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Welcome
Taphophilia (dot) Com...
A repository of morbid curiosities:
Thanatology and Taphophile Issues, Cemetery,
Funeral Industry and Death Related News.
A Taphophilia Thank You...
Taphophilia (dot) Com would not be possible without the knowledge, experience and talent of DarkestWeb. From its conception and early development, DarkestWeb was faced with many challenges; from inspiring and motivating, to providing guidance and direction. The continued dedication and support has produced results greater than ever expected, and for this, I owe a huge debt of gratitude.
Announcements
Men of Mortuaries Calendar
To purchase your 2008 calendar, learn more about the KAMMCARES Foundation, or to be featured in the 2009 calendar, please visit Men of Mortuaries.
Epitaphs: The Magazine for Cemetery Lovers By Cemetery Lovers
For information regarding subscriptions, single issues, submission guidelines, deadlines, classifieds or advertising for future issues, please visit The Cemetery Club.
Guardians of the Soul: Angels and Innocents, Mourners and Saints, Indiana's remarkable cemetery sculpture
with photography by John Bower and foreword by Claude Cookman is now
available. Please visit
Studio Indiana for more information.
West Springfield Massachusetts: Stories Carved in Stone by Rusty Clark features information on early New England gravestone carvers with more than two hundred photos and illustrations. Please visit the Dog Pond Press website.
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Give heroes families privacy |
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Written by DeadGirl
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Thursday, 27 May 2004 |
By John M. Molino
On Memorial Day, we honor and remember — as we do every year — the heroes of our heritage, the brave men and women from every war and generation who fought and died for freedom.
They are, and will remain, America's heroes. Yet, before they were soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen and Coast Guardsmen, they were sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. And while the business of the nation — as it must — goes on, for those who have been left behind, the grief never really ends.
It is both the great honor and the solemn responsibility of the U.S. Department of Defense to comfort and protect, to the maximum extent possible, the privacy of the families of the fallen, and to do everything possible to ensure the utmost reverence and respect for those who laid their lives on the altar of our country.
That, and that alone, is the reason for the policy that disallows media coverage of the arrival of military caskets at the Dover, Del., Air Force Base. It has the only active military mortuary in the continental United States, and it is one of the last stops on the journey that carries our heroes home.
Despite notions to the contrary, Dover is not a place where military honors are rendered. That is reserved for the gravesite. Dover's sole focus is to identify and expedite the remains to the families so they can properly lay their loved ones to rest.
Public coverage of arrivals would almost certainly make some families feel obliged to journey to Dover, perhaps over great distances and at considerable expense. Others may not desire media coverage, or find themselves upset by a public display of their loved one.
The current policy places the decision for the media coverage of the deceased where it belongs: in the hands of the families who have the right — as they should have — to grant or deny media access to funeral or memorial services. This has been the policy of our nation for more than 13 years, through several administrations. It reflects the wishes of the families, who are consulted on an ongoing basis, and it has been upheld by the courts, including on appeal.
Every life lost in service to our country is deeply felt and infinitely mourned.
While members of the nation's military forces have been taken from us, their courage and sacrifice remain with us. They are forever a part of the memory of America and the foundation of our freedom. And that is how they will be honored and remembered — in song and sacred ceremonies like the ones we observed on Monday and on every Memorial Day.
When you see veterans or active-duty members of America's military forces, take a moment to greet them and thank them for their service.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2004-05-27-oppose_x.htm |
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Taphophilia?
taphophilia (taf′ō-fil′ē-ă)
ORIGIN:
From the Greek words taphos, meaning "tomb" or "sepulcher" and philia, meaning "attraction or affinity to something, in particular the love or obsession with something"
DEFINITION: 1. An excessive interest in graves and cemeteries. 2. A love or fondness for funerals, graves, and cemeteries. 3. In psychiatry, a morbid attraction to graves and cemeteries
Quote Repository
“And thou, his Florence, to thy trust Receive and keep, Keep safe his dedicated dust, His sacred sleep. So shall thy lovers, come from far, Mix with thy name As morning-star with evening-star His faultless fame.” A.C. Swinburne
Shirtless and Sculpted
The Men of Mortuaries 2008 Calendar is now available! All sale proceeds benefit KAMMCARES, a breast cancer foundation.
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