Vandals spray racial, political graffiti on Space Shuttle Independence

[Sunlei]

CLEAR LAKE, Texas -- Visitors found racial and political graffiti on one side of the full-size space shuttle replica outside Space Center Houston early Wednesday. “Houston we are the problem,” was among the writing on the side of Space Shuttle Independence.

Cleanup crews quickly got to work, but there was no word as to how long it would take to remove or cover up the vandalism. Police are investigating and hope surveillance video captured the suspect or suspects in the act.

The replica shuttle, once named Explorer, arrived in Houston in June 2012 after being on display at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida since 1994.

Houston, which has deep ties to the nation's space program and is home to Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, unsuccessfully tried to land one of NASA's four retired space shuttles. Considered a consolation prize of sorts, Explorer was renamed Independence after it arrived in Houston.

http://www.khou.com/news/editors-pick/Vandals-spray-racial-political-graffiti-on-Space-Shuttle-Independence-233637891.html?google_editors_picks=true

[Gothmog]

1. This is very upsetting to me

The shuttle program was important to Houston

[Sunlei]

2. one would think w/ the billions spent to spy on citizens a bit would go to NASA security.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. that's what I thought!

[PeoViejo]

3. I remember that replica Shuttle at the Space Center

It was an interesting walk-through.

[davidpdx]

4. Completely stupid and thuggish behavior

I'd say they are going to have to consider some kind of barrier around it to protect it. That of course would be a shame for people who want to get their picture taken close up. It does to show how a few people can screw things up for everyone else.

[Sunlei]

5. one would think the video cam system is good enough to catch those responsible.

[davidpdx]

8. Catch them sure

But the damage has already been done. What's to stop someone bringing a sledgehammer the next time? A video cam system can't protect the shuttle.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

7. Were they Vandals?

They might have been Goths or Burgundians.

[davidpdx]

9. Anyone who does that kind of crap is a vandal

They simply could care less about spray painting something that belongs to the public.

[dionysus]

11. watch out for the visigoths...

[lunasun]

10. Looks like on the sign they crossed out United States and wrote Texas?

Wonder what the racial and political graffiti on one side was ,,,,,,,,- were they kids of the secession fever freaks in Texas?
or idiots of a different sort?
Full on Idiocracy coming faster than expected !