Graveyards seem to be a regular target of vandals, cant understand why.
I had occasion to visit the British graveyard in the heart of Belgrade, Serbia, and the place was immaculate, also the Italian military one beside. In general, War Graves in Europe are well looked after and not vandalised.
Agree about most other places but unfortunately I can understand why here. Ignorance - in manners, attitudes, behaviour and rudimentary knowledge of major facts of history. It would, for example, be difficult to explain the complexities of WWI or WWII to those whose history is confined to crude and selective views of anything [applicable to both sides in NI]
However, in respect of these graves, this cemetery and other memorials - moronic and disgusting. No point in telling these guys [or gals] of the tragedy and pointlessness but indisputable bravery of soldiers etc. in WWI. No point [although I did witness some very good community work taking kids to Flanders, Normandy and Dublin for WWI and 1916 history]. I also am aware of input by libraries and other places in explaining that except for ordinary people [including some Irish] we might well be slaves or have perished in gas chambers. The exploits of ordinary people at Dunkirk, exceptional people like the RAF dam busters, the sacrifice of Normandy landings and and so on whose bravery actually do get admiration from children from all backgrounds and may, on occasions, bring about attitudinal and behavioural change. They can grasp - at different levels -what was being fought for and why they should respect the memory of people who died and, sometimes, even change attitudes.
In this case [and in so many others] knowledge and information would not be enough - the prevailing attitudes, level of care, lack of tolerance, sheer distortion of view and incapacity to distinguish between wrecking and building are absent. Sadly, there is little hope of a future for some of these youngsters [if youngsters they are]. Pathetic and deplorable when there have been efforts by all sides to address this issue in some areas.
