FAIRFAX, Okla. — For some taking pictures is a passion, a way to make a moment stand still. That's what draws Sherry Carter to cemeteries across Osage County.
But after four visits to Gray Horse, she's disappointed to see a growing issue of vandalism.
"It's just heartbreaking. The pictures are being shattered, they're being shot. One over here looks like it's intentionally being chiseled. Some are missing altogether. It's just sad," Carter said.
Many buried in this cemetery were killed during the reign of terror in the 1920s.
"It is a sacred burial ground. There's a lot of pain buried here. Normally I get a lot of peace in a cemetery but there's not a lot of peace in this one. There's a lot of souls not resting well," Carter said.
She first came to Gray Horse for an anniversary with her husband. While trying to recognize love, the two stumbled on hatred.
"Discrimination is still here in America. Never gone away. I thought we would have learned by now but it seems like we haven't learned our lesson yet," Babo Carter said.
But with every visit, the photographer tells 2 Works for You she finds the sound of mockingbirds. Like these companions, she plans to return and check on those who are no longer with us.
"Loved ones are in the mockingbird. They come to visit you through the mockingbird. I don't know if it's true or not but it's a nice thought," Carter said.
2 Works for You did reach out to Osage Nation to figure out if they're aware of the vandalism and looking into a possible solution.
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