No clue/respect for our nations past........ (1 Viewer)

[Warrior]

So I'm in Fredericksburg this weekend for the toy soldier show and today I visited all the major battlefields in the area.

I was a bit shocked at both the lack of knowledge about what happened at these spots and more importantly, the lack of respect.

I saw kids running around yelling and screaming, throwing rocks and sticks at cannons, people babbling and laughing and talking ragtime, and my personal favorite, kids climbing all over state and unit monuments while clueless parents took "Cute pictures I'm going to post on Facebook."

Embarassing.

And annoying.

One guy had his four kids climbing all over a new monument at the mule shoe at Spottslyvannia while his wife took a picture, to which I replied as I walked by "Thousands of Americans died on this spot so you could come here and @#$% on their sacrifices"................he just looked at me and kept piling his kids onto the monument.

What a clueless wonder.

 

[notascoldasbastogne]

So I'm in Fredericksburg this weekend for the toy soldier show and today I visited all the major battlefields in the area.

I was a bit shocked at both the lack of knowledge about what happened at these spots and more importantly, the lack of respect.

I saw kids running around yelling and screaming, throwing rocks and sticks at cannons, people babbling and laughing and talking ragtime, and my personal favorite, kids climbing all over state and unit monuments while clueless parents took "Cute pictures I'm going to post on Facebook."

Embarassing.

And annoying.

One guy had his four kids climbing all over a new monument at the mule shoe at Spottslyvannia while his wife took a picture, to which I replied as I walked by "Thousands of Americans died on this spot so you could come here and @#$% on their sacrifices"................he just looked at me and kept piling his kids onto the monument.

What a clueless wonder.

What can you say, their just too many idiots that dont have a clue. Nice post :salute::

 

[Napoleon1er]

So I'm in Fredericksburg this weekend for the toy soldier show and today I visited all the major battlefields in the area.

I was a bit shocked at both the lack of knowledge about what happened at these spots and more importantly, the lack of respect.

I saw kids running around yelling and screaming, throwing rocks and sticks at cannons, people babbling and laughing and talking ragtime, and my personal favorite, kids climbing all over state and unit monuments while clueless parents took "Cute pictures I'm going to post on Facebook."

Embarassing.

And annoying.

One guy had his four kids climbing all over a new monument at the mule shoe at Spottslyvannia while his wife took a picture, to which I replied as I walked by "Thousands of Americans died on this spot so you could come here and @#$% on their sacrifices"................he just looked at me and kept piling his kids onto the monument.

What a clueless wonder.

That is so, so, so irritatingly true. At Gettysburg, the buses of tourists pull up to the Copse and take a picture of Pickett's Charge, like it was some ride at Disney World, and not the place where our forefathers gave their lives for two different causes. At Waterloo, they ride a stupid little trolley over the battlefield, past the spot where Cambrone said his famous word, past the Grand Battery, PAST the ground where the fate of the world was determined, and past Hougoumont! They take pictures with the Lion's Mound, which they fail to realize commemorates the spot where a horrible leader was slightly wounded, and which ruined the battlefield topography.
Just remember- one day, those kids could run for public office{eek3}{sm2}{sm0}
-Sandor

 

[Scott]

".....people babbling and laughing and talking ragtime, ...."


http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ragtime

2. Ragtime

Something that someone says that another considers foolish; absurd; an absurd comment
"Oh Carol, you're talking ragtime.

I had to look that up.

The situations you witnessed may be a combination of the park like appearance and atmosphere of these battlefield parks with the lack of Park Service personnel to either "police" the area or convey the meaning of these sites to folks on vacation with kids.

 

[Mitch]

Baffoons are everywhere. I think, sadly, it seems to be the case that many see such monuments as just a day out rather than what they really are.

Its been discussed on here at a micro level the loss of interest in the hobby over other things in modern life and what you have said just reinforces this fact.
Mitch

 

[damian]

All I will say is that thousands of men struggled so that people can have the right to behave like dorks.
Think of it that way. Would you rather live in North Korea where if you smile in public the thought police are after you.
I know it is annoying for people who know and love history but we have to bear in mind that democracy means you have the right to be an idiot if that is what you want.

 

[Napoleon1er]

All I will say is that thousands of men struggled so that people can have the right to behave like dorks.
Think of it that way. Would you rather live in North Korea where if you smile in public the thought police are after you.
I know it is annoying for people who know and love history but we have to bear in mind that democracy means you have the right to be an idiot if that is what you want.

