In yet another display of government overreach and bureaucratic absurdity, a 102-year-old California man has been ordered to clean up graffiti on his own fence or face exorbitant fines. Victor Silva Sr., a longtime resident of Oakland, received a citation from the city ordering him to remove the graffiti by a certain deadline or face a hefty penalty. This is despite the fact that Silva has lived in the same home and paid taxes for 80 years.
The situation is truly outrageous. While graffiti plagues the city and is visible everywhere, it is Silva who is being targeted and penalized for something he has no control over. It is clear that the priorities of the Oakland officials are completely misplaced. Instead of focusing on addressing the soaring crime rates and rampant retail thefts that have driven many businesses to the brink, they choose to hassle a centenarian over graffiti on his own property.
Silva, who used to take matters into his own hands and paint over the graffiti himself when he was younger, is now 102 years old and understandably unable to do so. His son, Victor Silva Jr., now 70, helps out with covering up the graffiti, but it is a never-ending battle. As soon as they cover it up, new graffiti appears.
It is not just the absurdity of the situation that is concerning, but also the lack of response from the authorities when it comes to real emergencies. Silva Jr. shared that their small business has been broken into three times in the past year, and each time he called 911, he was put on hold. It is disheartening to see that the city cannot prioritize emergency calls but has no qualms about harassing a 102-year-old man over graffiti.
This incident is just another example of the failing system in Oakland. Crime rates are skyrocketing, businesses are being targeted, and yet the city officials seem more interested in enforcing petty fines than addressing the real issues plaguing their community. It is time for Oakland to change and for the system to start working for its residents, especially its most vulnerable members.
It is hard to fathom that there may be other centenarians facing similar harassment from their own city. This incident should serve as a wake-up call for the authorities to reevaluate their priorities and focus on the safety and well-being of their residents. The people of Oakland deserve better than this.
