Roland Burris's monument to himself

[ciphergoth]

This is the grave of Roland Burris, listing his many achievements including being the first African-American Attorney General in Illinois. The thing is, Burris isn't dead; he built this himself. It's a good thing he's left some space, because he's now been named as the next senator from Illinois, but he shouldn't call the stonemasons just yet - we don't know if the Senate and/or the courts will allow him to take the seat. (more stories and pictures)

Background: Obama has of course resigned from the Senate in order to take up his new job, and Illinois governer Rod "Blago" Blagojevich has the power to name his successor, who will sit until elections in 2010. Blago has now been arrested by the FBI for trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder, based in part on wiretap evidence that includes him saying "I’ve got this thing and it’s fucking golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for fuckin’ nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there."

Defying calls from all quarters to step down and allow Obama's replacement to be decided by his successor or a special election, Blago has brazenly (and while out on bail) nominated Burris to the seat. He faces a rough ride since most parties had vowed to oppose anyone that Blago nominated, but Burris appears to be a relatively "clean" choice - there's no suggestion he had any part in Blago's corruption.

This weirds me right out. What has to be in your head to think that could be a good idea?

Comments

[booklectica]

What has to be in your head to think that could be a good idea?

Do you mean Burris building himself the monument, or Blago nominating him? They're both quite odd ideas.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

I mean the monument. Blago is absolutely brazening him out - his lawyers say there is a perfectly innocent explanation for wiretap statements such as "unless I get something real good for [Senate Candidate 1], shit, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying." and "I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying. And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself." The transcripts in the criminal complaint (PDF) are just breathtaking.

[autopope.livejournal.com]

I've got a gut feeling that anyone who builds a memorial like that for themselves before their own demise deserves to be barred from politics and boardrooms for life: it's a clear indicator for narcissistic personality disorder or megalomania.

(But then, I come from a culture with a different attitude to death that emphasises minimalist memorials with just a name and dates; I suppose if Burris was a dynastic Egyptian functionary of the 12th century BCE this would qualify as grotesquely understated.)

[jrittenhouse.livejournal.com]

Burris is a political has-been who has always had a far higher opinion of himself than his actual accomplishments warranted. (Note: His children are named Rolanda and Roland Burris II, for what it's worth, so that says something too..) This is his last chance at higher office; he's run for Mayor of Chicago, Governor of Illinois and Senator - and failed each time. At present, the city only has one open congressional seat, and it's NOT in a black-majority area of town. (It's the one Rahm Emanuel just gave up to be Obama's chief of staff, and was held before him by Blagojevich.) Otherwise, there's no place upwards for him to go.

[altamira16.livejournal.com]

Actually, this looks like some of the above ground tombs that were built in New Orleans. They were typically built before the person died because they are so expensive, and people didn't want to burden their families with the expense. I am not sure how common or not this was in Illinois. In New Orleans with it being under sea level, you had a lot of above ground tombs because when it floods buried bodies float to the surface.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

yeah, but do they have them inscribed ahead of time?

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

If I had the money (and, um, had done anything of note) I would totally do this. Why wait til you're dead to find out what posterity will say about you?

(I also plan to write my own obituary.)

[just-becky.livejournal.com]

The temptation to write complete works of fiction would be too great. Oh sure it would start out reasonabley enough "Rebecca came from humble beginings....tried her best to be kind and generous" but it would inevitabley end up "...feared through out the known Galaxay, commander of the 14 space fleets of Yarg and winner of the Nobel prize in creative knitting." just to see if anyone bothered to read past the first couple of lines. :-D

When I legally changed my name it took a great deal of willpower not to call myself "Zordrak, Destroyer of Worlds". Lets face it, how cool would that name look on a gravestone, mausoleaum or bank statement?

[random-redhead.livejournal.com]

I am planning to research and plan my grave. Its the last thing the world will see of me and I want it to be right. I always love dressing up ;-)
plus most people I know want to be cremated, so I don't want that to happen to me because I haven't got things in place.
I almost consider it to be more important than saving for a deposit. It is a certainty that I will die, but ever getting onto the housing market is distinctly unlikely considering the cost of houses and low paying jobs I do.