ktgirl
Verified College Instructor
- Joined
- May 21, 2012
- Messages
- 2,834
- Reaction score
- 323
When it comes down to open casket public memorial services/viewings (even in high profile deaths), I think it comes down to "different strokes for different folks" and cultural differences.
For example, when Cincinatti Bengals player (and New Orleans area native) Chris Henry died, there was a public viewing & funeral service held. Many of the media pics show his small daughter and teammates passing by his open coffin. It was a non-issue for his family and the local community, although some who come from cultures where the dead are never photographed were scandalized.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/22/chris-henry-funeral-pictu_n_401111.html
Taking pictures of the deceased at wakes and funeral photography is relatively common in the NO area among some in the black community. It also appears to be fairly common in some Hispanic (for example, Hector "Macho" Camacho's funeral), Filipino, and other cultures. Even at public viewings.
It was common among many during the Victorian period. More recently, often poorer families would take pictures of the deceased to show to family members who could not afford to travel to the funeral service (I've known many who are the descendants of what would have been called "poor whites" in the South who have old albums with such pictures that were taken for this reason). If you google "open casket funeral photos" or the similar, you'll see it's pretty common (but of course, beware that you're going to get hits that show the dead). It seems to be no less relatively common among children and adults who were victims of violence or tragedy (like Cherish) and whose deaths made the news. For example, there are media pics of Ramarley Graham in his casket and family members/mourners around it (his death was high-profile; he was unarmed yet shot by a NOPD officer): http://wchbnewsdetroit.com/2403232/...led-by-nypd-rallies-for-justice-in-the-bronx/. Hadiya Pendelton's death was also high profile. She had performed at the presidential innauguration before being killed by gun violence...the first lady attended her funeral service. Her service had an open casket and there are plenty of pictures of it in the media stories: http://3chicspolitico.com/2013/02/09/hadiya-pendleton-funeral-service/.
So while it may not be the typical white middle-class or upper-class thing to do, an open casket at a public service (even a high-profile public service) with out objection to photos or worrying about photos of the dead isn't uncommom amongst many minority groups as well as working class and poor whites.
It's just cultural differences. Since Florida is such a melting pot of different cultures, many of which include in their funeral customs pictures of the dead or don't get angry if the media takes such pics and the fact that Cherish's family isn't middle or upper class and may also have old photo albums that include pics of dead relatives, I don't see the problem.
Cherish's body was also recovered fairly quickly, so it's also not like there's an open cakset that just contains a skeleton. If her remains had been found months later and had badly decomposed, I doubt there would have been an open casket.
Now selling pictures of a murdered child for monetary gain would be awful, I agree.
For example, when Cincinatti Bengals player (and New Orleans area native) Chris Henry died, there was a public viewing & funeral service held. Many of the media pics show his small daughter and teammates passing by his open coffin. It was a non-issue for his family and the local community, although some who come from cultures where the dead are never photographed were scandalized.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/22/chris-henry-funeral-pictu_n_401111.html
Taking pictures of the deceased at wakes and funeral photography is relatively common in the NO area among some in the black community. It also appears to be fairly common in some Hispanic (for example, Hector "Macho" Camacho's funeral), Filipino, and other cultures. Even at public viewings.
It was common among many during the Victorian period. More recently, often poorer families would take pictures of the deceased to show to family members who could not afford to travel to the funeral service (I've known many who are the descendants of what would have been called "poor whites" in the South who have old albums with such pictures that were taken for this reason). If you google "open casket funeral photos" or the similar, you'll see it's pretty common (but of course, beware that you're going to get hits that show the dead). It seems to be no less relatively common among children and adults who were victims of violence or tragedy (like Cherish) and whose deaths made the news. For example, there are media pics of Ramarley Graham in his casket and family members/mourners around it (his death was high-profile; he was unarmed yet shot by a NOPD officer): http://wchbnewsdetroit.com/2403232/...led-by-nypd-rallies-for-justice-in-the-bronx/. Hadiya Pendelton's death was also high profile. She had performed at the presidential innauguration before being killed by gun violence...the first lady attended her funeral service. Her service had an open casket and there are plenty of pictures of it in the media stories: http://3chicspolitico.com/2013/02/09/hadiya-pendleton-funeral-service/.
So while it may not be the typical white middle-class or upper-class thing to do, an open casket at a public service (even a high-profile public service) with out objection to photos or worrying about photos of the dead isn't uncommom amongst many minority groups as well as working class and poor whites.
It's just cultural differences. Since Florida is such a melting pot of different cultures, many of which include in their funeral customs pictures of the dead or don't get angry if the media takes such pics and the fact that Cherish's family isn't middle or upper class and may also have old photo albums that include pics of dead relatives, I don't see the problem.
Cherish's body was also recovered fairly quickly, so it's also not like there's an open cakset that just contains a skeleton. If her remains had been found months later and had badly decomposed, I doubt there would have been an open casket.
Now selling pictures of a murdered child for monetary gain would be awful, I agree.
