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What difference does it make?

Posted by Karen on Sat Jul 06, 2002 08:42:44 AM

In reply top Who owns them anyway?? posted by andy saunders on Sat Jul 06, 2002 03:49:24 AM

Mr Saunders,

Please forgive my lack of specific knowledge concerning your case, but as an American I have not been privy to the local press, both tabloid and mainstream, that you have cited in your posts. What I know, is from what I have read here.

I am working with the assumption that there were pilots, and or crew members remains, involved in one or more of the aircraft you have recovered, and subsequently sold. Since it has been mentioned several times, and you have not disputed it, I am assuming it to be true. Please correct me if I am wrong.

That being said, please allow me to share my feelings on this subject with you. There are times, when legalities play a secondary role to morality. I believe this entire debate is one of those times. There are some things you just don't do because it is morally wrong to do so. For example: If you had the opportunity to purchase the car that Princess Diana died in, or the car that our President Kennedy was assasinated in, chop it into pieces and sell it to the highest bidder, would you do it? Of course not.....why? Because it is wrong. That would be profiteering at its very worst. Would there be a market for such trophies? Absolutely! But that still doesn't make it o.k.!

Is this any different? Does the fact that it happened so long ago, to ordinary people make it o.k.? Even if not one living family member remained, who could object to such sales it still isn't o.k. The pieces of these planes were these mens coffins for nearly sixty years, to sell them is ghoulish.

If you read my earlier post, you will note, that I am a family member of a pilot who, had pieces of his plane sold on Ebay. My Uncle died on impact, and was recovered immediately, but to me, that plane, represents the very last thing he touched before he died. It is sacred! Only my family should have the right to decide, who if anyone, should have pieces of it.

What I have written, is from the heart. My Uncle was an ordinary, farm boy, who did some extraordinary things in his brief life. EVERY serviceman whose remains are still out there deserve our respect and our gratitude. Just because they weren't famous doesn't make their sacrifice any less meaningful or important.

I will close by asking you a question. If it was determined that you had every right, legally, to go out and recover, all remaining WWII planes, with human remains still in them.....What would you do? I look forward to your reply.
Karen

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