It will be great of all of you post messages to this board when someone in
our now wide family dies.
We need to be careful of two considerations though - privacy and copyright.
Most newspapers don't care if you post a copy of one of their obits -- but a
few consider it a violattion of their copyright. Thus it's better not to do
that. Since most newspaper obits are now available on line, we can find
them if you tell us the death date or the newspaper and the date of
publication of the obit. Even better is to include the URL of the on-line
obit in your message. There's no copyright problem then.
Alternatively, the facts that appear in the obit are not copyrightable; only
the way they are written up. So you can retype the facts, in your own
words, without violating anyones copyright.
Of course for old obituaries from years and years ago, the copyrights have
expired and there is no problem.
When using your own words, please be respectful of the privacy af living
people and be very careful if adding any information about them to this, or
any, mail list. Whatever information appeared in the obit has already been
publishee, is a matter of public record, and is fair game to repeat. It's
fine to include complimentary or sympathetic statements about relatives of
the desceased, e.g. she's so talented/kind/etc.", but nothing that could
reveal additional data that might help identity thieves, burglers, child
molesters, etc. It's sad that there are predators out there that use
obituaries and the web to take advantage of berevement to find victims, but
unfortunately that's the way it is now.
So we need to be ultra respectful of the feelings and rights of the bereved
and not post any messages which could lead to further grief for them.
It's not difficult, just think a minute before you post a message, use
common sense, and follow the Golden Rule. I'm sure your all good people,
but any of us can trip over "I just didn't think." Especially if we are
one
of the ones grieving. None of us are perfect, so if someone does slip,
especially if they are mourning a loved one, please give them some slack.