Cemetery should rethink its rules
The article in Jan. 19 article “Cemetery sweep upsets residents,” reveals appalling steps taken by the Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens and Mission Garden of Memories cemetery staff.
We laid to rest the remains of our granddaughter at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens in October. Thankfully, we found out about the rules in time to recover some items we had placed there Christmas morning.
If you drive to Mission Memorial Gardens you will notice a much different standard than that in the regulations addressing both cemeteries provided to us by a company employee. Not only is this inconsistent, but unfair to those who have loved ones at Lawn Haven. If these rules are to abided by, then they should insist that both cemeteries are following the rules they have given families of loved ones.
I find these rules to be restricting on what families can and cannot do. We purchased those plots and that should give us some rights as well.
Cemeteries are unique to any other business, one that should be based upon compassion and concern for the families, not rules that bring tears and heartaches.
Secondly, it’s a violation of title 4, section 8(k) of the U.S. flag code by throwing flags in a trash bin. The code states, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
Throwing the American flag in a trash bin shows great disrespect for it. I might add that federal charges can be brought against anyone showing disrespect to the flag in any manner and it doesn’t matter how small the flag is.
So I would suggest the cemetery operators take a deep breath and rethink these rules and the effect they have on the families with love ones remains buried in your cemeteries.
