Gigi Crawford Reports: Feral Hog Situation in Fort Mitchell Military Cemetery Hits Too Close to Home

Glenda "Gigi" Crawford, a native Columbusite, has loving and deeply fond memories of family members buried at Fort Mitchell Military Cemetery, Alabama, particularly of her parents, who are buried in Section Two.

Also buried there are two brothers and an uncle who proudly served in the U.S. military, and in another section, an Aunt is buried there as well. 

Unlike the current president whose government actions have caused the outcome of severe damage to the cemetery by feral hogs, these family members actually served this nation without fear and excuses of having "bad feet". Trump's family is historically known for falsifying illnesses to flee military service in Germany as well as in the United States. His family did not arrive in the Americas until 1885, twenty years after the Civil War had ended, and the same year that the Statue of Liberty was dedicated to this nation by France.

So when "Gigi" heard the news on WTVM, she and her husband drove to Fort Mitchell to check on the gravesites of her family members and found that sustaining damage had happened, not to the graves directly, but too close for comfort.

A cemetery official gave them disheartening news about the care of her family plots as well as the rest of the cemetery, as Donald J. Trump's government shutdown took away much needed employees who normally would keep these types of matters under control.

The National Cemetery, which is said to have already been undergoing some now-stalled renovations, not only had large patches of grass dug up by the hogs, but also what she referred to as "chaos and hazard" near Section 2 where her family is buried, and, she said, "there are no workers out there to help see to the protection of the graves".

As Trump uses federal tax money to build a gold-gilded ballroom by demolishing part of the East Wing at the White House, he simultaneously drives Congressional Republicans to deprive the taxpayers who pay for his privileges of the same privileges that they pay for. 

Trump Damage to East Wing of White House is a Priority as the Rest of the Nation Suffers Damages from Republican-Inspired Shutdown

A local Columbusite who also went there to survey the damage was heard stating on mainstream news that she "loves her President, and doesn't blame the cemetery officials for the damages," but said it 'made no sense'.

Crawford stated that this current damage caused by the Trump Administration shutdown will ultimately lead to damage of the actual burial sites of many of those interred there, also costing the government millions to fix it.

Broadside

By way of information, the federal deficit for Fiscal Year 2025 (October 2024 - September 2025)

• Total Deficit: Around $1.8 trillion.
• Spending: Approximately $7.01 trillion.
• Revenue: About $5.23 trillion.

Notably, The Obama Administration had left the deficit at less than $500 Billion as of Fiscal Year 2015, after the George W. Bush Administration nearly put the nation into a second Great Depression. The final official deficit was $439 billion - nowhere close to $1.8 Trillion.

Many are "guesstimating" that Trump's current actions will leave the U.S. government in around $37 Trillion dollars of debt within the next three years and two months if it keeps going the way it is now.

As a matter of information, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers a chance to win a $3,500 hog trap through the Hog Down Awards Program. This is a state-funded pilot program where five Georgia residents are randomly selected each quarter to receive a valuable trap for controlling feral hogs. To enter, residents must legally kill a minimum of 10 hogs within the quarter and submit time- and location-stamped photos as proof.

In the meantime, as Trump wastes more taxpayer money on gold-gilded ballrooms, as if he is never planning on leaving the White House, parks and other necessary and much-needed government services languish.

FCN Editorial: The Human Cost of Shutdown Politics

This is not the first time Trump has presided over a government shutdown. 

During a previous impasse, national parks across the country suffered extensive damage—trash piled up, facilities were vandalized, and millions of dollars in repairs were required before the administration acknowledged that Democratic lawmakers were serious about protecting the Affordable Care Act.

Now, as another shutdown looms, again started by Trump, the question is not just how long it will last, but how much damage will be done in the meantime.

Public spaces, including cemeteries, are already openly vulnerable to neglect and misuse and potential vandalism. The broader toll—on infrastructure, public trust, and human lives—may be far greater by the time the administration completes its latest symbolic project: a ballroom reportedly inspired by a supporter’s admiration for the Trump.

Democratic leaders have made it clear they will not support efforts to dismantle healthcare access for millions of Americans. They argue that public funds should not be diverted to vanity projects or tax policies that disproportionately benefit billionaires while leaving vulnerable citizens without essential care.

As negotiations continue, the stakes remain high—not just for political reputations, but for the everyday lives of those who rely on government services to survive. 

The question now is whether leadership will prioritize the public good over personal ambition.

The Renfro Family Plots in Section 2 of FMMC / Photo credit to: Ed Crawford for FC News

Trump shutdown hurts National Parks and Cemeteries, Again / Photo courtesy of FCN Photojournalist Ed Crawford

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