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Cemetery Vandals Don't Understand Seriousness Of Crime

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 31, 2008

Put Them To Work

Regarding "Vandals Wreak Havoc At Cemetery" (Metro, May 27):

This is one time I would like to be a judge with the two boys who were "having fun." They have no respect for the living or the dead. Not to mention the monetary damage they've done.

Now it's time to pay up - community service to Serenity Meadows Memorial Park - by being an assistant to the groundskeeper after school and on weekends until they're 18 years old. That duty should be "fun." Because the boys are under 18, the parents should be responsible for the cost of repairs.

Maybe with the punishment these boys will receive, kids will stop and think what "fun" is.

JUDY TRAMPOSCH

Riverview

Where Were The Parents?

What a very disturbing action by these teenagers. For 14- and 15-year-olds to do this kind of unconscionable act is impossible to fathom! It was most disappointing; however, nowhere in the article was there any reference to the responsibility of the parents. They were just having "fun"!

Until parents are to be made responsible for the actions of their children, this kind of crime will not be curtailed. If the kids are underage, the parents are not. They may well still be liable for the financial damage, but money cannot replace the emotional damage.

Being 70 years old and as a pretty darn good father and grandfather, this kind of action would have never been tolerated my by father or me. Neither I nor my son wear halos, but the respect for someone's property and personal treasure has always been a basic.DON SHEPHERD

Tampa

Schools Have A Role

I am a middle school teacher and Army veteran. The Friday before Memorial Day, I asked every one of my classes if they knew why the schools were closed on Monday.

Only three or four out of 25 in each class even knew it was for Memorial Day. Only one student in any of my classes knew what Memorial Day stood for.

This is why these kids didn't respect the Memorial Day services planned - they didn't even know what it was about!

The state and county don't feel it is important enough to add Memorial Day to the social studies curriculum. However, I noticed the state and county have no problem taking the day off as a holiday.

How do we force the military-hating liberals in the school system to teach our children to respect the sacrifices our soldiers make? Perhaps we should require the schools to stay open and work next year.

JIM McKENNA

Tampa

Serious Penalty Needed

My wife and I are really upset to hear about the destruction of the gravesites in Riverview! We know the agony of placing one's child in the grave and to have two idiot boys out "having fun" destroying a place of such high solitude and sacrament is unforgivable!

This is a serious offense to destroy the gravesites, so they should not get a "hand slap."

Plus these two boys are teenagers with parents, and the parents should be held accountable for this immoral act of destruction!

Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims of this heinous crime.

RICK BROYE

Tampa

Punish Parents, Too

I can't think of a punishment that would be good enough for these boys. It all reflects back to a bad upbringing at home.

There should be a law that requires the parents to be responsible for the damage done by their children. The boys should be required to work in this cemetery until the age of 18.

They have to be held accountable for the damage.

JAMES DALEY

Sun City Center

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