Word comes from Matt May of a shocking crime in Indianapolis. The Medal of Honor Memorial, one* of the nation's monument to all winners of the Medal of Honor, has been defaced by vandals. In his blog entry, Matt reports that

The memorial was defaced with a spray painted "peace" sign, Valentine—shaped heart, obscenties directed at Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, and the traditional sign of anarchists (a circle with an A inside).

Matt calls these criminals 'cowards for peace.' I have much stronger terminology for them, but will not publish it here.

Repairs will take weeks and cost thousands of dollars. But the physical damage is the least of it. Every winner of the Medal of Honor deserves the utmost respect and honor of which each of us is capable. They have earned their honor (many of them posthumously) via extreme heroism, placing the lives of their comrades, and the welfare of the rest of us, above their own welfare and survival. They join the pantheon of the greatest heroes of our nation. The very idea of dishonoring them is repugnant, and (at least in me) creates feeling of deep disgust and anger.

Indianapolis is a city literally built around the nation's very first memorial to the common soldier, The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument,  which stands at the exact center of the city. It is the single most prominent feature of the city's geography, occupying its highest place of honor. With the Medal of Honor Memorial, Indianapolis built upon the proud and reverent heritage of honoring our military heroes.

The criminal penalties for vandalism will never be adequate to punish those who defaced the Medal of Honor Memorial, in the event the miscreants are ever apprehended. They have committed a crime against the best among us. They are worse than scum.

*Grateful thanks to reader Jeanie Kennedy for informing us of the Riverside National Cemetary Memorial to Medal of Honor recipients.

Thomas Lifson  3 31 05