I have no respect for terrorists. To me, there is nothing better than a dead one. And while one man’s zero can be another’s hero, the dead aren’t coming back no matter how many episodes you watch of “The Walking Dead.”
Dayton could put itself on the international stage as the city of peace, of welcoming all, by one simple act- allowing Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers to be buried here. It seems, the thought of burial in Boston is a non-starter:
Nineteen days after Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev died following a gunbattle with police, cemeteries still refused to take his remains and government officials deflected questions about where he could be buried.
On Wednesday, police in Worcester, west of Boston, pleaded for a resolution, saying they were spending tens of thousands of dollars to protect the funeral home where his body is being kept amid protests.
“We are not barbarians,” police Chief Gary Gemme said. “We bury the dead.”…
via Still no resting spot for Tamerlan Tsarnaev – POLITICO.com Print View [1].
I am not suggesting the city pay for it, or for there to be some sort of monumental tombstone, but that we rise above the pettiness and show the world that it is possible to look past the sins.
The story also points out:
An expert in U.S. burial law said the resistance to Tsarnaev’s burial is unprecedented in a country that has always found a way to put to rest its notorious killers, from Lee Harvey Oswald to Adam Lanza, who gunned down 20 children and six educators at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school last year.
I believe we still have a potter’s field by the old workhouse. It’s time to stop letting Mr. Tsarnaev’s body continue to make news. As a country, we have more important things to think and talk about. Peace and human kindness being something worthy of discussion, even if it involves the remains of someone who never quite understood the grace of those qualities.
I agree. What this man (allegedly) did was reprehensible, but we need to find and act from a higher sense of justice and morals. Burying the man is an act of strength. Rise above. Always strive to rise above.
It’s interesting how everyone wants forgiveness but doesn’t want to give it. What a beautiful gesture this could be.
Fun discussion point for sure. Two things..I think the objection from folks near Boston was the fear that the grave would become a mecca for Terrorist sympathizers and cheapen the human loss that occurred. Just guessing.
Secondly, its a mute point now that he has been buried in MA somewhere.
The upside to burying him in Dayton..increased tourism and visibility of the Peace Museum.
Final word, there can be no Peace without justice. Everyone want’s peace, except for the military industrial complex, not wanting a terrorist buried down the street doesn’t preclude a desire for peace or forgiveness.
I think it’s a good idea but sounds like someone has beaten you to it.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/09/us/boston-suspect-body/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Thanks for the updates Bryan and Chad. But, maybe the discussion will be useful in the future- unfortunately.
Bryan: The fear is exactly that – the grave will be a) a mecca for extremists and b) vandalized by people who are “mad” about this.
Nice gesture but sadly the burial site would be a tourist stop for people you don’t want in Dayton. Dayton should work on being city that invites all of the people back that it drove away into the suburbs. A city that is only run by people from one political party lacks diversity, inclusion and leads to intolerance. The city will continue to be a black hole until the left wing that has run it into the ground makes a peace offering to the right wing it needs back to actually make the city work.