A couple of weeks ago, we discussed a Native American mound in Alabama that was once scheduled to be used as fill dirt underneath a new Sam's Club. Now the Anniston Star has an in-depth follow-up to the story, in which it's revealed that the law really doesn't offer much protection at all to Alabama's Native American sites.
In fact, officials the Alabama Historical Commission say that while it's a crime to destroy a grave less than a hundred years old, it's not really a big deal if you "destroy a far older American Indian burial site on your property." Note the words in bold - those are important.
According to the story, the law "says any person who desecrates graves and mutilates corpses is guilty of a Class C felony... [but] any person who maliciously desecrates an American Indian place of burial or funerary objects on property not owned by the person shall be guilty of a Class C felony and upon conviction the person shall be punished as provided by law."
In other words, if it's on land you own, you can pretty much do what you like with it, which is why the city of Oxford was legally allowed to dig up the mound for fill dirt if they wanted to. Although the mound was scheduled for demolition, now a private landowner says he is providing the fill dirt, and the Oxford mound is still in place.
A revision to the law has been suggested by Sen. Wendell Mitchell, which "would omit the language about the American Indian sites, and would also expand the law to cover mounds like the one in Oxford."
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In fact, officials the Alabama Historical Commission say that while it's a crime to destroy a grave less than a hundred years old, it's not really a big deal if you "destroy a far older American Indian burial site on your property." Note the words in bold - those are important.
According to the story, the law "says any person who desecrates graves and mutilates corpses is guilty of a Class C felony... [but] any person who maliciously desecrates an American Indian place of burial or funerary objects on property not owned by the person shall be guilty of a Class C felony and upon conviction the person shall be punished as provided by law."
In other words, if it's on land you own, you can pretty much do what you like with it, which is why the city of Oxford was legally allowed to dig up the mound for fill dirt if they wanted to. Although the mound was scheduled for demolition, now a private landowner says he is providing the fill dirt, and the Oxford mound is still in place.
A revision to the law has been suggested by Sen. Wendell Mitchell, which "would omit the language about the American Indian sites, and would also expand the law to cover mounds like the one in Oxford."
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So, as long as you own the land, who gives a crap if you turn someone’s grandparent into fill dirt? Yeah, I doubt these people would appricate someone else buying up grave yards over a hundred years old and start bulldozing where their ancestors are.
Do they mean to tell me that my Native American heritage and history are not as important as my Anglo heritage and history? Being able to know both sides of the story helps me to understand exactly who and what I am as a person.
i understand about this. i go to a camp site called camp gaea, and its a place where witches and like minded people go to practice the craft and worship gods and goddesses. now there are some neihborhood guys (grown men, not just kids)
who came in and knocked down the mail box and tried to steal a donation box and broke out the windows to the guard shack.
as far as i know, law enforcement doesn,t patrol this area.
Yet another wonderful argument against being buried and taking up the Earth Mother’s space. I am not, by any means, condoning the outrageous law of stating that it’s acceptable to disrespect centurian gravesites; I am simply pointing out that this makes an even stronger case for the more environmentally-friendly practice of cremation.