WTF? Another Monument Desecration?

[The Bread Guy]

Shared with the usual disclaimer....

War memorial defaced
Monument to fallen soldiers on Mackenzie King bridge defaced
TERRI SAUNDERS, SUN MEDIA, 22 Jul 08
Article link

War veterans across the country will be saddened to hear another memorial in the nation's capital has been desecrated, a war association official said yesterday.  Bill Black, president of the Ottawa chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association, was shocked yesterday to hear the Monument to Canadians Fallen on the Mackenzie King Bridge near Confederation Park has been marred by human feces.  "This is very disturbing news," Black said, when told that the back of the monument appears to have been used as a toilet. "It's just pure disgust that veterans will feel to hear this."  The memorial, which depicts a soldier holding a child and a second child standing in front of him, is a monument to more than 30,000 Canadians who died in several conflicts, including the Korean War.  Officials with the National Capital Commission are responsible for maintenance of the monument but were unaware of the incident when contacted yesterday.  "We advised our staff about the problem and it was a high priority for us to have it cleaned immediately," said NCC spokeswoman Chantal Comeau. "We believe these monuments deserve the greatest of respect."  The monument was cleaned around mid-afternoon yesterday ....

More on link

 

[Harley Sailor]

Just what kind of Pond Sc*m would do a thing like that.  Maybe we should pool our coffee money for a day or two to put a bounty on their heads.  I can't imagine them no bragging to their friends about doing it. 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Mandatory service of 3 years in an Inf Bn should be the punishment for acts like this.  Maybe then they will appreciate what the monument represents and have some respect.  But the punishment should also educate.

Yes.  3 years in a Reg Force Inf Bn should do nicely.  Any Jnr or Snr NCOs on the forum think they could assist in the education of these offenders?

 

[Harley Sailor]

This gruff old P2 would love to get them for cleaning station training.

I can also think of other offences that should qualify.  What ever happened to the good old days when they did that.

 

[yak]

Probably a junkie or a homeless person stopping and dropping whenever the urge strikes...that's pretty common here in Victoria, anyway.

 

[Mike Baker]

I'm just going to hold in what I really want to say, but I'm sure you all know what it is.


:rage:
Deadpan

 

[The Bread Guy]

Mandatory service of 3 years in an Inf Bn should be the punishment for acts like this.  Maybe then they will appreciate what the monument represents and have some respect.  But the punishment should also educate.

Yes.  3 years in a Reg Force Inf Bn should do nicely.  Any Jnr or Snr NCOs on the forum think they could assist in the education of these offenders?

I can't speak for anyone in a current Inf Bn, but speaking as a taxpayer, uh, do we REALLY want folks like this in ANY units?  "Jail or the CF?", to me, isn't necessarily the best recruiting strategy.

That said, if intent to desecrate can be proven, relevant community service might be in order - any ideas?  Say, shoveling the snow from vets' sidewalks or other chores, vigorously enforced?

- edited to clarify -

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

Maybe I am wrong but why increase his or her audience if it was infact a statement? I think by making this a National story and by including a picture of the defaced monument on the front cover of the Ottawa Sun, you are only rewarding this person's actions or intent. Just clean it up ASAP and look into securing these areas.

I can't speak for anyone in a current Inf Bn, but speaking as a taxpayer, uh, do we REALLY want folks like this in ANY units?  "Jail or the CF?", to me, isn't necessarily the best recruiting strategy.

That said, relevant community service might be in order - any ideas?  Say, shoveling the snow from vets' sidewalks or other chores, vigorously enforced?

How about cleaning public restrooms in the area? Those are always a treat.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I can't speak for anyone in a current Inf Bn, but speaking as a taxpayer, uh, do we REALLY want folks like this in ANY units?  "Jail or the CF?", to me, isn't necessarily the best recruiting strategy.

That said, relevant community service might be in order - any ideas?  Say, shoveling the snow from vets' sidewalks or other chores, vigorously enforced?

There are so many ways to motivate, educate and train people.  I'd say it would work.  But yes, add on shovelling snow for vets to the list.  Both would work better than either alone.

 

[Harley Sailor]

I can't speak for anyone in a current Inf Bn, but speaking as a taxpayer, uh, do we REALLY want folks like this in ANY units?  "Jail or the CF?", to me, isn't necessarily the best recruiting strategy.

Seemed to work for me.  That said I had a friend who was given that choice but ended up in jail within five years anyway.  Sometimes it works and for some nothing will work.  All I know for sure is that it will have a hard time working in to-days navy.  There are just to many soft Chiefs around who believe more in rights then in discipline.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Here (from the Sun article) is the real problem:

Black and other group members are concerned that benches near the site could be attracting people who otherwise have nowhere else to go after dark.

