Grave Digging in Illinois (Special place in hell candidates)

[RolandJP]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/about-300about-300-graves-tampered-87398.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab


ALSIP, Ill. — Authorities say about 300 graves at a historic black cemetery near Chicago may have been tampered with as part of a scheme in which grave sites could be resold.
Enlarge photo
Family members search for the graves of relatives at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Ill., Thursday, July 9, 2009, after graves were discovered dug up Wednesday and bodies dumped into unmarked mass graves in an alleged scheme to resell the plots to unsuspecting members of the public. Three men and a woman are facing felony charges after police found what they called "startling and revolting" conditions at the historic cemetery in the south Chicago suburb.


Four workers at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip were charged Thursday with one count each of dismembering a human body, a felony.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says some of the graves were dug up and remains dumped elsewhere. He says in other cases the graves were "pounded down" and another person was buried on top.

[mgs]

This has been happening all over the place in the last couple of decades. People don't realize just how much space is needed to bury the dead these days.

The markets may have tanked real estate, but cemetary real estate is at an all time high premium! :wink:

Personally, I think it's time to let go of some of the dead. Too much space IS wasted on them. I mean, people should still have the choice, but if so, smaller plots, more creamations, or natural plots should be used and all that. That space could be used for public parks or something.

[Donald M.]

This sort of thing was common practice up until the 20th century or so and the population has only grown exponentially since then.

That doesn't excuse these practices. Times, as I said, have changed. People have an expectation when they purchase a gravesite for a loved one that it's always going to be there. This seems especially stupid given that people, you know, visit gravesites. Even if they're digging up graves that don't get visitors, someone's going to notice.

Finding land to bury bodies on is an obvious problem that's only going to get worse.

I plan to do my part by being cremated.

[mgs]

I plan to do my part by being cremated.
I was thinking about that for a long time, but you know, it's hard to tell if they really separate your ashes and all that.

I'm looking into the natural thing, where they let you decompose in some forest cleared area and you're buried in a natural wood casket and all that. :smile:

[RolandJP]

I know they are just spaces to hold the remains, but..at least we should get whats paid for--when it comes to burying loved ones.

Whats the alternative...Solvent Green??

[Romero]

A zombie outbreak would cure this problem. With all those dead walking again, think of how many graves would be opened up for someone else to use.

[Athena Bast]

Some places like France, you rent your plot for a certain amount of time. I know this came up when the lease of Morrison's grave came up and they were going to evict him.

[Donald M.]

Some places like France, you rent your plot for a certain amount of time. I know this came up when the lease of Morrison's grave came up and they were going to evict him.

That actually makes a lot of sense, this way the grave only remains occupied by one person for as long as there's someone willing to keep up the lease on the grave.

God knows there are enough graves out there that never get visited that there's no reason they shouldn't get dug up and resold. Some older graves might warrant being preserved as historical landmarks, particularly the graves of famous people but other than that, I think Americans (though it's not limited just to us, obviously) are, as a people, way too attached to our dead.

[mgs]

I think Americans (though it's not limited just to us, obviously) are, as a people, way too attached to our dead.
Dead people and golf courses. Two of the biggest wastes of space in the US right now. I say, if they want one, they should take both. Make golf courses over the cemetaries!

[mikekerr3]

This sort of thing was common practice up until the 20th century or so and the population has only grown exponentially since then.

That doesn't excuse these practices. Times, as I said, have changed. People have an expectation when they purchase a gravesite for a loved one that it's always going to be there. This seems especially stupid given that people, you know, visit gravesites. Even if they're digging up graves that don't get visitors, someone's going to notice.

Finding land to bury bodies on is an obvious problem that's only going to get worse.

I plan to do my part by being cremated.

Since Arlington is free for me that's where I'm going to be buried, but If I had to pay for a place it would be cremation for sure.

[mgs]

Since Arlington is free for me that's where I'm going to be buried, but If I had to pay for a place it would be cremation for sure.
well, sure, but the military are only a small percentage of the dead from this country, and surely don't take up as much space.

