Time to Speak up

Look away, keep quiet, if you agree with what is happening and "as ye have sown, so shall ye reap". All decent people here must feel ashamed of the savage act in the Belvedere Zoo in Tunis on Wednesday (reported by British & American media), when brain amputated visitors stoned a crocodile that died of its severe painful wounds. Crocodiles and lions appear to be the main victims of these vicious persons, it is particular bad during school holidays (there seem to be either school holidays or teachers on strike, most of the time, rather strange in view of so many uneducated who yet need to learn basic good manners.) In addition the zoo is often littered with plastic and other rubbish, a "special present" from children and adults alike. All of this is no way to attract tourists! When this stone throwing starts, where are the normal, civilised visitors? Is there nobody to stop it, contact security guards quickly, ideally via mobile phone? Isn't it possible to get at least one or two armed policemen to patrol the zoo, in particular where animals require special protection against stone-age hooligans? - I shouldn't be so shocked, after all I view this stone throwing every day - my fight against wind mills (beating the air). The other day I happened to see 4-5 year olds climbing without aid an approx. 6 meter high wall of a building in the neighbourhood. One little boy on top finally got frightened, didn't know how to get down again. Other playmates started to throw stones, hitting him once near an eye, this made them laugh, no empathy! A boy, approx. 10 years of age, climbed up, grabbed the little one, pretended to throw him off the wall, increasing his fright and making him cry even more. Great fun for the crowd of watching kids. Adults I addressed didn't care, "If a child gets injured, it's a lesson he needs to learn."  - In Sousse alone 40 000 people were employed in the tourist trade or directly linked business. There are repeated demonstrations for the return of deeply missed tourists. In this day and age people abroad learn very quickly what is happening in another country. Europeans usually love and respect animals, nature, the environment. Some change of behaviour can only be achieved by appropriate strict laws and in addition patrolling police to enforce these. Many young men ride motorbikes - letting off steam - without license plates, tuned to create almost unbearable noise and big stinking clouds - in Europe unthinkable, police would quickly stop them and confiscate.... thus preventing many illnesses like deafness, cancer, high blood pressure, nervousness, etc. I would suggest police patrolling on motorbikes also in "problem areas" where tourists are rare. -  Reference the zoo, how about trying "crowd funding"  for the installation of cameras, putting up signs advising visitors who view inappropriate behaviour how to react, phone a certain number to inform security guards. In addition allow children and teens to visit only if accompanied by sensible (hopefully) adults. All must be made to understand that Tunisia's reputation needs to be restored. Words of a famous German author (Berthold Brecht): "What do monkeys say about their visitors in the zoo? Thank heaven they are all behind bars!" If you hate animals, don't visit the zoo. Children must be taught respect. See the beauty of animals, nature, the environment. Buy books for your children, instead of plastic guns from China. I believe poor people can also be decent, love and care for their children, teach them values and dignity. If they don't their children are likely to lack empathy and become a disgrace to the family and even to Tunisia. Tunisia's future is in the hands of the inhabitants, everybody can contribute, so don't look the other way, speak up. The decent majority can achieve much - but only if they don't keep quiet when encountering hooligans, etc. I still have a dream, Tunisia can be beautiful!                                                                                                                         Postscript:    Tunisians demonstrated in Tunis against the atrocious killing of the crocodile, their message: these stone-age villains don't represent the modern civilised society we want, our demand is respect for human and animal life! Hopefully the suffering of several animals and death of the poor  crocodile was not all in vain, if at long last necessary action is achieved.     Information from the BBC: The Tunisian Environment Ministry said that the zoo will be closed temporarily. More guards and environmental police will be employed at the site after emergency cleaning and maintenance works. Measures will be introduced to manage visitors entering and exiting.