As much as I hate when people act like idiots in this way, you are very right. Great post.
-Sandor

 

[Warrior]

The situations you witnessed may be a combination of the park like appearance and atmosphere of these battlefield parks with the lack of Park Service personnel to either "police" the area or convey the meaning of these sites to folks on vacation with kids.

You're 100% correct on that Scott, I did not see a single National Park employee, guide or ranger on any of the battlefields, just signs that say "For your safety, please do not climb on the cannons" and "Please stay off the earthworks to help preserve them for future generations" which leads me to believe people are moronic enough to climb on the cannons and at this rate, future generations will not have to worry about the earthworks as no one will care about them.........

 

[Warrior]

Baffoons are everywhere. I think, sadly, it seems to be the case that many see such monuments as just a day out rather than what they really are.

Its been discussed on here at a micro level the loss of interest in the hobby over other things in modern life and what you have said just reinforces this fact.
Mitch

So true Mitch, the conversation probably went something like "So what do you want to do today?"........"I don't know, how about if we take the kids to the field where those cannon thingy thinks are and let them throw rocks and sticks at them"......."What war are those cannons from anyway".........."Why WWII naturally, are you stupid or was high school the best ten years of your life?"............and you are also right in that in today's day and age, people either don't care or can't be bothered trying to educate themselves as to what these parks and monuments are all about.....

 

[Warrior]

All I will say is that thousands of men struggled so that people can have the right to behave like dorks...........democracy means you have the right to be an idiot if that is what you want.

Great points; the soldiers who fought and died on those battlefields are probably spinning in their graves at the thought of morons using the parks as amusement parks..........

 

[Mitch]

I had a similar argument/debate well, slanging match with a guy in a war cemetary who allowed his child to play something similar to leap frog over the headstones. Did not know why they were there but, it was just unbelievable that you would allow your children to do that and, amazingly did not really think it was something wrong!!!!!.

The point made about people being allowed to be dorks well, thats true but, god help us from them.
Mitch

 

[Scott]

 

[Napoleon1er]

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Nice Pictures!

 

[Louis Badolato]

George,

Those parents are a disgrace. When I bring my children anywhere, be it a national park, a toy soldier show or a friends home, I control them, keep them from running or climbing where it is inappropriate, and tell them why we are there, and what it is about. It is a parent's responsibility to both control and educate their children. Sadly, many parents don't bother to do either, and nearby people suffer for it.

I can tell you in no uncertain terms that you will never see my children climbing on a national monument if I am within shouting distance. I would blast them off the monument with shear volume: "ALEC GET DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[bromhead]

That is so, so, so irritatingly true. At Gettysburg, the buses of tourists pull up to the Copse and take a picture of Pickett's Charge, like it was some ride at Disney World, and not the place where our forefathers gave their lives for two different causes. At Waterloo, they ride a stupid little trolley over the battlefield, past the spot where Cambrone said his famous word, past the Grand Battery, PAST the ground where the fate of the world was determined, and past Hougoumont! They take pictures with the Lion's Mound, which they fail to realize commemorates the spot where a horrible leader was slightly wounded, and which ruined the battlefield topography.
Just remember- one day, those kids could run for public office{eek3}{sm2}{sm0}
-Sandor

Good quote you have,,those running for and in public office today were the campus types ducking the military and the wars in the past,,not to mention most talk radio warhawks.

 

[nysoldiers]

There is a disappointing lack of historical knowledge among most people. I blame this mostly on our education system. As most of us know history taught in our Junior and Senior High Schools was mostly dates, names and skimming over thousands of years.
We were forced to memorize facts without really getting an understanding of their times and relevance to our lives. In the age of television, computers, smart phones and video games what chance does history have with our young people? We have to try and make it
relevant and interesting. There were some talented and dedicated teachers who did try and motivate students with a sense of history beyond mandatory memorization. Talking about our founding fathers (America), for example, as human beings with strengths and
weaknesses to show them as more human actually makes them more interesting. Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, etc. were not mere icons but men who grew up with problems and challenges like all young people have. Showing how these men and women
changed their times and how that affects our current lives gives more meaning to history.

Most forum members have a strong interest in history and appreciate where they came from. Hopefully we can pass this on to our children.
Someone once asked me what was the point of studying history. I asked him if he knew about his parents lives and the lives of his grandparents. He said, "very little" so I told him to start with his family's history. Find out what contributed to your upbringing and why you are the person you are now. If that interests you than go beyond your family and learn about the times they lived in and how their world influenced them. History is ultimately about all of us and where we came from. If that doesn't interest you than I give up!

