That's mostly because they don't often get told; I would imagine that there are many people who make decisions along these lines but never receive notice or publicity because the choices are seldom this clear-cut.
I live here in Nashville and this is the first I've heard of this.
I only hope the politicians keep their filthy hands off this until the weekend so this mother can be buried with the same dignity with which she lived and died.
Amen, my brother. Politicians can so easily take the holy and sacred, and degrade it right into self-serving, sanctimonious crap. It sickens me too. Let's just pray no one famous jumps on the bandwagon. And you're right. The stories being told on this thread show that there are many saints out there among the commonfolk whose names are never mentioned, and who receive no honor here on earth.
Of course, their crowns are in heaven, where (frankly), they belong.