Posted on 01/27/2003 8:31:44 PM PST by aculeus
Anti-war slogans have been sprayed on a prominent memorial to firefighters killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks as anger over a possible United States-led strike on Iraq intensifies.
In a clear assault on American foreign policy, slogans such as "You Get What You Deserve", "You Reap What You Sow", and "USA + UK = Axis of Evil" were spraypainted on and around the memorial, which was built on the corner of Madras and Kilmore streets, in central Christchurch, last year out of steel girders recovered from the debris of the World Trade Centre.
The Armagh Street Bridge and bluestone pavers on the Firefighters' Reserve walkway alongside the Avon River were also sprayed with anti-war slogans and a damaged American flag was hung near the memorial by the vandals, who struck overnight on Sunday..
The attack, which has been condemned by city leaders, peace activists, and the American Embassy in Wellington, comes as the military build-up in the Gulf continues and chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports back to the United Nations on the outcome of the UN inspections in Iraq.
Mayor Garry Moore, who this month joined anti-war protesters on the streets of Christchurch, said yesterday there was no justification for the attack on the memorial.
Using one form of violence to protest against another form of violence – war – was wrong, he said.
"Those misguided individuals who have painted on it have ignored the message of that site, which is that when people push their views down each other's throats ordinary people suffer."
The Christchurch City Council had never envisaged the memorial would be targeted by those with anti-American sentiments and was disappointed that what was essentially a peace memorial had been defaced in such a way.
Rob Green and Kate Dewes, co-ordinators of the Peace Foundation's Disarmament & Security Centre in Christchurch, said they were shocked and saddened by the attack on the memorial.
"We utterly condemn actions which desecrate memorials to victims of violence.
"This will only deepen polarisation of views about the so-called war against international terrorism and US determination to invade Iraq," they said.
However, the vandalism was evidence of a "deep anger, frustration, and powerlessness at the seemingly unstoppable drive for war led by the US and British governments, despite the inevitable humanitarian catastrophe for the already-suffering Iraqi people".
Natalia Batchelor, of Peace Action Network New Zealand (PANNZ), said the attack on the memorial was not part of any organised protest activity.
PANNZ was a "family-friendly peace movement" and did not want people "doing awful things" in a misguided attempt to promote the cause.
As city council contractors yesterday worked to clean up the memorial, the American Embassy also spoke out against the attack.
"Desecrating a memorial to innocent people from 80 nations, who lost their lives in a senseless act of mass murder, accomplishes nothing in the way of constructive dialogue," an embassy spokeswoman said. "We don't believe that this is the appropriate forum or method for such protests."
Canterbury-West Coast regional fire commander Brian Joyce was furious the memorial had been desecrated:
"I find it very disturbing that somebody out there views a monument dedicated to those who lost their lives through their own dedication to helping others as a political statement about war," he said.
"They have missed the target. It's not something I can buy into. Firefighters in every country enjoy the respect of the community they serve and no-one expects to see such disrespect."
Christchurch sculptor Graham Bennett, who designed the memorial, was disappointed it had been misinterpreted by some as a symbol of September 11, when it was a tribute to firefighters killed.
Most are very immature and can't adjust themselves to a world where difficult grown-up decisions must be made to protect the weak and free those in bondage.
These types just cannot wrap their simple minds around that concept and act out because that's their emotional age.
You said it.
Looking at the bigger picture...
Did you ever see any news items referring to the commissioning of this memorial for the Sept 11 firefighters?
Did you know that firemen in every fire station in New Zealand participated in nationwide collections from communities for New York fireman?
Did you realise the opportunity for the surviving NY firemen to come here for a break was instantly made open to them?
Probably not. As in the US, the media pounces on any possible chance to put the boot into the US and right wing causes.
In this case, a destructive action paves the way for non-thinkers to see the US in a bad light. It's all about leverage. The goodwill in building such a memorial on foreign soil is cheaply hijacked in order to advance anti American sentiment.
Maybe you could run a count of any memorials in the US to New Zealand's Tangiwai or Mt Erebus disasters - or even WWII memorials. It won't take you long at all.
they call themselves pansies. that has to be intentional.
BUMP
Thanks for your kind reply. He will go to Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, and Queenstown, and then to Australia. The pictures of N.Zealand are just beautiful!!
