SANTA FE NATIONAL CEMETERY (CONTINUED)

Good Morning Blog Buddies,

Well-------My DW did some on-line research and found a very interesting document.  This document issued by the agency controlling our National Cemeteries, in part says:

That "recreational activity is not allowed."

The regulations goes on to further state:

"Recreational activity means any form of athletics, sport or other leisure pursuit or event, whether organized or spontaneous, that is engaged in by one of more persons for the primary purpose of exercise, relaxation or enjoyment, including but not limited to the following: jogging, racing, skating, skateboarding, ball playing, kite flying, model airplane flying, throwing objects through the air, sunbathing, bicycling and picnicking.  This term does not include walking, hiking or casual strolling."

This is a direct quote from the National Cemetery Regulations issued by the controlling government agency for whom the Director of The Santa Fe National Cemetery works for.

Welllllllll anyone who knows me or my DW Melissa will not be surprised by the following:

We are going to print off the National Cemetery Regulations in its entirety and deliver it to the Director of The Santa Fe National Cemetery - bringing in directly to the house he lives in on the grounds of the Cemetery. knock on the door and very nicely suggest that he read it.  We will also tell him that until he produces a valid document stating otherwise we fully intend on continuing our walks every day and we will continue to honor and show respect to the service members who fought for the United States of America.  His response will determine any further action on our part.

It will also be interesting to (we hope) hear back from our Congressman, the Governor and the other government agencies we contacted.

I would love to see the Director of The Santa Fe National Cemetery stand toe to toe with a VietNam veteran (of which I am) and tell that person they cannot walk in the cemetery and pay respect to their comrades.

Other avenues we will go down if needed will be to contact the local VFW, the news media, the TV stations.  We will also invite our Governor and our Congressman to go for a walk with us through the cemetery.  There is a fellow on a local TV station who fights for the rights of the public and tracks down and exposes crooked politicians - he most certainly will be called in for assistance.

So the National Cemetery Regulations seem to clearly state that "walking, hiking, casual strolling" is in fact ALLOWED.  

We  are carrying this document with us whenever we walk in the Santa Fe National Cemetery and any other National Cemetery, as we believe it to be our right to walk in any National Cemetery and shall consider this document to be our "Walking Pass!"

To be continued..................................................