"Homeless people go there at night with their sleeping bags and they stay there until the morning," said Black. "We think those benches should be taken away."

Comeau said a study will be undertaken before the end of the summer on the future of the benches at that location.

"They were placed there with the intention of creating a positive experience for visitors and anyone who wanted to sit down while viewing the monument," Comeau said. "But we will be taking a look at the site to determine whether there are measures we can take to discourage this kind of behaviour in the future."

Ottawa, like every other Canadian city has a full and fair share of homeless people – some of whom are incapable of making ration decisions of any kind, others of whom are simply beyond caring.

We used to warehouse those people but, starting back in the late ‘60s “we” (led by the psychiatric/psychological establishment) decided that the big human warehouses were somewhat less than humane. Community care, was the order of the day – and it was a whole helluva lot less costly, too – especially when we closed the big old insane asylums (sitting on valuable land) and then didn’t bother to fund expensive community care facilities to replace them. The end result was (and still is) that a large number of the mentally handicapped were turned out on to the streets – without support.

They’ve been there for a generation plus and they’ve been joined by more and more of the same plus an increasing number of disaffected children.

We must not be surprised when this sort of thing happens. We can – and Ottawa probably will – move the problem symptoms to some other neighbourhood – one with fewer friends, but we will do nothing about the real problem because to do so would require social spending on people we neither know nor like very much.

 

[OldSolduer]

Out her in WInterpeg Tommy Prince's medals (replicas) were removed from his memorial.

Part of the blame lies with us for failing to be critical of those who disrespect our veterans. If some of these people were taken to task, it would send a message that you cannot disrepect those who sacrificed themselves for our freedoms.

 

[Neill McKay]

Maybe I am wrong but why increase his or her audience if it was infact a statement? I think by making this a National story and by including a picture of the defaced monument on the front cover of the Ottawa Sun, you are only rewarding this person's actions or intent. Just clean it up ASAP and look into securing these areas.

I'd bet a week's pay that it wasn't a statement at all, and maybe a day's pay on the individual not even realizing the significance of the monument.  It probably presented a convenient spot when the urge came, and not much more than that.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

There is lots of spec-fire and 'looking into the crystal ball' to determine 'why' someone did it.  The only person that knows that is the person that did it.  I am more interested in the FACT, and the fact is that things like this should not happen.  Regardless. 

 

[Command-Sense-Act 105]

Ottawa, like every other Canadian city has a full and fair share of homeless people – some of whom are incapable of making ration decisions of any kind, others of whom are simply beyond caring.

They’ve been there for a generation plus and they’ve been joined by more and more of the same plus an increasing number of disaffected children.

Edward, I believe you've hit this right on the head.  I think this is more a reflection of a societal problem that so many of us look the other way at than a wilful and malevolent act designed to demonstrate disrespect for the CF.  As we've seen in the past, active disrespect usually takes the form of spray cans, protest or more visible and permanent acts, often coupled with a political bent. 

The person who did this likely needs help, not punishment - he or she likely did not even realize where they were, just needed a place to conduct a vital bodily function.  To all who've posted fiery rhetoric thus far about jail, pond scum, punishment, threats of violence to the offendors, etc, I think you are barking up the wrong tree. 

As we've seen in other threads and recent attention here, we are all under the microscope with our public comments, so despite the passion of your feelings, I'd ask all to consider what I've said and temper your remarks accordingly.

The Army.ca Staff

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I'd like to see something to back these opinions up, or that all opinions be accepted then.  There is neither proof that it was done with malice, or that it was a mentally ill person.  All spec-fire.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Do we really need to get into debating the physics of fecal events in order to try and establish whether we need to organize an intervention or a lynching party?

 

[Command-Sense-Act 105]

x

 

[GAP]

Shoot.....after that I can't say nuttin'.....darn....

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I don't care either way who did what to this monument. 

Not all of us hold that opinion.  I am actually disappointed to see you say that, knowing your position in the CF.

I do care that the site's good name is restored and protected from futher tarnish by foolish comments on an emotive subject.

Agreed, but why can't it be that both subjects and concerns are addressed??

My point in my first post re: this thread was to say, perhaps if the person who did this served for a period of time, understood what service is, and can then relate to the conditions the gents that served that this momument was intended for, they would change the way they think, or don't think.

I myself find it hard to believe that, of all the places someone who was in need of relief might pick, that the "X" that marks the spot was on this specific place. 

I don't agree with your position of "so what" to the momument at the namesake of this website, or any website, and would rather have seen you address both issues with equal care and concern....but thats just me.

I'll pop smoke now, and disappear into the low ground WRT this thread.