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

[Anonymous]

Congressional has always been an old-school, laid-back cemetery -- my childhood church was affiliated with it in the 1970s, and we did things like have a Halloween service there.

I don't have family buried there, but I live nearby and intend to be buried there (though I haven't gotten around to buying a plot yet), so I feel like a stakeholder, and I think showing a horror movie there is a great idea.

I remember the first time I visited Arlington natl cemetery -- I found the decorum so cold. The more casual atmosphere of Congressional reminds me that the dead were people, like us, who laughed and went to the bathroom and (depending on when they lived) watched movies.

[Anonymous]

Interesting piece on cemeteries:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/our-first-public-parks-the-forgotten-history-of-cemeteries/71818/

Cemeteries we built for ourselves, increasingly after 1830, were places with winding roads and picturesque vistas. The idea being that you leave behind the mercantile world outside the gates and enter into the space where you can meditate, where you can come into contact with spirituality and concentrate. They were quite important spaces for recreation as well. Keep in mind, the great rural cemeteries were built at a time when there weren't public parks, or art museums, or botanical gardens in American cities. You suddenly had large pieces of ground, filled with beautiful sculptures and horticultural art. People flocked to cemeteries for picnics, for hunting and shooting and carriage racing. These places became so popular that not only were guidebooks issued to guide visitors, but also all kinds of rules were posted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting piece on cemeteries:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/our-first-public-parks-the-forgotten-history-of-cemeteries/71818/

Cemeteries we built for ourselves, increasingly after 1830, were places with winding roads and picturesque vistas. The idea being that you leave behind the mercantile world outside the gates and enter into the space where you can meditate, where you can come into contact with spirituality and concentrate. They were quite important spaces for recreation as well. Keep in mind, the great rural cemeteries were built at a time when there weren't public parks, or art museums, or botanical gardens in American cities. You suddenly had large pieces of ground, filled with beautiful sculptures and horticultural art. People flocked to cemeteries for picnics, for hunting and shooting and carriage racing. These places became so popular that not only were guidebooks issued to guide visitors, but also all kinds of rules were posted.

Interesting indeed. I would love to know more about these "posted rules"...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting piece on cemeteries:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/our-first-public-parks-the-forgotten-history-of-cemeteries/71818/

Cemeteries we built for ourselves, increasingly after 1830, were places with winding roads and picturesque vistas. The idea being that you leave behind the mercantile world outside the gates and enter into the space where you can meditate, where you can come into contact with spirituality and concentrate. They were quite important spaces for recreation as well. Keep in mind, the great rural cemeteries were built at a time when there weren't public parks, or art museums, or botanical gardens in American cities. You suddenly had large pieces of ground, filled with beautiful sculptures and horticultural art. People flocked to cemeteries for picnics, for hunting and shooting and carriage racing. These places became so popular that not only were guidebooks issued to guide visitors, but also all kinds of rules were posted.

Also from that article:



The idea of cremation is somehow a little violent and also, I like the idea of being connected back to the earth—becoming food for somebody or something, and also being connected to a place, just for a generation or two. I'm not vain enough to think people will come back and visit for generations. I'd like to have a place where my children and their children could commune, but it doesn't need to go on for more than a generation or two.

[Anonymous]

Shouldn't cemeteries be about celebrating life? I think hosting movies, dog walkers, etc. is much more preferable than having a largely vacant park few people visit.

[Anonymous]

I would rather have a quiet place of reflection for the life memories I built with the person. And not have to step over the poop to place fresh flowers on the grave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would rather have a quiet place of reflection for the life memories I built with the person. And not have to step over the poop to place fresh flowers on the grave.

No one is stepping over poop. Try again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather have a quiet place of reflection for the life memories I built with the person. And not have to step over the poop to place fresh flowers on the grave.

No one is stepping over poop. Try again

How do you know that NO ONE is stepping over poop? Have you scooped ALL the poop? Of ALL the species?
And I don't want noisy gentrifiers interfering with my quiet meditation at a grave either. Some things should be kept sacred.

[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.

They actually are stakeholders as they are nearby residents who ove donations. My friend who lives on H St who takes his dog to Congressional cemetery also has to pay dues, agree to keep the places clean, and has to abide by certain rules.

As for the hipsters watching movies - dude, give it up. You have mental issues.

