I have been doing genealogy for several years. In this process I have visited many cemeteries of my ancestors.

I did this not only to gather information but to pay my respects to my ancestors who braved hardships to make it possible for me to live in this country and state. I have seen some very disturbing things at some of these cemeteries - stones moved or destroyed, graves disturbed and property owners who do not understand Kentucky state laws. In the past, it was normal to bury family on the farm in family cemeteries. In these graves are the pioneers who came by wagon, horse and boat to build their homes and families.

Some of those buried fought in our Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War and even WWI. They deserve respect in their resting places. These family farms have changed hands over the years.

Some landowners have destroyed these graves, sometimes out of ignorance and sometimes just because they think they can because they own the property.

Imagine if you visit your parent's or grandparent's grave and someone had removed the stone that was placed there. You would be outraged. Then you should be outraged when it happens to your ancestors, too. Without them there would be no Kentucky.

Kentucky has laws to protect this from happening but no teeth to enforce these laws. We need education.

Tack on a small surcharge to cover the expense. Then, when a family member files a complaint the landowner can't cry they did not know what they did was illegal.

Occasionally publish these laws in the paper to educate those who don't know the law. And please stop the craziness of all government agencies passing the buck to each other to fix the problem. The dead don't vote, but their descendants do.

Claudia Buchheit Lane

Bowling Green