An important part of respecting, recording, and celebrating the history of graveyards and tombstones is by preserving them for future generations. Environmental pollutants, storm damage, vandalism, and the passage of time are just some of the reasons why our cemeteries fall into disrepair. Please don't just march into a cemetery with a jug of bleach and a sponge; there is a delicate process to restoration. Doing research before you even attempt to do any restoration is critical. These two books document how to get started on building a preservation team, if you're interested and such a group doesn't exist in your community:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hal_mhc_shpo_Cemetery_Guide_105082_7.pdf
http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Preservation-American-Association-History/dp/0761991301
Natural damage and deterioration is one thing, but vandalism is quite another. Vandals make me sick because they completely disregard respect towards their fellow human beings and history. Go read a book next time you feel the need to kick over a tombstone, okay?? This little write-up is pretty interesting because it suggests that people commit vandalism just because they can get away with it (cemeteries don't really have locked gates or security systems, for the most part), or because they are bored, not because they are cruel:
http://www.cemeterydepot.com/Cemetery-Vandalism-information.php
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