Gentrifers watching a movie on the grounds of Congressional Cemetery. Disrespectful or Hip & Urban?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I lived a block away from there in 2007-2008, and even then it was overgrown and creepy and I would sure as hell not go there at night. It was also around then that the dog-walker stuff got started, IIRC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The hipsters watching ironic movies on the graves of people they don't know aren't exactly stakeholders. And the locals letting their dogs take a dump every day on the graves of people they don't know are only marginally "stakeholders" -- and they could enjoy that same level of "stakeholding" by making a simple cash donation to the non-profit while skipping the dogs purposefully shitting on graves aspect.

And no, I won't shut the hell up. Sometimes it's better to voice objection to things that are just wrong. Like perhaps I decry bigotry and racism against Mexicans who observe pagan rituals that may be known as Dia do los Muertos -- even though I'm not Latin American and so have "hold" no "stake" in that exercise.

So offer your services to the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery. Or, if that's too much work, send them an e-mail to tell them that you think they're doing a lousy job. Here's their contact form: http://www.congressionalcemetery.org/contact-us.asp Or consider asking them whether a contribution of $X would be enough to get them to stop showing movies.

Also, why is Psycho an ironic movie?

[Anonymous]

Cause its crazy to watch crazy on tv while laying atop of corpses and snacking on buttered popcorn. The things that a supernova moon will bring, i tell ya.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I think its weird to watch a movie, I am all for open access to cemeterys. they are horrible land use in the grand scheme of things. Huge swaths of property shut off from everything in perpituity. Creamation is the environomentally appropriate choice.

+1

I prefer the scacred forest idea, where trees are planted over the bodies. Dogs and families are welcome to use the forest like a national park.

[Anonymous]

Some of you have real poop hang ups. All animals poop, at least the dog walkers pick it up.

[Anonymous]

I love it. 100 years ago cemeteries used to be more like parks. You could picnic and walk along. Now they're just dead zones that you can't use anymore. I think that's a greater disrespect to those buried there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a DC native and l'm old enough to remember when drug dealers used to camp out in front of AND IN Congressional Cemetery, dealing and using.

Prostitutes roamed it openly.

Comparatively, watching movies is a vast improvement.

Grow up![/quote]

You had me until "grow up". That makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where I am from - it's common practice to pay respect to the dead by camping out at their graves and having parties. No joke - we would have buffets and people would drink alcohol.

I'm okay with this cemetery being used by people to watch movies and walk their dogs. Better to have good people there than have it be empty of frequented by criminals.

You naysayers - if you have an issue with it- take it up with the cemetery. If you are not a stake holder - then shut the hell up.

The hipsters watching ironic movies on the graves of people they don't know aren't exactly stakeholders. And the locals letting their dogs take a dump every day on the graves of people they don't know are only marginally "stakeholders" -- and they could enjoy that same level of "stakeholding" by making a simple cash donation to the non-profit while skipping the dogs purposefully shitting on graves aspect.

And no, I won't shut the hell up. Sometimes it's better to voice objection to things that are just wrong. Like perhaps I decry bigotry and racism against Mexicans who observe pagan rituals that may be known as Dia do los Muertos -- even though I'm not Latin American and so have "hold" no "stake" in that exercise.

I thought only dog owners who become members get a key to use it? Doesn't that make them full stakeholders?

[Anonymous]

The dogwalking community at Congressional is very, very careful to leave the gravesites clean. I think you even have to be a member to be able to walk your dog there, and there is a huge waiting list. Regardless of what people on DCUM think, I believe that the overwhelming community feeling is that the cemetery is cleaner and safer than it has been in decades.

It would be interesting to hear from more families who have loved ones buried there, but I can't imagine that the historic preservation group is allowing activities on the site without buy-in from a significant majority of stakeholders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I think its weird to watch a movie, I am all for open access to cemeterys. they are horrible land use in the grand scheme of things. Huge swaths of property shut off from everything in perpituity. Creamation is the environomentally appropriate choice.

+1

I prefer the scacred forest idea, where trees are planted over the bodies. Dogs and families are welcome to use the forest like a national park.

So Aunt Elga's spirit can grow into the tree branches and blow with the wind? No, thank you. That sounds like a scary forest, not a sacred one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I think its weird to watch a movie, I am all for open access to cemeterys. they are horrible land use in the grand scheme of things. Huge swaths of property shut off from everything in perpituity. Creamation is the environomentally appropriate choice.

+1

I prefer the scacred forest idea, where trees are planted over the bodies. Dogs and families are welcome to use the forest like a national park.

So Aunt Elga's spirit can grow into the tree branches and blow with the wind? No, thank you. That sounds like a scary forest, not a sacred one.

Huh? If Aunt Elga's spirit can grow into tree branches, can it just as easily grow into the grass and blow into the wind? Or is a casket requires to keep the spirit with the body? Of course that means the spirit had to stay with the body after death and burial.

You've certainly opened Pandora's box (or at very least Aunt Elga's) with regards to death and spirits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The dogwalking community at Congressional is very, very careful to leave the gravesites clean. I think you even have to be a member to be able to walk your dog there, and there is a huge waiting list. Regardless of what people on DCUM think, I believe that the overwhelming community feeling is that the cemetery is cleaner and safer than it has been in decades.

It would be interesting to hear from more families who have loved ones buried there, but I can't imagine that the historic preservation group is allowing activities on the site without buy-in from a significant majority of stakeholders.

You do have to be a member and you have to pay hefty annual membership dues, agree to a long list of rules and commit to a certain number of volunteer hours (which you have to do or you will be kicked out).

So many people on this thread have no idea what they're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I think its weird to watch a movie, I am all for open access to cemeterys. they are horrible land use in the grand scheme of things. Huge swaths of property shut off from everything in perpituity. Creamation is the environomentally appropriate choice.

+1

I prefer the scacred forest idea, where trees are planted over the bodies. Dogs and families are welcome to use the forest like a national park.

So Aunt Elga's spirit can grow into the tree branches and blow with the wind? No, thank you. That sounds like a scary forest, not a sacred one.

Huh? If Aunt Elga's spirit can grow into tree branches, can it just as easily grow into the grass and blow into the wind? Or is a casket requires to keep the spirit with the body? Of course that means the spirit had to stay with the body after death and burial.

You've certainly opened Pandora's box (or at very least Aunt Elga's) with regards to death and spirits.

LOL! It's true. Didn't think of all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So because laws weren't enforced and drug dealers and prostitutes were there, it is OK so show no common respect for a cemetery?

How about spending time not looking the other way at crime, not accepting it, rather than following one bad deed with another.


If somebody was watching a movie or letting their dog shit on my grandfather's grave, I would be insanely bitter. More Hipster bullshit.

Again, don't blame hipsters. They didn't start the dogwalking program. It's inaccurate and unfair to blame them.

[Anonymous]

Also, it must have been very triggering to the dead people for them to show the movie Psycho. What if any of them were killed with a knife?