To the editor:

The “Prayer Booth” sculpture that was vandalized two weeks ago is back up now. I wonder, why isn’t this crime considered a “hate crime”? If the sculpture had been of something else, perhaps a likeness of Martin Luther King or of two same-sex partners holding hands, wouldn’t that be a hate crime to vandalize such a sculpture?

All crimes are hate crimes. It takes hate to commit a crime such as vandalizing a sculpture. The sculpture was regarding a practice of religion so it appears that whomever vandalized the sculpture either hates religion or hates the display of such a subject in public.

Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. What is art to some may not be to others. It is out of respect that all displays of art and indeed all displays of religion should be allowed to stand without the threat of hate against them. Whoever is responsible for the vandalism of the sculpture should come forth and admit their crime and have their punishment be to clean the areas around the sculptures downtown for a year. Then maybe they’ll learn to respect displays of art and religion.

Kris Nelson,

Lawrence