LETTER: Use the rule of law to deal with violations in cemeteries

To the editor:

Very recently I have gone through one of the most unfortunate and painful experiences of my life. My main purpose in discussing such event is to try to prevent future actions of this type. I will purposely omit the name of the cemetery and that of the perpetrator to protect everybody’s privacy.

A few days ago, in one of my regular visit to the resting place of a close family member, I found a note pinned under her picture.

The note was: 1) addressing me with a derogatory name; 2) accusing me of stealing some of the flowers from a nearby resting place; 3) threatening me; and 4) lying about the existence of additional evidence.

Such note was a very serious action because, in addition to being totally misdirected, it constituted a violation of a sacred place. It is a desecration, and this is a crime. It was very easy for me to find the identity of the perpetrators combining the information contained on their note with a fast search on the internet. My reaction, however, was not to deal directly with them or to reply with an action similar to theirs. Rather I promptly contacted the authorities of the cemetery to inform them of what had happened, and to state my resolve to pursue the matter with any available legal means until a just solution to this grave matter would be obtained. In a professional manner the cemetery’s authorities were able to resolve the issue in a way which was satisfactory to me.

The do-it-yourself approach is wrong and can easily lead to worse situations especially in places like cemeteries, which are sacred and where emotions run very high. Our country is a great place because the rule of law is defined and accepted as the only just way to behave.