There's no question that this is vandalism. How is it respecting the dead by disrespecting the living, hard working business owner?

These roadside impromptu memorials have to stop. Not only are they distracting and wretchedly distasteful but they only serve the purpose of making the place where the person died the single most important place in their lives.

If you want to have a memorial, why not in front of the houses of the dead where you can spray paint til your heart's content all over THEIR property?

It's vandalism. They should be crimally charged.

NO it's vandalism, clear and simple. It's typical of a generation with no respect for others.

It is vandalism. that is someone's building. what if someone was killed next to a police station? would graffiti go up? no. It is understandable to have grief but graffiti is not the solution, flowers and a cross are fine.

As sad as the loss is, it does not make it ok to vandalize any property. You are only costing the owner money to fix it, which is not fair to the owner, especially since he had nothing to do with the acccident. You can still pay respect to the deceased in appropriate ways without spray painting. Isn't that what a wake and funeral is for?

Do you have to control everybody else? Mind your own business. Do you have to have an opinion about everything? Approve or disapprove, yes or no, right or wrong? Type first, think later? Think at all?

Vandalism comes to the minds of those who worship the almighty dollar.

Memorials to those who want to do something, anything, to express themSELVES.

Live and let live.

I think these "memorials" are a manifestation of a larger problem in society. There seems to be a need for many people to "bask" in the glow of mourning. These roadside memorials are a way for people to find some sort of meaning in their life through the death of another. These were adults who made an incredibly stupid mistake. Their loved ones should be gathering together at home sharing their memories in private. Why take the mourning public? Maybe for a quote in a newspaper? A 15-second spot on tv? When did mourning become a public display instead of the intensely private, emotional event it once was? What these people did to the building is vandalism. Perhaps those guilty of this could offer to clean up the damage in memory of those who lost their lives. Is there a planting area around the building? How about planting crocuses or daffodils? Flowers that come up in the early spring, bringing forth life out of the cold ground.

These people are idiots. tell them to go spraypaint their own properties.

It's vandalism. The building is still a place of business. Not their property, do not destroy someone else's hard work. Now the owner has to be the one to clean it up

'Memorials to those who want to do something, anything, to express themSELVES."

Not limited to LEGAL acts of expression, apparently. Maybe they should spraypaint a few dozen strangers' cars with 'mourning messages'? Maybe hijack the DOT message boards and post the message for all the commuters to see?

It amazes me that we live in a society where individuals can't take legal and moral responsibility for their actions. I give the victims and their family my sympathy. However, I do not condone expressing sorrow or respect by spray painting on someone else's property. One it is illegal, two it is disrespectful, three it condones irresponsibility. There is a time and place for everything. Our society has funerals, memorials, services to express the sorrow and memory from a loss.

Do you think the loved ones of soldiers lost in IRAQ are spray painting the Pentagon or National Guard headquarters? If your loved one dies at work, do you go to their work and spray paint a memorial on the outside of the building?

Please take your grief to your church, loved ones, friends. Bring pictures, memories, your feelings to this support network. This will both honor and respect the dead and allow the rest of society to do the same.

Vandalism may be too harsh a term but its definitely pack mentality at a time when the actual families of those who have gone to God are in pain - why waste the time/solvent fumes and nastiness of spray painting on someone else's property (vacant or occupied is irrelevant - it doesn't belong to these people). Take that same time and creative energy and rally behind stopping drinking while driving, raise money for the wee children who have been left behind with their now single wives and girlfriends - this is the time to help them in their sorrow - not with spray paint cans- with solid positive community action - just do it already or in two - three months history will repeat itself with another tragic loss of young lives!

Please folks get the real issue here - drinking + driving and a young person's sense of immortality will never equate to a good ending.

It's vandalism and litter. The dead do not care for the physical. Only the living need to sensationalize death. That building is private property and it should be cleaned up.

It is vandalism.

A small memorial in the form of flowers, candles or something along those lines is one thing, but this graffiti is a large step over the line.

And this is not a generational thing, i am about the same age as those that lost their lives and still find this disrespectful to the community as a whole, and even those that were killed. I would be appalled if someone "honored" me or someone i loved in this manner.

Total Vandalism................
Pay your respects with RESPECT not destroying other peoples property.....sure hope they go back and paint the building for the property owner....but, I'm sure that would never enter their minds............not that smart

Chris said it all...plant flowers and bring back life...a profound message.