I was surprised when I read about the memorial, and that material from the 9/11 site had been used!! Even 'we', here on Free Republic hadn't seen that in the news, - and we ARE news hounds!
Are you presently in New Zealand? I've read so much about it that I almost feel like you are a 'friend'!! My son is a Chemist working on Johnston Island. Regards, potlatch
Using one form of violence to protest against another form of violence ? war ? was wrong, he said.
"Those misguided individuals who have painted on it have ignored the message of that site, which is that when people push their views down each other's throats ordinary people suffer."
With all due respect Mr Mayor(which isn't much) you and all those thoughtlessly engaged in the current "peace movement" are entirely responsible. Your rhetoric is as violence-provoking as it is shallow.
Expect much more violence coming from the "peace movement" in coming weeks. Its just beneath the surface.
,,, yes, Wellington City. Sunny and warm at present.
Good. Our winter is your summer, but I'm in South Texas and a FREEZE is a big deal!!
Oh, well - some of us know better. And if you find these particular a-holes, give 'em an extra kick in the ribs for me ;)
We've seen him in person several times. Love to listen to him with my eyes closed, LOL, he's not much to look at. We went to Lukinbach Tx., [which is where he used to hang out and made famous] many times when the kids were young.
They had outhouses way back, and everybody sat on tree stumps, played their guitars, sang and drank lots of beer!! Wish I'd taken more pictures, there were people there that went on to a little success in the music business! Our winters can be pleasently [sp?] mild, and we just 'get used' to the heat.
You mean 'your CLIMB' to 50!! We're on a climb, and I've climbed a little higher than you!! LOL
Yep! Better to be 'climbing', than not!! LOL. Sorry for the long response time - I had 3 emails from my son. He leaves in the morning from Johnstons for Honolulu, then to Australia and New Zealand.
Eight flights total! He's already planning a European trip and wants us to meet him there. Who knows what the world will be like 9 weeks from now!!?
,,, love it! I'll be at the annual Art Deco festival that weekend in Napier. Any peaceniks I see on the way thru, I'll chunder on.
,,, I guess the short answer is - there's vandals on the streets and vandals in the media.
Hope we get to, it will depend on world conditions. Yes, you're living in a lovely country!
LOL, I'm a Texan!! There are plenty of New Zealanders on this thread, shaggyeel has given me a lot of information.
Wow!!! Extremely excellent post Shag. Very good.
Some will say that Prebble has a lot of baggage from the 1980s economic reform days. He has. Let's try moving on now. It was his Party that consistently mentioned the economy, the positive side of immigration and New Zealand's obscene excesses in a state of the art $NZ13b per annum welfare escapade.
The present nanny state wipes our arses for us in exchange for us giving them the power to sneak legislation thru late at night from social engineers like Margaret Wilson and all the other grey nurses with "mother knows best" attitudes. This is sweeping stuff... the abolition of our rights of appeal thru the Privy Council, sly pay rises for MPs and trying to muzzle the media thru legislation. The stuff that made Albania what it is.
Thinking back, I guess the last real statesman New Zealand had in the hotseat was Keith Holyoake. New Zealanders have really sold themselves short on the calibre of individuals representing them. That says it all for the intelligence and expectations of voters. Voting involves common sense - much the same as shopping. You go for the best deal you can at the time. As long as TV carries rugby and lotto, the New Zealand public is generally happy. Under government ownership, TV channels rarely have any political commentary and public apathy is easily capitalised on by this government. As soon as thinking people start making it clear that they want and expect better representation and less of the vote buying politically correct dykes running our show, the sooner we can hope for better. Look at the Minister of Finance - a Phd in history. The good "doctor" should be able to call on his knowledge of how the Soviet Union could turn 37% of their male workforce into alcoholics and make women stand in line for bread - Socialism's main claim to fame in the USSR. He's hardly able to contain himself in Parliamentary broadcasts when someone who gives a view other than that of a socialist's. Spitting venom and rationing mock laughter will never pass for ability.
On the other hand, whilst Prebble won't ever collect an orator's award, his cleverly crafted questions have really deemed him worthy of being the de facto opposition while the National Party have been busy with their disintegration process.
For a bit of wholesome reading, hit this and do the sums on it.
Good thing I checked or we would have been mis-reading my sons itinerary! I just wasn't thinking the time difference was so great - dumb of me, I guess.
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