I am getting the impression that perhaps at least two people think that I was condoning the theft or the selling of stolen grave markers. I have ancestors who fought and some died fighting for the Confederacy, the Union, The War of 1812, The Revolutionary War and even Dunmore's War of 1774. I am very proud of their efforts and participation in the making and defending of our Country. My own husband is a Veteran. I am saddened that anyone would ever steal from our heroes or desecrate any grave. I even understand what would cause someone to be "outraged" It is an outrage when that kind of thing happens. But it should be dealt with by a cool head and logic. If we fly off the handle at the mere suggestion of wrong doing, what does that make us? I hope you realize as I tried to say in my original e-mail that "my point" was that I received e-mail about this issue on five of my different lists. In most cases I received mail from more than one person on the lists. Each account was different. Some stating that eBay and others were selling stolen markers, some stating that eBay and others were selling stolen gravestones (or headstones) each account sounding angry, and many appeared to not even know what they were talking about. They were just jumping on a "bandwagon" of information they themselves and received from another list of theirs and not even checking into the information themselves. I just asked that we not "jump to conclusions without looking into the matter ourselves". This is how the hoaxes get spread to 55 lists in one days time, this is how rumors are spread and how misinformation becomes "truth". I only tried to convince people that charging someone with a serious crime like stealing or selling stolen goods, should have proof behind it. Our genealogy lists should not be a forum for gathering a lynch mob. This is America after all, we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. If you did not receive the information on so many lists or in differing stories, I can see how you might not notice the frenzy that was being worked up. I even said in that e-mail that after you "check into it and question eBay and find someone to be guilty, then "let them have it". I got a lot of flack from one gentleman who misunderstood my intent and accused me of condoning theft and that I "obviously did not have any war heroes who had ever received such markers as ancestors" and told me that I should realize that " most people are not good or honest". Now that is what I call "jumping to a conclusion". I feel sad for him because I believe that most people are good and honest and that there are only a few bad apples that try to spoil the whole bunch. Another gentleman wrote that when he checked into it, that it appeared to him that the markers might not be genuine, but rather replicas. Another thought that the markers did not actually come from actual graves. I do not know if this is the case or not. But the possibility was there and some people were becoming "outraged" and accusing others of theft before first checking it out. I sure hope our peace officers and courts are not in a habit of doing such things to the rest of us. PS I did receive several e-mail letters from people who did indeed understand the point I was trying to make and I thank them for their comments. > >Cheska wrote: >>Ebay has removed the offensive auctions and is investigating >>the issue further. >> >>The sellers may not have stolen the grave markers themselves, >>but they are in receipt of "stolen goods" and that is >>sufficient for Ebay to close their auctions and discontinue >>their membership. >> >>Someone removed those markers from a Veteran's burial plot. >>We may never know who but I am sure you would agree that it >>would be criminal if word got out that there was money to be >>made selling these items on the Internet! Too many of our >>cemeteries have already been vandalized and I would hope >>these auctions will not add to an already existing problem. >> >>-- >> >> -=CHESKA=- >> E-mail address: cheska@ix.netcom.com >> Web site: <http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6630/> >> Proud Sponsor: BADGLEY, CLAYTON, COOPER, & MILLS email lists >> RootsWeb: Dedicated to Keeping Access to Online Genealogy Free >> http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html >> >