David Minor's Ghost?

In the January 15, 2008 issue of Eugene Weekly, the staff mentioned how they received an email from someone identifying themselves as "David Minor's Ghost." You can read that here: http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2009/01/15/news.html#slant Scroll down to where it says "David Minor's Ghost" in bold letters.

As many Eugeneans know, David Minor is the man who died tragically when riding his bike and being struck by a car. I have a friend who was friends with David and he came to me in tears about this most unfortunate death. Not long after my friend was here, I read the story in the local paper, the Register-Guard. It's not available to read free on the 'Net but you can read this posting about David:http://www.ghostbikes.org/eugene/david-minor

On another note, you can read this post:http://eyeoneugene.blogspot.com/2008/07/women-advocates-for-bike-helmets.html

So moved was I by my friend's grief and the story of what happened to David, I wrote a poem in his memory. That poem is here: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=48150085&blogID=405121086

This, I feel, is an appropriate way to remember someone who is lost. Pretending to be his ghost, however, and asking that his memorial be taken down is, I feel, not appropriate.

In fact, my opinion is that it is downright disrespectful.

While I understand that there are some people who wish to remain anonymous, saying they are the ghost of someone is not the proper way to go about it. First of all, how do they even KNOW that David would not want a memorial site? Unless they are psychic or have proof that he told them, by spirit communication, that he does not, they don't know it.

All the same, perhaps this person is fearful for even speaking out about the memorial site. I mean, maybe people appreciate it and even feel grateful that the city of Eugene will allow them to have something to remember David by. So by listing themselves as "Anonymous," they may not feel safe even then. What if someone finds out who they are? (Just listing yourself as "Anonymous" is enough to stir a little suspicion.) I realize that there are some people who might be tired of seeing the memorial day after day after day. Maybe they don't think it's appropriate.

Myself, I have been moved every time I saw the site of where he died. I am touched that the city of Eugene actually has a heart and actually WANTS to remember this young man by having a memorial set up for him. So touched was I that I even wanted to write about it. About how Eugene remembers those lost tragically.

Nevertheless, I feel that anyone who tries to impersonate the ghost of someone is acting in a way that is disrespectful to that person's memory, if not those who knew that person.