We recently discussed the case of a Russian who was arrested for carving his name into the ancient walls of the Colosseum. Now, due to the actions of two California women aged 21 and 25, we must bear the shame of such a despicable act. The women used a coin to carve large letters of J and N into the site. We have also discussed stupid acts, including by Americans, where art has been damaged by accident. However like the graffiti by the Chinese tourist, on the Luxor temple, and the Russian tourist who carved a K on the Colosseum this was an intentional act of thoughtless destruction. He was not a stupid teenager, but a 42-year-old man.
The apology of these two cretins only increased my anger. The pair reportedly said “We apologize for what we did. We regret it, but we did not imagine it was something so serious.” Really, who raised you? The ancient Vandals? How old do you have to be to know that it is disgraceful to deface the walls of one of humanity’s greatest structures?
These women not only carved their initials into the walls but then posed for a selfie. What is amazing is that this structure is overwhelming in its size and history for those of us who have been so fortunate to visit it. Why you would need to see your initials carved into it to truly enjoy the experience is otherworldly. I have no idea how people are raised to look at a magnificent structure like this and want to mark it with graffiti and then record your disgraceful act as something to celebrate.
They have been charged with “aggravated damage on building of historical and artistic interest.” However, like the Russian, they are likely only to be given a fine. They should go to jail. Since decency and humanity appear to have left no impression on these women, a jail stint just might. They should also be identified. If they are going to leave a mark on the Colosseum, the act should leave a mark on their own records not some anonymous notations that shames their fellow countrymen.
Don De Drain, Good comment.
Charlie-
Amen. For some people, whining and vitriol is so much more fun than doing something to reach out and help people who aren’t like yourself, although I suppose it is theoretically possible to do both. And whining about “rednecks” is no better than whining about “liberals.” I grew up with lots of “rednecks,” and a majority of the people I went to high school with did not attend a 4 year college. Many of them are good people. I may not always agree with their politics, but I count some of them among my oldest friends. Most the people I know here in SoCal who I would trust my life with either came from humble beginnings here in the US or from outside the US.
Hopefully they will fine them enough that they will never be able to travel anywhere again. That way they won’t be able to pull any more stupid stunts.
A very nice family from the Northwest Territories just moved in next door. First folks I’ve ever met from that remote tundra. They have 2 small kids. “Could it be” they are just hosers w/ some money. Or, “could it be” they are meth tweakers. Or, “could it be” they are just good people amongst all the losers in the world. I liked that they came over and introduced themselves and asked some questions about the area. I love hosers. “Could it be” because the maternal side of my family spent a generation there.
An eye for an eye. Cut their fingers off. Put a tattoo on their foreheads: Dumbschmuck For Hire.
Oh my. At first blush, it appears that basic reading comprehension is in short supply today. My last post ended with the following sentence:
“They deserve to be punished and will hopefully learn a lesson.”
But I think the posters who have misinterpreted my last post as making excuses for the behavior of these young women (as opposed to stating the obvious fact that young adults of all stripes can and do engage in this type of behavior) can actually understand my last post and choose to misinterpret it.
Mary Poppins- Perchick (Perchik?, Perchick-fillet? Someone called me a renaissance man a long time ago, before spell check, but I lost that moniker because I couldn’t spell “renaissance”) had to do penance in Siberia for his crimes against the Tsar, just as these women will do penance for their crimes. While I’m sure you know that in olden days Russia was ruled by rulers whose titles were the “Tsar” and the “Tsarina,” I’ll bet you don’t know the formal titles of their children: “Tsardines.”
Was the guy from Russia a feminist?
Isaac, that wouldn’t explain how the act ended up being reported in newspapers across the Western world.
No, you’re missing the forest for the trees.
Could it be, now I’m just spitballing here, that these were simply two of the thousands of ignorant people that travel throughout the world and want to leave a mark? Could it be that it has next to nothing to do with the time, the American public education system, feminism, etc.? Could it be that you could change out the nationality, age, gender, whatever for any option and get the same thing?
There is a restaurant in Paris where rich f*^ks used to bring their mistresses and give them diamond jewelry. The restaurant is famous for the glass panels with the initials of the girls and rich guys scratched in. Just a thought, and I’m waiting for someone, any one to bring Obama into this. David? Paul? Pogo?
issac – are you saying that Obama and his mistress have their initials in the glass there?
I have coached kids going back to the mid1970’s. The past 25 years or so has shown an exponential lack of respect by young people. There are still many good kids. But, the breakdown of the family, and the horseshit false self esteem that is the hallmark of the feminist based public education system, has created some really bad kids. Ironically, it is the upper and lower classes that seems to be creating the monsters. Blue collar, middle class kids seem to be the best adjusted. They work jobs, go to school, play sports, and have personal responsibility.
“…the use of one’s ability to reason ought to be sufficient to arrive at certain fundamental conclusions”
Apparently you think the moral state arises de novo in each human, and need not be taught.
I disagree, as this belies experience and is in stark contrast to all religion, philosophy, and cultural traditions.
Indeed, that was part of the purpose of cultural Marxism’s long march through the institutions. By owning education from kindergarten through college, it could supplant bourgeois Judeo-christian and Greco-Roman thought with feminism, socialism, and multiculturalism.
