Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

[lukegilly13]

By the way, what I would do is instead of making the perpetrator of the crime stand with a sign in the visitor’s center, I would make the parents of the perpetrators stand in the lobby with a sign that reads I raised an ignorant child who defaced a national monument.

AMEN!!!! That's a fantastic idea....children are not born with the idea of defacing a national monument.
I think this is related to the laziness that has developed in folks of this age. A complete lack of self-respect and dignity. I like the "scarlett letter" idea of making them stand wearing the sign. Walmart has adopted this policy for those that steal, at least in my town.
The problem with putting up cameras and/or having someone monitor is the MONEY! But, I bet whoever has to fork out the dough to clean/fix these monuments will spend more than they would have in protection.
Here's an idea....send them to boot camp. Let them experience some of the sacrifices that folks make for our country and for them (this doesn't even scratch the surface of serving our country especially during war time but it's a start) and maybe they will develop a little respect.
This is not just a problem with national monuments...people will deface anything.

[garyjd]

Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

I just saw this on the Gettysburg Daily blog. This garbage really wants to make me vomit. Now that they laid down some serious coin for a fancy new visitor center I think it's time to start installing cameras on key parts of the battlefield. Examples seriously need to made of these criminals. I'd like to know what the park's record is so far for catching these creeps. ENOUGH!~Gary

http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/

[Bill Fean]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

I am glad the park closes at 7PM in winter months so nobody is out there to do things like this. ( sarcasm) Oh, wait. Only those who abide by the law are not on the park after hours.

Dumb idea here!!! Maybe keep the park open until 10PM all year. At least there is the possibility of someone seeing something.:tounge_sm

How many cases of severe destruction have taken place since the park went to the early closing time a few years back??


Bill Fean

[KarinTimour]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

Well, I'm mystified. Defacing a Peace Monument? And Disability Parking signs? In at least two colors, no less. Is it just the thrill of getting away with something? Giving the finger to authority? Just being able to write dirty things on something official?

I'm with Gary on this -- what can be done? Surely there are other areas or public parks that have successfully dealt with detering defacement?

I'd like to throw something out for thought -- the penalties that I've heard about for these types of things are usually financial restitution which is often uncollectable, or community service. So the perpetrators work for a week in a soup kitchen and it's effectively a slap on the wrist.

I still remember with fondness the judge in Mississippi who sentenced the guys who defaced Vicksburg monuments with having to help with the clean up (aka scrub limestone), public service AND having to attend several classes on the Civil War (and the importance of Vicksburg in the War).

What about proposing that someone who is convicted of this will have their driver's license suspended for a year, and if they aren't old enough to drive yet, that they be barred from having a license for a year or two past that state's normal age for being able to have one?

Since public flogging isn't an option, why not something that might cause someone to think twice?

My two cents,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Sleeping Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[lthull3rdla]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

I hope they catch 'em and deal with them harshly. We got a saying down heah in the south.. 'they needed killin'

Ronnie

[stx]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

Some people just have too much free time on their hands. The thing is it's such a massive park that it's almost impossible to constantly monitor all areas with things such as cameras etc. The only way to stop this from happening is to educate those who would do something like this as to the importance of the area. But then again, this is a task in itself

[garyjd]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

How about having a vandal wearing a placard that says "I VANDALIZED A NATIONAL MONUMENT". Then you could have this "person" positioned just outside or in the lobby (it might be hot) of the visitor's center. I wonder how much pride a person would have in "their work" after being gawked at all day by Summer visitors. Then again this public humiliation might be deemed "cruel and unsual" punishment. Naturally you cannot put cameras everywhere. How often though are people that rob mini-mart store int he middle of the night caught because of a grainy photo of themselves? Obviously whatever the park is currently doing is not yielding the proper results. ~Gary

[tenfed1861]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

I say make them work at the park for a summer as part of the interp program.Let's see how tough they are when they are forced to wear a wool lined wool coat with a wool undershirt in the middle of July.

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

Hi,

How about having a vandal wearing a placard that says "I VANDALIZED A NATIONAL MONUMENT". Then you could have this "person" positioned just outside or in the lobby (it might be hot) of the visitor's center. I wonder how much pride a person would have in "their work" after being gawked at all day by Summer visitors. Then again this public humiliation might be deemed "cruel and unsual" punishment. Naturally you cannot put cameras everywhere.

That sounds like a good idea to me.

I say make them work at the park for a summer as part of the interp program.Let's see how tough they are when they are forced to wear a wool lined wool coat with a wool undershirt in the middle of July.
__________________
Cullen Smith

Another good idea, but l would have them wear wool trousers, wool drawers, cotton undershirt, wool contract shirt, wool US frock coat, and to top it off a wool forage cap. You might also want to have them wear neck stocks as well.:D

Andrew

[Mcouioui]

Re: Gettysburg Peace Light Monument vandalism

It is sadly and regrettably things which arrive, here also, desecrations of Jewish cemeteries, war veterans' Moslem cemeteries of the ancient French colonies, the Christian cemeteries do not moreover escape too this desecrations, it is shameful and inadmissible!!!
but face the idiocy, the manipulation and the provocation that let us can be made?
More cameras, more policeman? Or more educational ???

[Ken]

Some people just have too much free time on their hands. The thing is it's such a massive park that it's almost impossible to constantly monitor all areas with things such as cameras etc. The only way to stop this from happening is to educate those who would do something like this as to the importance of the area. But then again, this is a task in itself

Maybe monitoring all areas isn't necessary. How about a program of discretely placed surveillance cameras that are rotated with only the parks knowledge of where or when they will show up. Broadcast this program far and wide along with the penalties if you happen to be stupid enough to try to pull off one of these genius stunts. That would at least make these imbeciles have to guess as to whether they are committing their crimes in full view of everyone. That certainly would raise the anti.

By the way, what I would do is instead of making the perpetrator of the crime stand with a sign in the visitor’s center, I would make the parents of the perpetrators stand in the lobby with a sign that reads I raised an ignorant child who defaced a national monument.

Ken, remember to sign your posts with your full name - Mike Chapman