Cool story Martini! It is too bad they didn't think all those years ago, but at least this will help get the word out to otheres.

I like that they admit that it bothered them for years, and that they always felt guilty whenever they looked at it. I hope it makes people think twice before walking off with their own "souvenirs"!!!

They SHOULD feel guilty...like they said, imagine if every person that visited the Colosseum took a small piece of it as a souvenir. There wouldn't be a Colosseum! It's one of those things that you might not think makes much of a difference on a small scale, but if you think of it on a larger scale it makes a helluva difference.

This is great, it really does get the message out to people to leave things alone. Be it the Colosseum or a National Park/Preservation area, don't take the rocks home! I'm so glad they returned it. I can't even imagine chipping a piece of the Colosseum off of it when I was there last Fall, I mean that thought would never enter my mind. Why do people do stuff like taht I wonder?

Awesome post, Martini!

Great, they assuaged their conscience, but does that restore the column that was chipped? I think more should be expected from them in the way of amends then just sending back the piece they chipped off. it made them feel better about themselves, but it it did not make the Colosseum any less damaged. it is like some guy mailing a pair of panties to some lady's house, with a note I am sorry about that rape 20 years ago, but my conscience has been bothering me, and I can't stand looking at these pantie's of yours I took as a trophy any more.

ew

Grandpa, the two aren't even close to comparable.

When I went to Stone Henge, you could no longer go right up to it and touch it like you used to be able to. They said it was because too many people were taking chips off it. Sad, but nothing like actually physically and sexually attacking someone.

LilK - that is so sad about Stone Henge! I just can't imagine damaging something that magnificent. I am glad that they took steps to protect it, but find it sad that you can't walk up to it anymore because people do stupid things!

Grandpa, I can only hope that by their returning the chip, and the publicity of them doing so, others will think twice before taking home such a souvenir for themselves. I am going to ignore the comparison you made, since it is highly inappropriate.

I know, Martini! I was bummed. Some people in my group snuck under the rope and went up to it anyway. They didn't take a chip off or anything, they just had someone take a quick picture before they got kicked out! Which really, isn't that big of a punishment anyway. I mean, it's a cool thing to see, but we were about to leave anyway. They just waited in the parking lot.

Stone Henge is one of those things that I really want to see. I am hoping to make it over there next year! When did you go?

I did a month long summer study abroad in London during the summer of 2004, so I went then.

We took a few little weekend or day trips, so I was able to make it out to Stonehenge, Oxford, Salisbury, Greenwich, Blenheim Palace, Edinburgh, and Paris.

Stonehenge was pretty cool! I mean, you kind of get there, read a little bit, and look at it, so it's not like it's somewhere you're spend a whole day, but it's interesting to see. We actually did Stonehenge and Salisbury the same day. Salisbury was a really cute little town!

Wow, I cannot believe that was 5 years ago! I always forget how long ago it was until I actually think about it.

I was fortunate enough to be able to walk around Stonehenge, before it was closed off. Too look at now from a distance is just not the same. I knew that my posting a comparison like that would upset many of you, but in fact that is how I feel about vandalizing history. Someday, I will be dead, and someday the rapist will be dead, and someday everyone who was aware of, and affected by that rape will be dead, but that vandalism will still be there for future generations for as long as there are future generations visiting the site.

Grandpa, it is clear that you have never known someone who is the victim of a sexual assault. If you do, it is clear that you don't fully understand what that person went through. And, with your statement that you knew it would upset people, it is also clear that you meant to be rude and are not following what you claim is your philosophy.

lilkimbo, in that you are wrong. I do indeed know someone who was sexually assaulted, some one I care(d) a great deal about. I am also well aware of the after effects. I am not belittling rape victims at all, the only thing more heinous is the murdering some poor helpless victim afterwards. I just feel very strongly about historical and natural wonders, that are irreplaceable and vandalized or destroyed. The two greatest crimes in my mind were the destruction of the library at Alexandria, and the Aztec scrolls in Mexico.

Grandpa, no matter how much you care about that person, you clearly don't understand everyone she or he went through or you would NEVER have made that comment.

(And, just because of how you are, I knew you would say you knew someone, which is why I first stated that your comments make it obvious that you don't understand what that person went through.)

And if you truly think that the only thing more heinous than rape is murder, why compare taking a chip off of an historical artifact to committing rape? Do you think what these people did is equally as heinous as rape?

And again, if you want "light not heat," why make a statement that you knew would upset people when you could have made the same point with a different statement?

(Amend comment #16 to say, "Which is why I stated in comment #14..." not, "Which is why I first stated...")

Actually, your comment #13 certainly makes it seem like you think taking a chip off of an historical site is much worse than rape, simply because the effects are longer.

Let me try to rephrase what is running through my mind. In no way am I making light of rape. For the people involved it can be a life changing experience where scars never truly heal. The same is true for the families of a murder victim. For the rest of us, while we abhor a rape, anywhere anytime, it is not something that impacts the stranger to the event. At some point even those who were most impacted by a singular event pass on, and with them the memory. Does anyone know the specifics of a rape that occurred in the 1930's, let alone 1830, or 1730. yet in 2109, 2209, 2309, the scar of the destruction is still there to be seen by those who care.

I don't care if people use rape in a simile, metaphor, analogy, or any kind of comparison.

But dude, it has to make sense.

A better example would be sending back someone's finger after you chopped it off.

truesong That is the perfect analogy. If my tiny little brain could hit on all cylinders, I might have thought of it. It is much better then the one I used.