Global positioning treasure hunts have become popular around the world, but they have earned the wrath of the keepers of historic and sacred sites in South Carolina. A move is afoot to prohibit so-called geocaching in cemeteries and other historic sites.

Tuesday night, Beaufort City Council approved a resolution supporting H-3177 introduced a few weeks ago in the S.C. House of Representatives by Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort.

The bill would criminalize geocaching in cemeteries, archaeological sites and historic properties, providing penalties of up to 30 days in prison and a $100 fine or up to 100 hours of community service.

It's unfortunate that a popular pastime has earned such a bad reputation. However, even though the South is rapidly changing, Southerners still hold sacred important spaces dedicated to historic events or the people who have inhabited this earth before them.

Thomas Logan told the council Tuesday that geocaching, which was started in Bellview, Wash., in 1996, made its way into Beaufort about 18 months ago. Since then geocachers have trodded on historic sites and cemeteries, including U.S. National Cemetery, Sixteen Gates Cemetery, Evergreen Cemetery, Citizens Cemetery, Old Sheldon Church and Stoney Creek Presbyterian Church grounds.

Ed Allen, who noticed geocachers invading Sixteen Gates Cemetery, rightly joins Logan in his loathing. Last fall Allen brought some public attention to the anti-geochacing effort, but Ceips' bill has brought statewide attention. On Wednesday, Ceips again held hearing on the bill in Columbia.

Geocahcers claim that they participate in a harmless pastime, but Logan, Allen and some state officials say that such activities are irreverent and potentially destructive to sites that the public has spent vast sums of money improving and protecting. Geocachers claim that they give to communities. Indeed, according to the Web site http://www.geocaching.com/, geocachers around the world will gather and clean up local parks Saturday. "It's just one way we can contribute to the maintenance of our outdoor spaces and say 'thanks' to the land managers that help to make our parks a great place for geocaching," the site says.

Geocachers have a right to go on public property and participate in their activities as long as they aren't destructive. But it is the lack of common sense that has turned much public sentiment against them. They have no right to climb on property and they have no right to trespass on private property. Many cemeteries are private.

Ordinarily citizens might not get angry at such activities, but when cemeteries are referred to as "bone yards" and described as a wealth of places to have fun, people get upset. They become even more angry when an avowed goal, according to Logan, is to put a geocache in every S.C. cemetery.

As Logan told the City Council before approval of the resolution on Tuesday, "We have so many historic places and cemeteries that are sacred, hallowed ground." He is right. Geocaching is no way to honor the memory of people in cemeteries, especially those in the National Cemetery.

Legislators should approve Ceips' bill and place more emphasis on the 100 hours of public service for violators.