[Anonymous]

Those of you who are so exercised over this - Have you ever been there? I visited Congressional Cemetery a year or so ago and thought that the dog walkers (whose role in restoration of the cemetery was explained by the guide) added life and even dignity to the site. I doubt if you'll find more respectful dog walkers anywhere - no one was hopping over dog poop.

It's a huge place, and the expenses of upkeep must be similarly huge.

Personally, if a dog wants to visit my grave for bathroom purposes after I'm dead, that's fine with me, though I'd prefer the poop be cleaned up.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather have a quiet place of reflection for the life memories I built with the person. And not have to step over the poop to place fresh flowers on the grave.

No one is stepping over poop. Try again

How do you know that NO ONE is stepping over poop? Have you scooped ALL the poop? Of ALL the species?
And I don't want noisy gentrifiers interfering with my quiet meditation at a grave either. Some things should be kept sacred.

Then I hope you and your loved ones are buried in a family cemetery on your own private property. You will need a tall fence too.

I don't really like dogs at all and they gross me out, especially their poop. But the improvement upkeep of CC in the years since this program started has been phenomenal. I love to take my kids there for sledding in the winter. If a cemetery taking up valuable real estate in a hot neighborhood were not meant for some community events, I suspect you would be moaning about it being a waste. I don't know where you get your stridency about what is or isn't acceptable activity for a cemetery. If cemeteries in, say, Anne of Green Gables weren't open half the plot points in those books would have no setting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather have a quiet place of reflection for the life memories I built with the person. And not have to step over the poop to place fresh flowers on the grave.

No one is stepping over poop. Try again

How do you know that NO ONE is stepping over poop? Have you scooped ALL the poop? Of ALL the species?
And I don't want noisy gentrifiers interfering with my quiet meditation at a grave either. Some things should be kept sacred.

Then I hope you and your loved ones are buried in a family cemetery on your own private property. You will need a tall fence too.

I don't really like dogs at all and they gross me out, especially their poop. But the improvement upkeep of CC in the years since this program started has been phenomenal. I love to take my kids there for sledding in the winter. If a cemetery taking up valuable real estate in a hot neighborhood were not meant for some community events, I suspect you would be moaning about it being a waste. I don't know where you get your stridency about what is or isn't acceptable activity for a cemetery. If cemeteries in, say, Anne of Green Gables weren't open half the plot points in those books would have no setting!

Well, if Lucy Maud thought it right, then that settles the matter. Never mind all of the other off color circumstances weren't made picturesque in your fictional tale that depicted that lovely era of 1908.

[Anonymous]

Oh my God, people. Don't buy a plot at Congressional if you don't like their policy. But don't nitpick something from afar that you have no idea about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that NO ONE is stepping over poop? Have you scooped ALL the poop? Of ALL the species?
And I don't want noisy gentrifiers interfering with my quiet meditation at a grave either. Some things should be kept sacred.

It's those disrespectful squirrels again, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather have a quiet place of reflection for the life memories I built with the person. And not have to step over the poop to place fresh flowers on the grave.

No one is stepping over poop. Try again

How do you know that NO ONE is stepping over poop? Have you scooped ALL the poop? Of ALL the species?
And I don't want noisy gentrifiers interfering with my quiet meditation at a grave either. Some things should be kept sacred.

Then I hope you and your loved ones are buried in a family cemetery on your own private property. You will need a tall fence too.

I don't really like dogs at all and they gross me out, especially their poop. But the improvement upkeep of CC in the years since this program started has been phenomenal. I love to take my kids there for sledding in the winter. If a cemetery taking up valuable real estate in a hot neighborhood were not meant for some community events, I suspect you would be moaning about it being a waste. I don't know where you get your stridency about what is or isn't acceptable activity for a cemetery. If cemeteries in, say, Anne of Green Gables weren't open half the plot points in those books would have no setting!

My stridency is from my personal belief. I do not prefer to go sledding in cemeteries. I also don't live in an overpopulated city. While I don't forsee myself being buried with the U.S. congress, we do have a private family plot and property where many relatives that have passed remain. We do NOT stand on their graves even when we go to visit. This isn't an uncommon practice. You should have respect for others beliefs and considerations.

For me - no sledding, no dog waste areas, no Pyscho concerts! Trees, memorial gardens, ponds, yes. Open to someone that wants to host a Grateful Dead concert? No.