I totally agree.


"Shame on them," said former state Sen. Jerry Ward, chairman of the Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans. "I'm proud to be an American and I'm ashamed of these cowardly people that have done this."

WWII memorial defaced in Alaska


ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 20 (UPI) -- Someone threw red paint on a war memorial in Anchorage, Alaska, in what police suspect was a protest tied to the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.

The memorial is a statue of a World War II soldier holding a rifle. Most of the paint was on the statue's helmet, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Police Lt. Paul Honeman said if the perpetrators are caught the exact charge they would face -- either malicious destruction of property or felony criminal mischief -- would depend on how much it costs to clean the statue.

The statue was defaced overnight Tuesday. Passersby who spotted the paint Wednesday morning reported it to police.

By late afternoon, most of the paint was gone, and veterans and their supporters had placed flowers and wreaths at the foot of the statue. An honor guard stood by in the evening.

"Shame on them," said former state Sen. Jerry Ward, chairman of the Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans. "I'm proud to be an American and I'm ashamed of these cowardly people that have done this."


WWII memorial defaced in Alaska - UPI.com

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I'm the "Confederate with a pipe"!! LOL

cowards, to deface something like this to make a political point, absolutely ridiculous.

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This is a pair of Dutch resistance crystal radios, built into a small metal can, and a matchbox. The image is from a postcard bought at a Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam. The matchbox is marked in Swedish, but Swedish matches were sold in Holland for many years..
Scott

Exactly. I believe they have the right to thier views and a right to protest. But not at the expense and memory of others. Especially Veterans. These are the types that do things when no one is around or in the dark. Probably wearing a mask or scarf. Real brave. I wouls love to see them face some Vets and see how people feel.

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I'm the "Confederate with a pipe"!! LOL

I hope they get caught and get sentenced to restore WWII monuments and apologize to the Vets and their families.

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Things like this make me miss the stocks.

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"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance." Socrates

Amazing how people have to take out thier frustrations and lash out at something not even connected with what is happening today.

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I'm the "Confederate with a pipe"!! LOL

Im in agreement with you Gents. Little B@$^@&@$ have too much time in their protesting hands. I too hope they are caught, and placed on a County Inmate Chaingang-wearing the black & White Inmates outfit--just for humiliation purposes.

Several months ago, the same thing happened here in Corpus Christi. A Brand New War memorial was just put in place, and some @$$HOLE, did about $2,000 dollars worth of damages to it. Thankfully, it took only about a week for the scoundrel to be caught and publicly embarassed-by having its face shown by all the news stations on TV-nightly until the story faded away.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Don't you think a good punishment would be to have to face the Veterans themselves, hear some of their stories, and apologize for their actions in vandalizing the memorial?

It is because of the Veterans that they have the rights to protest and have freedom of speech.

I don't know if it happens much now, not since we have Afghanistan Veterans and there has been a push on Remembrance and Commemoration in our local schools - but we had a problem with vandalism in our primary cemetary (and World Heritage Site because of our War Memorial Lane) where the grave stones would be toppled and broken. All military grave markers are now of the pillow type inset into the ground. I've always thought that having to face the families, and especially those of Veterans, to apologize would have been an appropriate way to learn the human effect of what they were doing.

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Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

That is a good idea Michelle, I'm all for it! That kind of thing might actually teach them what their parents obviously didn't.

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This is a pair of Dutch resistance crystal radios, built into a small metal can, and a matchbox. The image is from a postcard bought at a Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam. The matchbox is marked in Swedish, but Swedish matches were sold in Holland for many years..
Scott

Hi Michelle, I think your idea is a grand idea but, I think that those who vandalize, will not learn their lesson if that is all they have to do. In order to make them learn, unfortunately, these kids will have to pay fines, but spent time in jail and also be made to clean up other vandalized buildings and such.

