Answer

Iconoclasm

Iconoclasm is the destruction of monuments or images erected due to personal, religious or political differences. People engaging willingly or forcefully in this act are collectively known as iconoclasts. These acts are as rampant in the current days as they were in the ancient days.

It is worth noting that some destructions are intentional like the case of looting by thugs in Baghdad’s National Museum in 2003, and some, accidental. Archaeologists have had a keen interest in conserving most of the monuments, images and ancient structures erected in order to unearth the ways of culture of different communities. Iconoclasm is always a setback in this scenario.

In the past, differences in religion and political views have been a major cause of Iconoclasm. It is interesting to note that even in these modern times, the causes are not any different. A case in point is the historical destruction happening in the city of Mecca. Here, developers are destroying property that has religious importance and representing the culture of Mecca to develop their own structures. In her New York Times article, Zuaddin Sardar, notes that the house of Khadijah who was the first wife of Prophet Muhammed has been turned into a block of toilets. In the past, property and monuments have been destroyed due to religious differences like the case. The destruction of the old libraries in Timbuktu has been termed by the UNESCO as an attack against this history and the values it carries with it. It has also been described as an attack against the physical evidence that peace and dialogue is possible.

People engage in iconoclasm for different reasons ranging from personal, political, social, economic, and religious differences just to mention. It is important to, however, note that some occur due to accidents like fire or natural causes like earth tremors. In my opinion, intentional acts of destruction are not justified as this is culture, art and history under attack.