the billboard and told to do anything I wanted.

We finished. My heart was pounding. We climbed back over the fences. I was expecting to find police cars, but the street was quiet. We shook hands and parted. A few days later, someone gave me a copy of the BUGA-UP official photograph of the billboard. There, in the lower right-hand corner, was my skull-and-crossbones. The skull was smiling more than skulls do, but I was still proud. At least you could tell what it was.

I have to say that it all felt pretty good. I am remaining officially neutral on the current question, but I do understand the temptation. Indeed, I succumbed to the temptation, but that was in another country and besides, the bench was red.

Not everyone is for free speech, even San Francisco columnists.I guess Jon Carroll believes that on some issues every is obligated to have the same of opinion.The fact that Carroll would deface property means he doesn't much believe in property rights.Which isn't shocking for someone who doesn't believe in free speech.