Gerard Jacobs : Some do n't get why recovery of loved one 's body so important to families . He says cultures and family units have long needed rituals to process a death , give comfort . While many funerary rituals can be performed without a body , knowing the exact disposition of the loved ones ' remains is often a crucial comfort to the family . Robert Siegel : Mass deaths make it worse . Jacobs : Grief makes Americans uncomfortable But grieving not mental illness , it 's human .
Gerard Jacobs : Some do n't get why recovery of loved one 's body so important to families . He says cultures and family units have long needed rituals to process a death , give comfort . Robert Siegel : Mass deaths make it worse . Jacobs : Grief makes Americans uncomfortable But grieving not mental illness , it 's human .