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The problem here is that unlike Gettysburg, Titanic is not protected as a national park, although I agree, it is hollowed ground. And unlike Gettysburg, Titanic as a memorial will succumb to the greatest desecration force she has ever known: the ocean. The only part about her will be a few objects and iron ore heaps left off the grand banks. Then she will really be comparable to a battleground.

However, at Gettysburg, are there large amounts of remnants of the great battle there today? Thousands of rifles from Picket's Charge? Dead soldier's belongings scattered across Little Round Top? The answer is no. These artifacts were eventually gathered up, and today many pieces are in museums, and like it or not, in private collections.

But does this take away from the emotion and special reverence of this Civil War site? It’s for each person to judge. If the soldier’s letters and personal effects were left out in the elements, we might not have the scraps of information today that we do.

Should the Titanic be protected (somehow under international law) as the U.S.S. Arizona in Pearl Harbor? Well, the Arizona is totally off limits inside of her hull out of respect for the dead, and the wreck of the ore ship Edmund Fitzgerald is the same. I do not remember hearing protests about “Ghosts of the Abyss”, when Cameron used his Robots to look inside “the Tomb”. Is it disrespectful to do this? Would Cameron breaking off rusticles by bumping Jake and Elwood into them be considered “disturbing the Titanic”?

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I respect your position on this. However, what is one to do when there are no relatives like you to give a narration of a victims history?

For example, there was a person James H. Bracken who lived in my state of New Mexico (Lake Arthur, Chavez County). All I know about him is that he last lived in London, was 27 years old, a stockman, was booked in 2nd class, departed from Southampton, and held the ticket number 220367.

Since he is a relatively unknown person in my state’s history, I wish I could do him justice and let more people know about his passage and death on the greatest ship in history. But, as it is, with all the great Titanic researchers out there, there is not even a picture that survives of him. I just wish I could know a little more about him.

When I really think about it, I guess I have rationalized a historical contributing factor to salvaging. We do not need a piece of Titanic’s hull, we do not need the bell or the running light, we do not need China, Telegraphs, lifeboat davits and so forth. These objects tell us nothing new. I was against it all at first, but since it has happened, I want to focus on paper goods, documents, and other written records that history truly needs.

But maybe it’s not worth it. Maybe I am putting my own selfishness of wanting to know about the lost over the dignity of their grave. I am sorry if I have offended any of my Titanic friends, especially those of you who have a personal connection.

By the way, lilcandycane, I would love to hear your relatives’ stories. Do you have them posted on this site?