A GRAVE MATTER
The unfolding tragedy for hundreds of families descending upon historic Burr Ridge Cemetery to determine if their departed beloveds' graves have been violated should make us all revisit the place of cemeteries in our vastly overpopulated orb.
Where are we going to bury the 6.7 billion souls currently trodding our planet? How many more cemeteries will be built before we realize that cemeteries for decomposing bodies simply cannot keep up with the Grim Reaper? Should a time limit be placed on how long a body can be interred till it is disposed of in the interest of a new occupant for its grave? Shouldn't every society promote cremation as a way to conserve the precious resources, not to mention the real estate, used to construct these preposterously expensive homes for matter we would recoil from if we could view it in its hermetically sealed environment.
The most startling fact about the alleged evildoers who tore up the bodies and even the headstones of the unfortunate departed, is that they understood some of the implications of these questions. They picked old graves that hadn't been visited in years knowing full well that there was little chance of offending and being outed by actual gravesite visitors.
As a proponent of cremation and the son of two fine parents who insisted on it, I pen this within a few feet of the urn containing the ashes of my beloved mother. I don't think her soul rests uneasy worrying about some folks digging up her remains up like so much refuse in the way a a quick payday.
Originally published at www.chicagotribune.com
Where are we going to bury the 6.7 billion souls currently trodding our planet? How many more cemeteries will be built before we realize that cemeteries for decomposing bodies simply cannot keep up with the Grim Reaper? Should a time limit be placed on how long a body can be interred till it is disposed of in the interest of a new occupant for its grave? Shouldn't every society promote cremation as a way to conserve the precious resources, not to mention the real estate, used to construct these preposterously expensive homes for matter we would recoil from if we could view it in its hermetically sealed environment.
The most startling fact about the alleged evildoers who tore up the bodies and even the headstones of the unfortunate departed, is that they understood some of the implications of these questions. They picked old graves that hadn't been visited in years knowing full well that there was little chance of offending and being outed by actual gravesite visitors.
As a proponent of cremation and the son of two fine parents who insisted on it, I pen this within a few feet of the urn containing the ashes of my beloved mother. I don't think her soul rests uneasy worrying about some folks digging up her remains up like so much refuse in the way a a quick payday.
Originally published at www.chicagotribune.com
posted by Walt Zlotow at 9:33 AM
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