Individuals who think their opinions are just as important as those who fought on the battlefield in 1863, and came together to dedicate a monument to peace 75 years later, have expressed their opinions with spray paint on Alabama Limestone and Maine Granite. If you want to see what is actually on this sign, click on the image for a larger, clearer view. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
On the monument on the Gettysburg Battlefield dedicated to peace, someone, or a group of individuals, expressed ideas of hate. The Eternal Light Peace Memorial and the handicapped parking signs in front of it have been vandalized with spray paint. The words are profane, and the drawings are vulgar. The National Park Service has covered up the worst spots on the monument with pieces of plywood.
The damage possibly occurred sometime on Thursday, because late that afternoon, an off-duty Licensed Battlefield Guide was at the Peace Light, saw the graffiti, and informed the National Park Service. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
The words covered up by the plywood include the “F” word approximately six times, large drawings of a significant part of the male anatomy, and the words, “I hate cops.” The National Park Service spent Friday covering up the words and drawings spray painted on the monument with pieces of plywood. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
Due to low temperatures, the park can’t clean the monument using its normal solvents at this time. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
The National Park Service is attempting to contract with a company that cleans with a high-pressure water and baking soda solution to come in and clean the monument, but at this point they don’t know when the company would be able to accomplish this. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
For the foreseeable future, and probably until the weather gets warmer, the plywood will remain on the monument. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
Here is a view of this part of the monument taken on Christmas Day. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:00 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.
The individuals who did this should receive the full punishment that the law allows. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
But a couple of questions have to be asked. First, if they did this in the daytime, why did they think that they would have the opportunity to be able to get away with this? This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
Here is a view of this north part of the monument taken on Christmas Day. This view was taken facing south at approximately 8:00 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.
Secondly, if they did this in the daytime, how were they able to do this? This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
Third, if they did this the night before (Wednesday night/early Thursday morning), then why did it take until around 4:45 PM on Thursday afternoon for someone to notice and call the National Park Service? This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
Again, the people who did this need to be caught, prosecuted, and make restitution. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
Here’s a view of the same part of this monument on Christmas Day. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:00 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.
We hope, however, that when they are caught, they are not only asked why they did this, but why they thought that they could get away with this. To see what what are on these signs, click on the image for a larger, clearer view. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
After all, this isn’t the first time that something like this has happened in recent memory. If you want to see what is actually on this sign, click on the image for a larger, clearer view. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Friday, January 9, 2009.
On the evening of February 16, 2006 the monuments to the 11th Massachusetts, 114th Pennsylvania, and Smith’s New York Battery, shown here, were severely damaged by vandals. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:15 PM on Saturday, May 31, 2008.
On Thursday evening, October 12, 2008 the ball on the top of the monument to Knap’s Pennsylvania Battery on Culp’s Hill was stolen. This view was taken facing west at approximately 7:30 AM on Monday, October 13, 2008.
Over the spring and summer, red cloths were placed on top of the monument to the 44th New York and the Pennsylvania State Monument. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 1:45 PM on Monday, May 26, 2008.
Why do some people feel they need to destroy/act out on some of these monuments? When the designer came up with this model “as a memorial for peace and brotherhood” he probably didn’t envision the attention it would get from certain individuals on Thursday, January 8, 2009. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:30 AM on Saturday, January 3, 2009.
See the following related posts:
Eternal Light Peace Memorial Dedication Ceremony on January 1, 2008.
Red Cloths Finally Removed From Monuments on July 7, 2008.
Smith’s New York Battery Monument Still Awaits Restoration on May 31, 2008.
A New Type of Vandalism for Memorial Day on May 26, 2008.
Lots of Rain, No Eternal Flame on March 19, 2008.