In my area, there is an epidemic of sorts-of youths and some adults, who go out in the middle of the night just so they can "tag" a building, someones business-home-church, war memorials, etc-just to make a name for themselves. Several weeks ago, there was an 18 year old by the name of Brion Maddox, who was shown on our three local news stations programs for several days. This kid caused about $50,000 worth of damage to public and private property. All of that in trying to make a name for himself. This kid in particular, immediately got into trouble right after he was arrested and thrown into a jail cell. What had hapened was that he had hidden a paperclip in his clothes somewhere -which was not found by metal dectectors and such) and as soon as he was tossed into a cell, he took out this paperclip and immediately started scratching his initials into the freshly painted cells. This happened at the City jail.

After a few hours, the prisoners of that day were transferred to the County Jail and all thrown into a large holding tank along with about 30 other males of all ages. In holding cell Nr 1, there were two other youths in that tank who were in for Tagging. One was 15 years old and already had three felonys on his record and this would be his fourth felony. The other was 17 years old and was in for the second time.

Anyway, Brion Maddox, the 18 year old, almost as soon as he was thrown into this holding tank, he took out his paperclip and started scratching his initials into the plexiglass window of the cell door. The kid did not realize that there were several security cameras in that holding tank, one of which he was standing directly underneath. I saw it when he was caught by some of the jailers and was immediately pulled from the tank and was given a good chewing out-as well as more charges against him for damages to both the City Jail Cell he had been placed in as well as this County Jail Cell. This kid has not learned his lesson and neither had the other two.

I know all of this because I had been visiting someone I know who worked for the Sherriffs Dept and I was right there as it all happened. Also, while I was there, they brought in a male who was about 25 years old, who had decided to Tag a Police Car. This guy had started painting the backend of the car and started coming up the right side of the car. This guy apparently had not noticed that two Policemen were sitting in the front seat of that car and got out and immediately arrested this guy. This one is a case that is perfect for that show called: The Worlds Dumbest Criminals.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I agree, that they should have to clean the mess they make. And they should have to do volunteer work until they have made restitution for the cost of the damage. I just think they need to experience the human factor, as well. The process needs to teach them the respect for other people and for other's belongings - be it personal or public property - that they obviously lack.

I do work in the criminal justice system. I am pretty much middle of the road - neither of the extremes which can exist in the system. What I've been learning from evidence and statistics here is that the sooner the intervention and re-education (ahh sounds so Orwellian) of those who haven't learned basic values begins, the less likelihood they will end up in the system later. It's always a balance between what freedoms and restrictions we place on each other as a society. No one who vandalizes, especially something like a Veterans memorial, should get off without punishment; but the systems have to function these days as though they are the parent who is trying to not only punish, but also teach better behaviour and why. Jail time really can't be something done casually as a catch-all punishment, believe me there are horror stories and sometimes a kid's life is ruined by much more than a record when they are incarcerated. Now a monitoring bracelet/anklet and house arrest, outside of court directed activities - that I would definitely back! For a teenager losing your freedom while being able to see others have it would be instructive.

People with sound values don't turn into people who descrate (particularly as a peace protest!) or don't value other peoples lives, liberty, and property. Sometimes we need to help those without values to learn them.

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Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Hi Michelle, I used to be a Correctional Officer for the State of Texas penal system. What you say above is definately true here as I witnessed it first hand many many many times. What is unfortunate too is that many of them use the prison system as more like a home-than their home is on the outside. Where I worked at, was nothing more than a revolving door-for about 50% or more of them.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

An Update.

Someone threw red paint on a war memorial in Anchorage, Alaska, in what police suspect was a protest tied to the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.
The memorial is a statue of a World War II soldier holding a rifle. Most of the paint was on the statue's helmet, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
Police Lt. Paul Honeman said if the perpetrators are caught the exact charge they would face -- either malicious destruction of property or felony criminal mischief -- would depend on how much it costs to clean the statue.
The statue was defaced overnight Tuesday. Passersby who spotted the paint Wednesday morning reported it to police.
By late afternoon, most of the paint was gone, and veterans and their supporters had placed flowers and wreaths at the foot of the statue. An honor guard stood by in the evening.
Shame on them, said former state Sen. Jerry Ward, chairman of the Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans. I'm proud to be an American and I'm ashamed of these cowardly people that have done this.

WWII memorial defaced in Alaska

__________________
For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I'm the "Confederate with a pipe"!! LOL