Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Case of the Loud Cemetery

A Councilman in Louisiana is so upset over colorful tombs in one cemetery that he is proposing a ban on them entirely.
Alvin Tillman, a councilman from the town of Terrebonne, is proposing a law to restrict the color a tomb can be painted. Included, the law would also require the colorful tombs be painted white. 
"We want to stop this before it gets out of hand", Tillman said. "Before you know it you'll go out there and the cemetery will look like Mardi Gras."


(Photo Credit: Christopher/Augafel)

A public hearing on the proposed law will be held on January 11, after the local Developing and Planning Committee approved of the proposal. If it passes, anyone who breaks the law would be charged with a misdemeanor.

I may be wrong here, but isn't it the job of the government in America to represent the people of the area that you are governing? If that's the case and the people that have family in this cemetery all seem to agree that they like it more colorful, then shouldn't the cemetery be painted this way. I don't see anything wrong with this at all. I'm just wondering if a cemetery like this one operates the same as the ones in New Orleans. As you know, we recently visited the St. Louis Cemetery #1 in New Orleans. There, the cemetery is run by the Catholic church and they do have rules about what color a grave can be painted. And the rule is white. There seems to be one local artist that has painted his family grave a funky blue and they let it slide. And there are still others that are not painted at all. But at least there, the rule is if it is painted, then it must be white. 
I can see how a white wash would be easier to maintain over time. And maybe that should be the default color. But to tell so many people that have put so much effort into this craft that they can not do it, seems a little unamerican.


Sources: The Associated Press and www.rawstory.com 

Post Post:
I had no idea until after I posted this that there is a cemetery here in Michigan named Loud Cemetery.
Sorry about any confusion. 

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