Jun 05 2006
Cindy Sheehan, Snopes and the tombstone- and one father who made a different choice
I don't really like to see her name in my inbox. She brings enough negative images with her petulant whining and her dysfunctional grief. But like it or not, her 15 minutes of fame refuses to hit the end. so we are likely going to hear about her for a while.
In this case, I guess it is a good reason, that being that Snopes.com, which is one of the greatest urban legand debunkers, has noted she finally closed out a chapter of her life: She put a tomb stone on Casey's grave. the story from Snopes:
Claim: Casey Sheehan's grave is unmarked with a standard headstone. Status: Multiple:
This is confirmed at the Vacaville Reporter, the local paper:
Memorial Day will be different this year at the Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery, where Casey Sheehan, a soldier from Vacaville, lies buried.
Until this week, more than two years after his death in Iraq, Casey's grave has been marked only by a small plaque. On Thursday, it received a headstone.
The elegant marble slab is thick and emblazoned with a cross and delicate thickets of trees on both sides.
"Our Casey," reads an inscription on the front. "Ever faithful, kind, and gentle, good son, beloved brother, brave soldier, dear friend, you loved your family and lived your life serving others to the end." Six icons grace the other side, representing a military insignia, the theater, Eagle Scouts, Van Halen, the World Wrestling Federation and Superman.
Also on the front are Casey's name and the dates of his life and death, which reveal an uncanny synchronicity. In addition to Memorial Day, Monday will also be Casey's birthday, the day on which he would have turned 27.
I have to admit, the stone as they have placed it does him a great tribute. It, is likely one of the nicest tributes I can imagine. The stone refelcts his family, his friends, his service and his heroism. The rear of it reflects his interests.
