From where he lay, the lion saw them coming. They had scaled the brick wall surrounding the cemetery and moving toward him wearing black clothes, gloves and masks. Each of them was carrying a bag. He watched them carefully as they crept past the grave markers of the three thousand unknown souls he watched over that night, just as he had done each day and night for the past one hundred and twenty six years.
When they reached the iron fence that surrounded the lion, they climbed the fence and stood in front of him. One of them took a can out of his bag and then stepped up onto the pedestal upon which the lion rested. He then grabbed the lion’s ear and began to spray red paint from the can into the lion’s eyes. The paint burned and stung as they all began to laugh. The vandal continued to spray until the lion’s entire face was covered with red paint.
Several more climbed up and began to cover his body with red paint, from where the spear had been driven into his side and broken off, to his tail, to the flag which he clutched with his right paw and rested his head upon. The paint ran down the side of the lion’s body and onto the pedestal. They all climbed down and as the other vandals began painting over the inscription carved into the pedestal, the one that had spray painted his face reached into his bag, producing a hammer and a chisel.
He climbed back up onto the pedestal and chiseled out the lion’s eyes. He then knocked out his teeth and chiseled his nose from the bridge to the tip. He hacked off his whiskers, carved up his chin and finally broke two toes off of his front left paw. The lion howled in agony. The vandal then jumped down off of the pedestal and over the fence. They stood and laughed at the lion, hurling curses and insults at him. Then they turned and ran toward the three thousand unmarked graves.
The lion tried to let out a roar, but it would not come. The vandals began to overturn headstones and kick up grass and dirt. Then they began to deface the headstones with red and blue paint. Though the vandal had chiseled out his eyes, the lion was still able to see. He saw with his heart and the three thousand souls within him. It was then that the lion saw those souls, swirling through the limbs of the trees and in the air above the graves. Laughing, the vandals then ran for the brick wall surrounding the cemetery. They scaled it and disappeared into the darkness, not knowing that the souls of the graves they had desecrated were following close behind, as they would for eternity.
The remaining souls returned to their graves. Many of them were little more than children. They had fought in a war many of them did not truly understand. They died unknown and were buried in unmarked graves. Their families never knew what became of them, where or how they fell. They only knew that they never came home. The night was still, dark and quiet. Lying defaced and humiliated on his pedestal, the lion looked at the desecrated graves and for the first time in the one hundred and twenty six years he had watched over the three thousand unmarked souls, the lion cried.
Yes, Mark, this is The Lion Of Oakland. Heartbreaking.
Is this the memorial in Oakland Cemetery?
I wish someone were there with a flame thrower to put a little zest into the protestors. They are all subhuman marginal people.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
It certainly speaks to the sad state of affairs today.
When do we get to say “enough is enough “?
Well if someone had put a stop to vandalizing when the very first statue was ripped down by idiot protesters then other monuments and memorials wouldn’t be defaced now. It should be a crime to destroy any city or federally owned monument punishable but jail and a very hefty fine. So don’t expect sympathy when ALL monuments, memorials or museums (Yes, even the MLK ones) are ripped down or defaced. It could haven been stopped but people chose to do nothing and let it happen.
This is so moving…the best of your talent! I am so saddened by the heartless destruction of a piece of our history that honors the lives of so many. How can someone do this and not feel anything but hatred?!
Thank you for being this forward. This is history that will not be erased by fools.
I cried too when I saw the carnage that was done.
James,
Old retired Sailor here. This parable, story, or thought stands alone without regard to the current world situation. Very touching and thank you for sharing.
Bravo Zulu –
Joel
Sure, Sallie. Send me your address to my Still Cruisin’ email and I will send you a copy. Thanks for reading! –J.
Excellent. Destroying history…destroys us. Thank you for capturing a challenging time in history with eloquence.
This was truly chilling. Thank you so much for it. Is it possible to email it to me so I can preserve a copy?
Cowards do such as this, never contribute any positive, substantially lacking in self esteem, constantly looking to deface what others hold dear.
This is the most touching thing I’ve read about this whole abysmal chaotic mess we find ourselves in.
This is so sad. For those who did the damage God and the souls of the ones you desecrated will haunt you while you are a wake and more when you sleep for the rest of your life.
Would the police allow us to protect these monuments as they allow others to destroy them. If so, this would be resolved in short order. Just stand down police and give us the legal authority to do what you can not do.
Heart-wrenching. Thank you.
Absolutely well written.
Thank you for your words and for caring. What happened there and is still happening across this country with the destruction of monuments and graves is evil. There are human souls and memories in those places, and you touched on that truth very beautifully. ~Carl
May the spirit of the Lion live on to slay the vile scum who committed these dastardly crimes, individually one by one and most painfully.
This is devastating, hurts my heart to think anyone could be that full of hate, and ignorance How low can you be. I Hope your soul never rest in peace.
This desecration if our Sacred Heritage must stop! How can we Stand for these mindless abominations? I’m old now and feel helpless. When I was younger, I really tried to restore our history and honor. I stood with my UDC Sisters in Promising to Never Forget the huge sacrifices made by our brave Confederate soldiers. They fought for their beleaguered Southland, their Home and Family and Traditions. None would have dreamed of sacrifices so enormous, in giving their very lives and of depriving their beloved families of their presence……for The Negro Slaves. Never happened. It was from a much more Nobel cause. Truth, Honor, love of Country and Brothers. Thank you young men. It was too great a sacrifice. I will always honor our Confederacy and our Heritage. I Salute the Confederate Flag with Affection, Reverence and Undying Remembrance. May God Bless America. Thank you great & Noble lion for your tears in Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta.
And how does doing vandalism make anything right? Why destroy something that was placed there in love and grief? To destroy a grave monument or any monument only shows how ignorant you are,no respect for the dead,or for the thousands of families that lost lived ones in these wars. The war of aggression was a bloody war,brothers fought against brother,mother’s cried for husband’s and sons who would never come home again. Black people who had a home and where taken care of had no idea where to go so they stayed or where killed by union soldier’s,women were raped and murdered, children had their heads crushed in,old men where shot trying to protect the women who at home and who did these horrible acts the union soldier’s on orders from their commanding officers. Sherman burned homes,crops,barns,took anything he could to make the southern people suffer! Lincoln hated the black people,his plan was to ship them back to where they came from. Only 4.9% of southern people owned slaves,yes many were mistreated but what about the ones who had been treated well,taken into the houses to take care of children,wife’s and whole families,these ladies where the mammie’s an extension of the mother of the house,trusted completely with the care of those children,those children didn’t see color they saw a woman who loved them,dressed them,protected them. So who gives you asswipes the permission to destroy the monuments,the flag or our beloved history,no one has no will you will burn in hell for what you’ve done. God Bless Dixie!
This saddens me immensely. I’m sad about the desecration by these ignorant savages. I’m sad their lives are so empty and meaningless that they feel only a need for destruction. And I’m mostly sad that I wasn’t there to defend the honor of my ancestors. One day…
I love to catch those cowards and take the hammer and chisel to each of their worthless asses.
Wow, Jimmy. This was so powerful and emotion provoking. You captured the true art of writing with this and I thank you for giving us something to think about today…..as tragic as it may be.
Extreme sadness and truly an example of the hearts of many today….soulless. The lion is us who still have one (soul) and yet we feel helpless.
Thank you, Jimmy.