 

[Napoleon1er]

There is a disappointing lack of historical knowledge among most people. I blame this mostly on our education system. As most of us know history taught in our Junior and Senior High Schools was mostly dates, names and skimming over thousands of years.
We were forced to memorize facts without really getting an understanding of their times and relevance to our lives. In the age of television, computers, smart phones and video games what chance does history have with our young people? We have to try and make it
relevant and interesting. There were some talented and dedicated teachers who did try and motivate students with a sense of history beyond mandatory memorization. Talking about our founding fathers (America), for example, as human beings with strengths and
weaknesses to show them as more human actually makes them more interesting. Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, etc. were not mere icons but men who grew up with problems and challenges like all young people have. Showing how these men and women
changed their times and how that affects our current lives gives more meaning to history.

Most forum members have a strong interest in history and appreciate where they came from. Hopefully we can pass this on to our children.
Someone once asked me what was the point of studying history. I asked him if he knew about his parents lives and the lives of his grandparents. He said, "very little" so I told him to start with his family's history. Find out what contributed to your upbringing and why you are the person you are now. If that interests you than go beyond your family and learn about the times they lived in and how their world influenced them. History is ultimately about all of us and where we came from. If that doesn't interest you than I give up!

Nice post! All of this is certainly, true, though now a days we can hope it's getting better. I sometimes go to schools with my reenacting stuff, to do programs for the kids. I think it is our job to try to educate people, weather by doing this, becoming teachers, volunteering at local schools, reenacting, or other such things. My current history teacher (keeping in mind I am at VFMA) was an artillery captain, and is a lover of Napoleon (so he obviously knows what he is doing). Personally, I can't wait to have a kid. The poor guy's going to have to learn artillery drill at 6 with one of those little cannons that young princes used to play with. Might as well dress him in 19th century cloths, and the like. Just kidding- or am I?:rolleyes2:^&grin
-Sandor

 

[Scott]

It's a matter of teaching or pointing out that there are "sacred spaces" beyond just religious sites. A location like Gettysburg that is not only park like and a vacation destination may not inspire respectful behavior unless the staff or other visitors reenforce that the space IS held sacred by our society. The lack of NPS rangers on site could be traced to budget cuts. There might only be funds for just keeping the grass cut. From photos I posted you can see that folks did have fun and pose on monuments or someone else's sacred spaces going waaaaay back.

We just got back from DC and Gettysburg last Aug, and we didn't see examples of mass bad behavior at museums and parks and my 15 year old daughter wanted to be with us so she behaved.

 

[Rob]

George,

Those parents are a disgrace. When I bring my children anywhere, be it a national park, a toy soldier show or a friends home, I control them, keep them from running or climbing where it is inappropriate, and tell them why we are there, and what it is about. It is a parent's responsibility to both control and educate their children. Sadly, many parents don't bother to do either, and nearby people suffer for it.

I can tell you in no uncertain terms that you will never see my children climbing on a national monument if I am within shouting distance. I would blast them off the monument with shear volume: "ALEC GET DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

An admirable and sadly rare attitude Louis. The depths of disrespect know no limits I'm afraid. I once spotted a schoolboy urinating in a German cemetery in France, ignorance that beggars belief . What made it worse was the detestable little termite was from my country and thought it funny he was urinating in a German cemetery. Mind you he didn't think it so funny when he got the b*******g of a liftetime from his teacher at such a volume it rang around the cemetery.

I also was once on a journey during our rememberance day two min silence and so paused with everyone else on St Pancras international station in London. The whole station came to a standstill as with bowed heads hundreds of travellers paid their respects to our fallen. It stood out a mile as one total moron strode past saying ' I don't want it rammed down my throat ' ! What a prat, he doesn't want it rammed down his throat. I'm sure he'd have been much happier if our lads and those of our Allies hadn't made the sacrifice they did and he now spoke German.

Rob

 

[Napoleon1er]

An admirable and sadly rare attitude Louis. The depths of disrespect know no limits I'm afraid. I once spotted a schoolboy urinating in a German cemetery in France, ignorance that beggars belief . What made it worse was the detestable little termite was from my country and thought it funny he was urinating in a German cemetery. Mind you he didn't think it so funny when he got the b*******g of a liftetime from his teacher at such a volume it rang around the cemetery.

I also was once on a journey during our rememberance day two min silence and so paused with everyone else on St Pancras international station in London. The whole station came to a standstill as with bowed heads hundreds of travellers paid their respects to our fallen. It stood out a mile as one total moron strode past saying ' I don't want it rammed down my throat ' ! What a prat, he doesn't want it rammed down his throat. I'm sure he'd have been much happier if our lads and those of our Allies hadn't made the sacrifice they did and he now spoke German.

Rob

Some people....