Kyle:
Feel free to issue all the apologies you care to, but leave us (citizens of
Indiana) out of it. I, for one, have been in some pretty "trashy" cemeteries
in both Illinois, South Carolina and many other states and I don't believe
that the Hoosier State should be singled out like we are the only ones who
let our cemeteries go by the wayside.
Every state is different, but if there is anyone to blame in this state or
who should apologize to some one, it is the government officials and not the
citizens of Indiana. I am just wondering when the last time these
descendants visited these cemeteries. Most of the problems we have didn't
just happen over night.
Jon Andrews
From: KidClerk(a)aol.com
Reply-To: INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com
To: INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [INPCRP] Apology to our out of state guests
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 21:08:07 EST
Mary Ann and Madonna:
On behalf of the citizens of the State of Indiana, I'd like to apologize to
you for the conditions you have found the cemeteries in which your
ancestors
are interred.
Indiana is really a funny state by the way we do things. While we can't
seem
to pass legislation that would allow us to raise the necessary funds, and
awareness, of the plight of our pioneer cemeteries, we can still find it in
our
hearts to tax the citizenry on the property they own just as we did those
very
ancestors who are buried in those pioneer cemeteries over 150 years ago.
It
seems we can build multi million dollar buildings to house our state
archives
and historical collections, but can't work to maintain and restore our
pioneer
cemeteries. And in some situations, we strive so hard to preserve the
native
weeds our ancestors fought to kill that we fail to keep their burial
locations
from becoming extinct.
I'm sure many thoughts must have entered your minds upon your arrival at
the
cemeteries you referred to after seeing them in such deplorable condition.
But rest assured you are not alone, for most, if not all of us on this
list,
find ourselves in the very same situation. We, too, share your
frustration, but
more importantly, we find ourselves embarrassed at what we have allowed to
happen in this great state. With your help and that of all of those on
this list
and around this state, we will continue to right this wrong by continuing
to
work for common decency, the decency that comes by the realization that the
blood that flows through our bodies was once that blood of those whom we
have
long neglected. Those very same ancestors who are looking down at us now
in
shame for allowing such a travesty to occur.
With your help, we'll continue to make progress toward this common goal of
love and respect for those who have gone before us.
Cordially,
Kyle D. Conrad
Brook, Indiana
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
This list is for discussion of topics related to the Indiana Pioneer
Cemeteries Restoration Project only.
Please do not send genealogical queries through this list. The surname and
geographic Mailing Lists on Rootsweb at
http://lists.rootsweb.com are a
better venue.
Thank you.
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