Graffiti mars historic city
I am an American of Greek heritage, my family comes from the island of Icaria. On June 29 of this year, a lifelong dream to come to Greece was fulfilled. Our plan was to stay two days in Athens visiting the historic city and ruins and then travel to the island of our ancestors. It was the greatest adventure of my life; I felt like I had come home; it was wonderful. However, in Athens what I saw saddened and disappointed me, the amount of graffiti on the buildings, walls, tunnels and streets is horrific. How can Athens be allowed to be dressed so shabbily when she is the queen of all ancient cities? She had stood strong and ever beautiful as her namesake. But now she is dirty; I don’t mean the crowded streets filled with people and autos, they belong there, proving Athens’s continued importance and legacy. But the graffiti is tragic. I am aware that the graffiti calls attention to political opinions, but whoever is defacing Athens must not truly love her or the country of Greece. DEMETRIA SPACE HOLLISTER, Wheaton, Illinois.