Racism and discrimination is wrong. What is the best way for a parent to teach a child the evils of discrimination? Should the parent demonstrate and repetitively incentivize the proper behavior? Or, would it be more productive to badger the child over and over again for the sins of the child's g-g-g-grandfather who died 150 years ago? Would burning the personal effects of the grandfather (in front of the child) produce the best teachable moment? When has rubbing and re-rubbing a child's nose in the behaviors of dead ancestors ever produced the joys of productive enlightenment?
Just when you thought civil discord could not get worse, Mayor Berke amps up to become a lightning rod for new protests and future negative national media attention.
His mayoral plan for more harmony is to ceremonially kick dead war veterans to the curb.
How much money has the city spent caring for dead veteran graves at the Third Street cemetery? I'm guessing between zero and no dollars would be close to accurate. If the city is contributing essentially nothing, the withdrawal of "cemetery trusteeship" is the cheapest of political stunts.
Let's pause and examine Berke's logic. If he opposed the Vietnam War, would he likewise withdraw support from a cemetery containing Vietnam Vets? Let's imagine this mayor as President of the United States. The National Cemetery on Holtzclaw Avenue contains Civil War veterans from both sides. Arlington Cemetery contains Civil War veterans from both sides. Would he direct the Federal Government cease care of those cemeteries? Be aware. Arlington Cemetery is sited on General Robert E. Lee's home. Beware. Political nincompoops have an inexhaustible ability to one-up other nincompoops of like mind. Would President Berke think it plausible to pull out his executive order pen to begin exhumations to remediate cemetery political purity? The decision to withdraw support from a cemetery, based on a dead veteran's military service is the purest form of discrimination.
Mayor Berke must be campaigning for his next office, because his actions will do little to facilitate goodwill or peace in governing his present location. If statewide attention is what he seeks, he has made the right move for the wrong reason. If he seeks honest attention, he should start calling press conferences to individually announce road re-paving of the city's 3,000+ failing streets. A Mayoral-led pothole patrol would mightily impress thousands of potential voters too.
Vandalism of a grave is a crime. However, facilitating the slow decline of an entire cemetery is legal. Mayor Attorney Berke obviously knows this. Only a morally bankrupt person would think it, do it and crow about it.
Somewhere around the 4th century, parents started teaching their children it was wrong to "speak ill of the dead." It remains good advice for those who believe only God has the right to judge the dead. Sadly, Mayor Berke thinks the dead are fair game.
Deborah Scott