Vets forced to partrol Nam memorial in philly

m21sniper · 04-10-2010, 09:20 PM

Vets to patrol Vietnam memorial

By DAVID GAMBACORTA
Philadelphia Daily News

gambacd@phillynews.com 215-854-5994

Enough is enough.

With their beloved war memorial under near-constant attack in Society Hill, some local Vietnam veterans are preparing to once again answer the call of duty.

Beginning next week, the vets will patrol the grounds of the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial in an attempt to ward off heartless punks who have made a hobby of vandalizing the hallowed space.

Terry Williamson, president of the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, said that skateboarders and in-line skaters have seemingly stepped up their mistreatment of the memorial since the site's $500,000 renovation last fall.

"It really breaks your heart," Williamson said during a recent interview with the Daily News.

"We thought the improvements that we made would have helped," he said, sighing, "but it appears it just made the memorial more attractive to young people who don't care what it means."

On March 7, police arrested three suburban youths who were spotted desecrating the memorial, Williamson said.

Months ago, workers replaced cracked brick pavers inside the memorial, at Front and Spruce streets, with stamped concrete.

The sacred center of the space, a granite wall that includes the names of 646 area soldiers who died in Vietnam, was restored.

New lights and a modern 24-hour surveillance system was also installed; live video of the memorial can be seen at Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Official Website - "It is Our Duty to Remember".

Williamson hopes to raise another $500,000 for a second phase of renovations, which would include opening up the Spruce Street side of the memorial with steps.

Jim Moran, the memorial's unofficial custodian, said that the new concrete is frequently scuffed and scarred by skaters, as are the refinished granite walls.

On March 20, a group of 10 skateboarders yanked out "skate guards" that had been installed on railings and walls, Moran said. They have not been caught.

Williamson said volunteer patrols would run through Memorial Day. Veterans interested in volunteering may call 215-576-1216.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

That pisses me off more than somewhat. So if they catch somebody, do they get to kill them?

m21sniper · 10:01 PM

I'm going to call the number listed on monday and volunteer to guard the wall. I hope they take just regular veterans (as opposed to only vietnam veterans), because it would please me to no end to ************************************** for defacing a memorial dedicated to the memory of our fallen dead.

Heel n Toe · 04-10-2010, 10:54 PM

Go to skateboard shops or anywhere else in town where skateboarders hang out and pass out some crudely made brochures with photos of stuff that was done to POW's... with a tagline of "Are you thinking of defacing the Philly Nam Vets Memorial? This could be YOU." Maybe a few of 'em will connect the dots and pass the word that it might be a good idea to play somewhere else.

lisa_spyder · 04-10-2010, 11:11 PM

Why is this happening? Are these 'kids' not being taught their history; do they just not pay attention; do they just not bother to go to school; do they just not f&*king care??? Do their parents care? Or have their parents just given up???

This is happening everywhere...and it's happening to other shrines/places of worship etc as well. I am so incensed by all of it.

Mosques, Synagogues, Churches are all being vandalised and marred here...our Shrine of Remembrance (the most beautiful of places in Melbourne) is under constant surveillance and has been vandalised before...what is it going to take to teach these 'kids' some RESPECT????

I know what I would like to do to them...but posting it here will put me in the PPOT sinbin for a very loooooonnnnngggggggg time

....

Heel n Toe · 04-10-2010, 11:23 PM

Lisa, skaters and skateboarders aren't usually specifically defacing certain properties and memorials because they have anything against what these places stand for, they just have an anarchist attitude when in search of a place to "play" and practice their skills.

pwd72s · 04-10-2010, 11:24 PM

I recall seeing pics of vandalized & defaced USA military cemeteries in France. Evidently some in France want even those soldiers removed from their soil...

Guess they'd rather be speaking German now.

m21sniper · 04-10-2010, 11:32 PM

Lisa, these young kids probably don't give one second's thought (or a damn) about the Vets that fought and died, that the memorial is dedicated to.

They probably are offended at all the "fuss" being made to "deny them their fun."

If i get the chance, i will be absolutely certain to explain it to them, i promise.

lisa_spyder · 04-10-2010, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Lisa, skaters and skateboarders aren't usually specifically defacing certain properties and memorials because they have anything against what these places stand for, they just have an anarchist attitude when in search of a place to "play" and practice their skills.

I know John, I know....

But their attitude towards their skate where they like routine spills over into the rest of their lives too...we've got 'em here just like everywhere...and their attitude to most things just stinks. I won't let my kids go to the skatepark; not because of the danger of hurting themselves (well that too; a bit maybe) but mostly because of the crapass kids who go there... I just don't get why when we were all young we could be rebellious and go against the tide and "make our mark" but we didn't denegrate and abuse others' sacred sites like this...I am over it...honestly.

lisa_spyder · 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Lisa, these young kids probably don't give one second's thought (or a damn) about the Vets that fought and died, that the memorial is dedicated to.

They probably are offended at all the "fuss" being made to "deny them their fun."

If i get the chance, i will be absolutely certain to explain it to them, i promise.

Well...whilst they are getting sorted to skate there maybe they could take just a second to read or look...no sign that says it's a skatepark? Maybe that should be enough of a hint for the little darlings...granite? Last time I looked no skate parks had granite...

One piece of advice for these little cherubs...GO TO THE SKATE PARK TO SKATE.

If you do get the chance Snipe; go ahead and "explain it to them"...in no uncertain terms!

Did I mention I am over this sort of schite these days??? Well I am - well over it...if I ever caught my kids even thinking about this sort of stuff they would be sore for a week...or two...or three...

One of my favorite cousins is a Viet Vet..he's just turned 60...he did two tours in Vietnam. Returned wounded from the first tour...his CO (best mate) got blown up by a mine right in front of him and my cousin copped some decent schrapnel damage...he has never gotten over that (losing his CO/best mate like this). He was sent back for a second tour after recovering...I was quite little; maybe 6 or 7...I have vivid memories of clinging to his legs wailing for him not to go...this war scarred him in ways I could never have imagined. At 60 my gorgeous cousin is still something of a lost soul...and only in the last couple of years can we even talk to him about that war. This is probably why I am turning 'feral' over this issue...

Oh Haha · 04-11-2010, 04:30 AM

We have a veteran cemetary near my office. Every so often we have vandals that damage the area. It isn't good for skateboarding so the skaters are not to blame.

These just seem to be punks that want to be destructive.

I like the idea of passing out flyers.

I was not angel in my youth but we NEVER would have done anything in a cemetary.

andrew15 · 04-11-2010, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Lisa, these young kids probably don't give one second's thought (or a damn) about the Vets that fought and died, that the memorial is dedicated to.

They probably are offended at all the "fuss" being made to "deny them their fun."

If i get the chance, i will be absolutely certain to explain it to them, i promise.

Good for you for standing up against this. Unfortunately, we have these type of people right here on Pelican

In fact one member even wanted to piss on the grave of a recently deceased Marine and Vietnam vet!! Crazy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Where did they bury him? I'd like to know so i can go piss on his grave.

Thread:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-politics-religion/525546-rep-murtha-dead-77-a.html