EudoraNews.com

Last weekend, an individual or individuals pumped nine bullets in the directory at the Eudora Cemetery. It was probably done casually with no thought about what the act would mean to those who had worked to place the sign or those with loved ones buried in the cemetery.

There's no point in speculating on why it was done. Petty vandalism never has a motivation other than stupidity and selfish self-gratification. It is beyond the perpetrator to think of the work and research that went into the sign, or why someone like Tom Tucker with no relatives buried in the cemetery would come to care so much about the community he adopted in his short, three-year residency and his choice to spearhead the effort.

It's yin and yang of human nature. Stupidity and destructiveness exist, but they are balanced by commitment and sacrifice. The momentary thrill the shooter earned with a noisy discharge of a weapon countered the quiet satisfaction of someone who led a volunteer effort to improve the community.

There is also a drive to raise money to help catch the person(s) responsible. But whether or not the individual(s) responsible are caught, it's good to know the act of vandalism will not be the last word even should the person(s) never be caught. The city agreed to provide $500 to repair the directory and others have pledged the remainder for the repairs.