An artist visiting Washington D.C. caused a stir on social media after posting a photograph of children playing on a Vietnam War Memorial. In the image, kids are seen climbing all over the statue while a veteran looks on, visibly upset.
“I feel like the parents should be ashamed, and anyone that tries to blame the kids are wrong in doing so,” said the photographer, Matthew Munson. “If you look at the hurt veterans, they are looking past the kids and towards the parents that are out of the frame.”
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Munson is right. There are plenty of public parks with opportunities for children to let loose. Memorials are meaningful reminders that people fought and died for a cause. Such statues are not intended to be interactive displays. If we want children to learn about history, then we have to teach them by example.
At a gallery recently, I saw two young children touching and pulling at a canvas about 9/11 while their carer watched and blithely allowed it. This was not a sacred relic or a memorial. Still, I was appalled by the carer's lack of respect for the artist and what the work represented.
Interestingly, the reaction to the memorial photo was divided. Some users on Reddit found the action offensive and blamed the parents for allowing their kids to treat the memorial like a jungle gym. Others claimed the play was a sign of the very freedom the vets had fought and died for.
You tell me: Should children be allowed to play on memorials?
Image Source: Facebook
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