I thought this petition drive might be of interest to our group here on the VACWMB. I know little about it, so please don't direct any questions to me. Perhaps others might comment on this effort. Sounds like a worthwhile attempt to preserve and protect historic cemeteries in Virginia.

Jim Martin

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Fellow genealogists/researchers,

Please consider signing this petition for the protection/preservation of "Neglected, Abandoned and Unlicensed Cemeteries in the State of Virginia", particularly if you are researching your own genealogy originating from Virginia. Also, please consider passing this along to others who may be interested in signing such as other genealogists, historians, heritage groups, VFW groups, etc.

Thank you for your support and assistance and my apologies to those who may receive this email more than once via the multiple Rootsweb lists that I am subscribed to and have forwarded this to.

Sincerely,
Sheri Millikin

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/hnvr2003/petition.html

To: Virginia's lawmakers (General Assembly & Senate of Virginia) We the undersigned request the approval of the Proposed Legislation on Neglected, Abandoned and Unlicensed Cemeteries in the State of Virginia.

This proposed act, which may be cited as the "Neglected, Abandoned and Unlicensed Cemetery Act" (proposed/noted as Chapter 3, Article 22A, § 57-22A-1), reads in part the following:

(a) The care accorded the remains of deceased persons reflects respect and regard for human dignity as well as cultural, spiritual, and religious values. The General Assembly declares that human remains and burial objects
are not property to be owned by the person or entity which owns the land or water where the human remains and burial objects are interred or discovered, but human remains and burial objects are a part of the finite, irreplaceable, and nonrenewable cultural heritage of the people of Virginia which should be protected.

(b) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the provisions of this chapter be construed to require respectful treatment of human remains in accord with the equal and innate dignity of every human being and consistent with the identifiable ethnic, cultural, and religious affiliation of the deceased individual as indicated by the method of burial or other historical
evidence or reliable information.

We ask the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia to approve this proposed legislation to protect all private/family/non-profit cemeteries, particularly those cemeteries which are no longer on property owned by family members, but still frequently visited by family members, researchers, genealogists, and/or historians. These cemeteries contain the remains of Virginia's forebearers. Men, women and children, all who made great
sacrifices in a variety of ways to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Many of these cemeteries contain the remains of Native Indians, founders of many areas within Virginia, African-born slaves and their descendants, Revolutionary War heroes and other war Veterans having served in such wars as the War of 1812, War Between the States/Civil War, World War I and even World War II. Please show them the due respect and decency they deserve and approve this proposed legislation so they may, once again, rest in peace.

Sincerely,