Only we can stop this

Many other blog readers will by now already be aware of the recent vandalism at Gettysburg National Military Park. I'll avoid rehashing the same protests in the name of brevity and simply ask what we, as historians, are attempting to do to curb this blatant disrespect toward the sites we cherish.

71 years ago, President Franklin Roosevelt lit the Eternal Light Peace Memorial to celebrate "Peace Eternal in a Nation United". Now, almost two weeks ago, vandals and thugs have seen it as their sacred duty to exercise their free speech in a crude, immature, and hateful way so that others may suffer the lack of this important piece of history until restoration efforts can begin when the weather warms.

The monument was unguarded, apparently, long enough for whoever did this to complete their task. And even then, it was not checked on by anyone who cared about enough to report the damage until nearly a full day after the vandalism took place.

There are daylight-only rules at the park for a reason: to prevent this kind of act from happening. But what is the threat but an empty one if there is to be no possibility of capture for those who see fit to impose their selfish will on others? I will admit to having lost track of time last December when visiting the southern end of the field one night; I found myself atop Houck's Ridge after the sun had set. Standing there, in the inky black silence, I was quite aware of the rule against nighttime visitation yet I also knew why the rule had been imposed. If I had had the urge to topple Smith's guns into Triangular Field, I easily could have. If I'd wanted to deface or destroy the Sharpshooter's Den, I could have. If I'd wanted to set the Wheatfield ablaze, I could have. There was no one, not a soul, around. Just me and the ghosts.

Luckily for the park, I'm one of those individuals who appreciates, honors, and cherishes our history. Reader, I'm certain that you are too. But what if I wasn't?

We have to take it upon ourselves to not only educate the public about our mutual past, but ensure that that past remains available for all to see and appreciate. We need to accept that the money is never going to be there for everything to get accomplished, and that we must shoulder the burden ourselves.

Another blogger writing about this topic mentioned the idea of authorized citizen patrols that volunteer their time to walk the grounds at night. Even leaving Gettysburg locals out of the equation, there are surely several hundred of us out there who would offer up a week of our time to guarantee the safety of a given portion of the field. 7 days in a week, 52 weeks in a year...the math isn't impossible. And I for one would jump at the chance to walk the field in an environment empty of obnoxious tourists and rowdy children who think that climbing on the guns of Cushing's Battery is a good idea.

Or please, if you have other ideas, let them be known! But this defilement of our past simply must be stopped.

We've lost the opportunity to stand at the Peace Light and look out over the First Day field without feeling the stinging burn of obscenities etching their hateful intent into our backs, at least for a little while.

What will we lose next?