[dupont2005]

This has been happening all over the place in the last couple of decades. People don't realize just how much space is needed to bury the dead these days.

The markets may have tanked real estate, but cemetary real estate is at an all time high premium! :wink:

Personally, I think it's time to let go of some of the dead. Too much space IS wasted on them. I mean, people should still have the choice, but if so, smaller plots, more creamations, or natural plots should be used and all that. That space could be used for public parks or something.

true, i have heard of this type of thing before. my mom always told me they keep an eye on who gets regular visitors and flowers and who doesn't to see whose plot can be reused, but i don't know about all that. i guess 10 years of no visitors would be tempting though on the part of the cemetery. my grandma and one of my friends from high school were cremated, and i liked how the remains were always accessible and safe in the custody of their loved ones.

[Slappy san]

Cemeteries are for the living anyway. I'd go for cremation and spreading the ashes or donating my body to charity.

One thing this article taught was messing with dead bodies is a felony.

I hope these greedy bastards get the max btw.

[Donald M.]

Dead people and golf courses. Two of the biggest wastes of space in the US right now. I say, if they want one, they should take both. Make golf courses over the cemetaries!

Or start burying people on Golf courses.

They could make it part of the game, gravestones as the latest obstacle/hazard, whatever they call it in golf.

[mikekerr3]

well, sure, but the military are only a small percentage of the dead from this country, and surely don't take up as much space.

Actually there are well over 3 million vets out there at any given time, and we have the best and most spacious cemeteries around. That isthe one place where we are treated well.

[mikekerr3]

Cemeteries are for the living anyway. I'd go for cremation and spreading the ashes or donating my body to charity.

One thing this article taught was messing with dead bodies is a felony.

I hope these greedy bastards get the max btw.

Maybe just released to the tender lovie care of the families involved:evilsmile:

[DonC]

If South Park has taught us anything, it's that you need to dig up the dead, then bury them face down before you build that pet store.

[Valmore]

I know they are just spaces to hold the remains, but..at least we should get whats paid for--when it comes to burying loved ones.

Whats the alternative...Solvent Green??

I can't believe it's going to take 13 posts on this nerd-board to point out that it's "Soylent" Green.

[Donald M.]

I can't believe it's going to take 13 posts on this nerd-board to point out that it's "Soylent" Green.

I didn't even notice the typo.

So much for that message board stereotype.

[Athena Bast]

I can't believe it's going to take 13 posts on this nerd-board to point out that it's "Soylent" Green.

It didn't even occur to me since I was thinking of a corrosive cleaner with a green pigment.

[The Black Guardian]

Actually there are well over 3 million vets out there at any given time, and we have the best and most spacious cemeteries around. That isthe one place where we are treated well.
Well, 3 million does make them a very small percentage.
I was thinking about that for a long time, but you know, it's hard to tell if they really separate your ashes and all that.
You can't be assured that your loved ones are actually buried in their plot either.

Recently, here in New Orleans, a family opened their mausoleum to make a deposit and saw a very strange coffin. The family was non-religious, yet this coffin was very elaborate with Christian symbols. It was not the one in which their relative was sealed. Come to find out, their dead relative hasn't been entombed in the mausoleum, possibly ever. No one seems to know where the corpse is.

[RolandJP]

I can't believe it's going to take 13 posts on this nerd-board to point out that it's "Soylent" Green.

Only a few got the reference anyway. :tongue: I used the international spelling--anyway. Umm yeah.

[worstblogever]

I plan to do my part by being cremated.

I'm doing that, then having my ashes mixed into concrete that will be used to create a statue of me riding a cavalry horse wielding a big sword someplace easily viewed, with the epitath, "He died how he lived."

Sure, I don't even like horses, but I think people would be fooled enough to be impressed.

[Valmore]

Only a few got the reference anyway. :tongue: I used the international spelling--anyway. Umm yeah.

Solvent Green sound like a good cleanser, though. Someone should market that.

"Solvent Green ... it cleans for people!"