Posted on 09/14/2005 4:54:48 PM PDT by jimbo123
The architect of the memorial to a plane downed in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, said Wednesday he would work to satisfy critics who complained that it honors terrorists with its crescent-shaped design.
Designer Paul Murdoch said he is "somewhat optimistic" that the spirit of the design could be maintained.
"It's a disappointment there is a misinterpretation and a simplistic distortion of this, but if that is a public concern, than that is something we will look to resolve in a way that keeps the essential qualities," Murdoch, 48, of Los Angeles, said in a telephone interview.
Murdoch's design, "Crescent of Embrace," was selected last week during a meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission from five narrowed down from 1,011.
The recommendation of the 15-member jury consisting of design professionals and family and community members still needs to be approved by the Interior Department.
Its shape is a circle broken by the flight pattern of the plane, which supporters have said follows the topography of the crash site.
Chris Martin, spokesman for Flight 93 National Memorial, said Wednesday family members and federal advisory commission members turned to Murdoch for assistance.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., sent a letter Tuesday to National Park Service Director Fran Mainella saying many have questioned the shape "because of the crescent's prominent use as a symbol in Islam — and the fact that the hijackers were radical Islamists."
Will Adams, spokesman for Tancredo, said Wednesday Tancredo would be happy with the changes only if the crescent shape is removed.
Murdoch said he's not sure exactly what changes he would make.
The memorial also consists of a chapel with 40 metallic wind chimes — one for each victim. It would include pedestrian trails and a roadway to a visitor center and the actual crash site. At the site would be a crescent-shaped cluster of maple trees and a white marble wall inscribed with the victims' names.
"We called it a crescent because it was a curving land form. We called it 'Crescent of Embrace' because of the symbolic gesturing of embracing this place," Murdoch said. "There's no desire to make this a divisive memorial."
Gordon Felt, of Remsen, N.Y., whose brother Edward Felt was killed on Flight 93, said he called Tancredo's office and said Tancredo should have held off on his criticism.
"I wish he would come out to Somerset and see topography of the land," Felt said.
Felt said it is natural for the design to evolve.
"I think the topography of the land would really dictate there would be some kind of arc," Felt said.
Flight 93 was flying to San Francisco from Newark, N.J., when it was hijacked and crashed 65 miles outside Pittsburgh. The official 9/11 Commission report said the hijackers crashed it as passengers tried to take control of the cockpit.
http://www.khow.com/mpdownload/9-14_sandydahl.wma
(Windows Media Player)
She says the memorial design should go on as planned. None of the families members of the folks who died in the crash object to design either.
Simple....
1.....change to silver maple trees
2.....Change to square
3..... Point it at the intended target
******
# 3 works for me!!!!
Leni
so if the wives of some cantor fitzgerald victims wanted a ben laden statue at ground zero, we should accept that? let them place any memorial they want on their property with their money, this is a public memorial.
Exactly. This is a public memorial with public funds that must be approved by congress and private funds that are being raised by Tom Ridge and Tommy Franks. Congress will not approve this and Ridge and Franks will not be able to raise private funds if they move forward with this design.
The terrorists weren't planning to attack Mecca, they were heading towards DC!
If the committee wants a shape to 'embrace the crash site.....the WINGS OF AN EAGLE....are more fitting than an Islamic Crescent!
It is a disappointment that this egotistical and disingenuous statement had to be made.
Yes, IF the crescent is actually on the final bearing of the flight.
I don't think he's above lying about that.
Let's hope the feds follow through!!!
I concur with your comments. Thanks for the links as well.
Do we know what the intended target was?
Notice the crescent shape of the upper deck.
;)
Oh I see.. it was the Ballpark in Cincinnati where American Heroes first encountered and defeated Islamic terrorists.
Well then ...it is only fitting that the good old boys in Cincinnati should give up the stadium and turn it into a monument to the terrorists. It is the "perfect" shape you know... :^)
I had problems with the "spirit of the design". It should be about heroism and patriotism, not "healing" and "bonding".
Frankly, I was disappointed when they filled it in. It's like they were trying to erase the barbarism of the act. People needed to see what these monsters did.
http://www.flight93memorialproject.org/flight.asp
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