# Berg's parents refused permission to meet his body at Dover AFB **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 14, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151 "2004-05-14T18:43:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/21 "2004-05-14T23:14:27Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > I’m guessing that the DoD didn’t want to have a photo op of the negative kind and therefore denied access. > > Just my two bits. (not poking at you, just the concept) So they preferred instead this ‘photo op’ and follow up story would be “DoD denies familys request to observe arrival of body”? (personally, I’m not reading giant conspiracy/white house involvement into this story) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/22 "2004-05-14T23:36:00Z")
They killed Dave Berg?! So, is Mad Magazine planning to do The Lighter Side of Beheadings, or what? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/23 "2004-05-14T23:50:23Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > Think before you post. “Misguided” doesn’t even _begin_ to cover this one. Want to consider apologizing? I dunno. I dig the dark humor. If you can’t joke about decapitation, what can you joke about? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/24 "2004-05-15T00:16:17Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > Think before you post. “Misguided” doesn’t even _begin_ to cover this one. Want to consider apologizing? Lighten up man! I thought it was pretty “amusing” as well. Don’t lose your head over it! ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/25 "2004-05-15T00:27:21Z")
I don’t see a mention of this, but forgive me if I missed it in this thread: And, what about the emails from US forces assuring his parents he’d be _just_ fine? Famous last words… ---
**Author:** ![Otters\_We\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3da27b/32.png) [@Otters\_We\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otters_We_Love)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/26 "2004-05-15T01:10:46Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > They killed Dave Berg?! So, is Mad Magazine planning to do The Lighter Side of Beheadings, or what? I thought Dave did die a while ago. Or was that Sergio? SOMEone from Mad did. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/27 "2004-05-15T01:20:47Z")
A simple question for **pulykamell** , **gatopescado** , and **MrTuffPaws** : would you be comfortable having Berg’s parents read your posts? Yessirree Bob, just a laugh a minute. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/28 "2004-05-15T01:47:43Z")
Maybe this is a conversation for another post/forum, but with all of the specific individuals who get completely trashed and ridiculed here, I think in a case like this, in the pit, that, ‘what if the parents saw’ is just a poor attempt at emotive reasoning. Lots of stuff shows up here that would probably upset the parents of various celeberties/national figures/figures of local notoriety. If their parents read here, then that’s kind of too bad, but it’s not stopped us before. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/29 "2004-05-15T02:01:22Z")
Did they change the story? They part I quoted is not there anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/30 "2004-05-15T02:03:12Z")
> [@Otters We Love](#): > > I thought Dave did die a while ago. > Or was that Sergio? > SOMEone from Mad did. Dave. Two years ago tomorrow. [http://www.lambiek.net/berg\_david.htm](http://www.lambiek.net/berg_david.htm) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/31 "2004-05-15T02:06:28Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > A simple question for **pulykamell** , **gatopescado** , and **MrTuffPaws** : would you be comfortable having Berg’s parents read your posts? Yessirree Bob, just a laugh a minute. Perhaps you missed the whole [Onionesque treatment of Sept 11 here on these here boards a few days after said tragedy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=87707) Sorry, but humor is just another valid way to deal with tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/32 "2004-05-15T02:21:52Z")
So they didn’t get to meet the plane. It’s not like they weren’t going to get their son’s body back for burial. I don’t really see the cause for outrage in _this_. ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/33 "2004-05-15T02:28:34Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > A simple question for **pulykamell** , **gatopescado** , and **MrTuffPaws** : would you be comfortable having Berg’s parents read your posts? Yessirree Bob, just a laugh a minute. Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s not like people are mocking them to their faces, people are just making jokes, relax a bit maybe. Keep your cool, don’t lose your head. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/34 "2004-05-15T02:32:01Z")
Bushco policies?? If Berg had gone over there two years ago I strongly think he would have met a similar fate. You know, before we invaded… ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/35 "2004-05-15T02:34:03Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Bushco policies?? > > If Berg had gone over there two years ago I strongly think he would have met a similar fate. You know, before we invaded… Shows how much things are better since we invaded. Right? ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/36 "2004-05-15T02:35:22Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > So they didn’t get to meet the plane. It’s not like they weren’t going to get their son’s body back for burial. I don’t really see the cause for outrage in _this_. If this level of access is generally denied, then I agree with **spooje**. You can’t always get what you want. Nick Berg died in a horrific, unspeakable fashion. That doesn’t mean that his family is entitled to any and every consideration that they demand, even if _we_, as a bunch of people who are not privy to the operations at Dover AFB or the security concerns that exist there at this time, think that their demands are reasonable. But no doubt George W. himself called someone up and said “No, by no means should those damned Bergs be allowed to meet the plane carrying their son’s decapitated corpse! It’s a direct order from me because I’m a bastard and I want to make them hurt just a little more for kicks!” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/37 "2004-05-15T02:36:38Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > If Berg had gone over there two years ago I strongly think he would have met a similar fate. You know, before we invaded… That statement is even dumber than the dumb joke earlier in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/38 "2004-05-15T03:28:07Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Sorry, but humor is just another valid way to deal with tragedy. Silly me. However did I miss the underlying hilarity of a public beheading of an innocent human being? What was I thinking? Berg’s cries of anguish as the knife blade sawed into his neck were especially merry. Maybe someone should set the whole thing to some wacky music, like on _America’s Funniest Home Videos_. I suspect some of you are now spending so much of your life on the Internet, you’ve started to confuse virtual reality with the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/39 "2004-05-15T03:31:31Z")
But aside from who is responsible for Berg’s death, I am curious about why the family was denied this courtesy during a time of mourning. Someone mentioned the Air Material Command Museum at Dover Airforce Base as a possibility since it is not open to the public. Somehow I doubt that his parents had planned a visit to the museum. Are other citizens allowed on base in general? Why is there a museum that is owned by the people but where the people are not allowed to _muse_? If it is used for secret military purposes, maybe someone should consider changing the name “Museum.” But back to the issue. Since there is no specific policy against it, I don’t understand. I do understand that it would not “look good” in the newspapers and on television to see the bodies of our troops arriving, _but it is the truth; it is the reality._ Do we need to be shielded from the truth for our own good? Why? Who decides that? Why shouldn’t our own decision-making be based upon full exposure to the reality? Were the parents denied access for their own good? For the good of the country? Out of _tradition_? For the morale of the troops? Why not allow them to meet the plane but just ban media coverage if troop morale is the issue? Unfortunately, civilian deaths in Iraq are not infrequent. When civilian contractors are missing, the businesses that employee them and the military are not responsible for finding them. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151/40 "2004-05-15T03:37:20Z")
Since I do not see the OP’s quoted text in the linked article, I am going to wait for more information. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bergs-parents-refused-permission-to-meet-his-body-at-dover-afb/245151.md?page=3)