It goes on as we speak in colleges across the USA, with the recent “white privilege” and 1-in-4 rape indoctrinations.
Blaming the educational system for vandalism makes no more sense than blaming feminism.
There are likely a multitude of places we can place the blame for the atrocious actions of these thoughtless adult children. I say adult children because they have reached the age of adulthood, but have the minds and emotional maturity of children.
First, I blame their parents. Did they never teach their children any basic manners. Such as: you don’t go into another person’s home and destroy their property. Such as: have respect for the belongings and the cultures of other people. Really……would these adult children go into a neighbor’s house and write on the walls. Basic decorum and manners.
Next: I blame the permissive society that has allowed these grown children to get away with misdeeds and who have constantly been exposed to excuses and never any consequences for their actions. “Oh. She is a good girl. She didn’t mean it when she kicked your cat/ ran into your car/ spilled red wine on your white sofa.” Someone else will take care of the problem. Someone else made her do that bad thing. No consequences but lots excuses and passing the blame to someone else.
Next: I blame the everybody gets a ribbon attitude that we have in schools and in society. No one ever, in these adult children’s world ,has ever had to face the fact that……maybe they aren’t perfect. That sometimes you LOSE. Sometimes you don’t get the prize or the pony. You aren’t always a perfect winner. Life isn’t fair.
Last: The culture of impulse. No deferred gratification. If you want it…..you get it now. Because mommy and daddy will get it for you. Because you deserve it. Because you WANT it. Mine mine mine. ME ME ME.
Lots of places to put the blame. How about we blame THEM as well for not being able to learn or be aware of themselves. Blame them for allowing their lives to be this useless.
The really sad thing is that had these girls been given proper guidance, discipline and an appropriate amount of self awareness, they would never have considered doing such a thing.
The other really sad thing is that when the feces meets the oscillating mechanism, young people and even some adults who have been raised like this and who have this type of mentality are really going to be toast. Useless and a dead weight on those who ARE capable and who will survive.
davidm:
I can speak only for myself, but I believe that the use of one’s ability to reason ought to be sufficient to arrive at certain fundamental conclusions, one of which is that I ought not to destroy or deface the property of another. I also believe that that truth can be understood before one reaches puberty. Blaming the educational system for vandalism makes no more sense than blaming feminism.
Mike Appleton wrote: “Blaming the educational system for vandalism makes no more sense than blaming feminism.”
Actually, feminism was second on my list of explanations. 🙂 I will forbear explaining it to you.
I would love to hear your comments about the article by Justin McBrayer. Is the statement, “I believe that George Washington was the first president” a statement of fact or a statement of opinion?
Charlie
Stop complaining and start making such education available to the poor?
Really?
How POOR can these two individuals be if they were vacationing in Rome and taking selfies? Every ill is blamed on being poor and uneducated? My parents grew up during the Depression, had no money and only possessed high school diplomas. Somehow, someway, they managed to become productive, law-abiding members of society and never destroyed anyone’s property, much less that of a historical site. What do you want to bet that these people came from middle class and/or affluent families and were college educated?
Sure, Don, this is just an innocent prank–one akin to the kind that all college students have been known to commit over the years. Why this is no worse than trying to cram people into a telephone booth or swallowing goldfish! How abusive it was to hold them responsible for defacing the Colosseum! And, Tevye. . .was he there too? Did he engrave a heart and the words TEVYE LOVES GOLDA?
If these perps are being honest, then this is a case of ignorance, but not one of stupidity, much less ill intent. When I first began reading this blog, I was often shocked and disappointed at the sometimes holier-than-thou attitude of the author and several posters. Now, I rather expect this attitude. Similar to the perps, you are openly displaying your ignorance about something by putting your “mark” on it.
There are millions of Americans who, like me, were raised by good people, but not people who knew of such historical riches. It was not until later in life (older than these two) before I began to learn of life’s finer things. But that doesn’t make me–or you–better than these people, just luckier.
Stop complaining and start making such education available to the poor, if you want to make a difference.
” Gosh, who would have ever thunk that college-aged kids would be self-absorbed miscreants?”
A vandal apologist; how leftist.
Maybe we should give them a ribbon when they return because this hurt their feelings.
Self-absorbed, miscreant college-aged kids. Gosh, who would have ever thunk that college-aged kids would be self-absorbed miscreants? All the college-aged kids I’ve known through the years have been perfectly behaved.
Except for those no good, misbehaving atheist, California democrats, …………
Reminds me somewhat of Tevye complaining about Perchick, but with much less humility and civility. They deserve to be punished and will hopefully learn a lesson.
If they were actually arrested, couldn’t their mugshots and names be posted? I would just love to see these lovely young ladies splashed all over the internet; the public shaming, along with whatever the Italian government wants to dish out in the form of punishment, would be good for them.
“So, I’ll have to defer to you experts on those weighty issues and observe only that their behavior was reprehensible and deserving of punishment.”
Prof. Turley pointed out the most important text in the story:
1. Americans vandalized an ancient site and took a selfie.
2. They said “We regret it, but we did not imagine it was something so serious.””
Beyond simple rejection, most adults are quite capable of drawing useful conclusions about character and motivation based on this information alone.
Your inability to do so is nothing to brag about.
Pogo – the word ‘grafitti’ comes from the Italians. It is payback. 😉