On a side note...is the property owner going to face retribution for 'dissing' those who ruined his building after he re-paints?

What a stupid question. HELLO PROJO! IT'S VANDALISM!

I'm sorry for the loss these people are feeling but let them find another way to mourn. Perhaps a more spiritual way?

This is a tragedy and a terrible loss of life. However, spray painting a building IS vandalism. Someone owns it and now is going to have to eventually pay for it to be repainted. A previous writer states that crosses are fine and flowers, but to spray paint it.... Find another way to honor the deceased. There are better ways.

VANDILISM.....big time! There are ways to respect the dead and their memory that is respectful to the living as well.
How should this business owner be accountable for their own property and uphold his/her standards when people, be they family or friends of careless, law disregarding (seatbelts? speed? DWI?) pointless victims feel free to deface business property. This goes for public property(roadside memorials, grafitti on walls and bridges) and private property other than the "artists" own personal property. If they want to "tag"..in memory of...tag their own cars, homes, parents' houses, etc.I think the families of the deceased should be held accountable financially and physically to clean up that dishonorable mess!

ENOUGH!

When we grieve we pay respect to the one we've lost. In our grief we honor the memory of a life. With respect and honor we lay the departed to rest. It use to be that grief was a personal and respectful process. How can anyone feel that it is their right and that it is acceptable to disrespect someone else's property because a group of careless individuals made choices, disregarded themselves and disrespected the very well-being of their families and friends not to mention the general public at large. The grieving friends and relatives think that this graffiti is the proper way to grieve and show respect and honor to their loved one, they feel they have the right to express their personal sorrow at someone else’s expense. Give me a break. With all do respect to the victims families and friends, if you really want to honor the memory of your loved one, perhaps you can organize a clean up so that their memory will not have this type of disrespectful overtone attached to it and at the same time you will be teaching the young members of our society a lesson in respectful behavior. A comment was posted saying live and let live, well this business owner was doing just that, living and minding his own business. This is not about money; this is about respectful behavior and moral accountability. If any one person who participated in defacing this building thinks it was ok to do so then don’t bother to ask why when an act of vandalism comes your way, as there is no excuse only thoughtless, self-centered individuals. You cannot garner honor and respect when you dishonor and disrespect the rights of other’s - Respectfully - Susan

Are you people for real? People are mourning the loss of their family members and friends."what if it were your house?" Why don't you ask "What if it happened on Mars?" Could we get the Men in Black involved?
1. It's not your house and 2. Don't you have better things to think and write about. My God a coat of freshen up paint will cost about $30. And the place will look better for all the new business the publicity will draw.

Two points for all you bourgeios folks who encounter the tragedy of 3 young deaths and a scarred life and make the issue one of property.

Let's define vandalism as according to the Laws of the State of Rhode Island. Vandalism is the willful or malicious defacing of property. Therefore, did those who spray painted this structure do it with malice or did they do it out of an outpour of grief? Should those who are caught spray painting this structure be charged with vandalism? I would have to believe some of those who did spray paint this structure did it as a sincere outpour of their grief as I firmly believe others simply found doing so as an excuse to merely spray paint a building. Spray painting or defacing another's property whether it be with malice or not, is improper. Certainly the police could arrest those who are apprehended in the act of spray painting this structure and could only charge those apprehended provided the owner of the property had a formal complaint. More than likely, a defense lawyer would probably pursuade a court that the act was done out of pure emotion and grief.

Yes, we are real.

And the reality is that this is not an issue of "property" or of freedom to grieve according to one's culture, but one of responsibility and respect for others. Just because three people died at that site does not give anyone the right to trespass - which is what they did - and vandalize - marking up someone else's property is vandalism. As far as "a coat of freshen up paint will cost about $30", that is not the point, either. What about the time and expense this person has to expend because of the disrespect shown him? The problem today is that people do not respect other people's rights and do not take responsibilty for what they do. So, Michael, why don't YOU go and get the paint it will take to bring that building back to what it was (a lot more than $30, by the way) and go over and repaint it, since it is not such a big deal to you.

I am for real and I don't care for whom they are mourning. This vandalism is unbelievably selfish and self-centered. Are these people the only ones who have ever lost anyone??? I've lost many people and handled it with the dignity that my friends and family would expect from me, in their memory.

Mars and Men in Black???? That reference speaks for itself.

Definitely vandalism. What would be appropriate is to get an artist to paint a mural on the wall with the permission of the owner of course. That would be a true memorial, and improve the scenery.