When it comes to crimes committed by groups of people too young to have their names published, intelligence seems inversely related to the number of people involved.
For example, there are the seven teens, varying in age between 13 and 17, charged with vandalizing St. Vincent de Paul cemetery in Mitchell. Gravestones were smashed and toppled, causing an estimated $50,000 damage, according to reports. Police received word of the crime on Jan. 4; the damage was probably done the night before.
It should be noted that the seven teens have been charged but have not yet had their day in court. Why they, or whoever did do it, decided to go smash their way through a cemetery is anyone’s guess at this point.
Some crimes, although wrong, are understandable. This is not one of them.
The perpetrators had absolutely nothing to gain. They were not protecting themselves or their turf, acquiring something they wanted or could sell, or avenging a wrong. They certainly were not enhancing future career prospects.
One can speculate about a group of kids, bored from a Christmas vacation that was about a week too long and much too nasty weather-wise to do much. One can also speculate about laughter and dares, perhaps fueled by alcohol, and of trying to outdo each other in some idiotic game of zombies versus aliens or whatever it was they were playing.
As individuals, the perpetrators of the crime would probably never have considered going to a cemetery and wreaking havoc. As a group, it was a different situation entirely.
There was no thought of the dollar amount of damage or the impact of the destruction on bereaved families. All they thought of was messing around in a sort of no-man’s-land just scary enough to make it seem a bit of a thrill.
It would be easy to say they are much too young to understand the sacred nature of places that serve as the final resting places of our loved ones, although throughout human history, tombs and burial grounds have had a status equal to that of churches – holy places.
It would also be easy to say they are too uneducated to know that religious significance aside, cemeteries are beautiful places, repositories of knowledge where local history is recorded in stone.
However, even a very young child realizes that cemeteries and gravestones are private property. The stones are expensive, not toys to be smashed or toppled at the whim of destructive fools. The markers are chosen with care, designed to show respect.
Perhaps respect is a concept that needs to be introduced to the vandals – respect for private property, respect for memorials to someone who contributed to the community throughout their lives, respect for bereaved families.
More than a few of the people hearing about the wanton destruction has expressed the hope that the courts teach the vandals respect by charging them for the repairs – over $7,000 per teen, should the seven be found guilty. That is enough money to put a major dent in plans for a Florida vacation or new car.
Should the courts allow insurance to cover most or all of the repairs, as they probably will, there are other penalties. If the vandals had the opportunity to clean gravestones with nothing more than a toothbrush, they might gain some sort of respect for what they destroyed.
Then again, perhaps not. Waiting until they are teens, and depending on the youth justice system to teach lessons they should have learned as toddlers, seems doomed to failure.
That said, acts of vandalism like the one in Mitchell are fortunately quite rare. The vast majority of young people in our communities are far too busy excelling in academics, sports and part-time jobs to be out doing random damage.
Let this be a huge thank you to all the young people who strive to make this community a better place. Sometimes it takes a look at what they could be doing to make us value – and respect – what most of them actually are doing.
