"Newsflash: Street sweepers enforcing art censorship on the streets of London"

On my way to work there's a little, black piece of graffiti on a wall, all the way by the ground. It's a little rat with a NY-cap on his head and a ghetto blaster on his shoulder. Mhm. It's a Banksy. He used to be kept company by several other pieces of graffiti, but since the street cleaners (you're not really a street sweeper if you have a powerful water blaster and toxic chemicals with you to clean up) came by a few weeks ago, he's been all on his lonesome. Weird, huh? They work on a tiny alley for 2 days, and coincidentally forget to remove a little black rat that was right next to some of the other stuff they got rid of.

I realise that his "works" are worth massive amounts of money, and that there are several online maps guiding people to see the "works of art", and that he is an enigma on the art scene, but tell me again - what right does mr. Banksy have to draw on someone's building that the next person doesn't? ..'cause I doubt he asked permission in advance, you know. One of the now removed graff's next to the rat made an appropriate comment: "Shit off - I'm proper Banksy!". I doubt he was talking to himself, as he wrote...

I appreciate the focus on street art that Banksy has helped to enforce - I've loved it for years on end. I just think it's questionable that established governing bodies because of someone's commercial success accepts, maintains and protects what is otherwise seen as a blight. It goes against the whole idea of street art - it's temporary, you see it or you don't, and the thoughts and insights that it leads to are as valuable as the original piece itself. I really appreciated the "Shit off" comment! What a great way to start your day. Yes I DO mean it.