Circle of Liberty, or Crescent of Embrace? - The Flight 93 Memorial

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | 14-Sep-2005 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

The decision on what shape and form the memorial to Flight 93 will take is nearing finalization. If you remember, Flight 93 was the one airliner on 911 where the passengers had the time and the opportunity to fight back and end the plans of the murderous terrorists who had hijacked them. Who will ever forget the heroic words of Tod Beamer as he charged the terrorists with his fellow Americans? ""God help me. Jesus help me. Are you ready? Let's roll." " In making that charge and ending the terrorists murderous plans, they became heroes and delivered a victory to the American people in the midst of that day of attack and terror.

Amazingly, the design that is being finalized is called the "Crescent of Embrace", and includes a landscaping of the memorial that is a red crescent, which closely resembles the principle symbol of Islam and the symbol most meanigful to those murderous animals who the members of the Flight 93 passengers and crews defeated, at a cost of their own lives. Here's what that final design is depicted to look like:

Whether intentional or not, such a design in my opinion, and I believe to most Americans, is unacceptable. In no way should we memorilize the sacrifice and heroic actions of those brave Americans with anything that could remotely be construed to represent the symbol of the very enemies against whom they fought.

After considering it a few days, I have come up with a design of my own. I call it the "Circle of Liberty". Here it is:

The idea of this design is meant to be clearly all-American. There is a minature of the Statue of Liberty at the center, at the site of the crash. Surrounding that statue, are forty landscaped stars, each one with a central area containing a plaque memoralizing that specific passenger. Each star has a path that leads to the statuesignifying the individual path each trod to that fateful day and their sacrifice for liberty in the first resistance in the war that began that day.

This design also has a major entry from east or west, signifying the breadth of our nation and its coming together. In addition, all of the stars in the circle are tied together by a path leading in a circle between them all, signifying the unity and "closed circle" we as Americans must have in fighting and defeating this enemy...even as those passengers in crew were united in their sacrifice.

I believe that such a design is much more fitting and representative of our needs as a nation in this struggle and as we remember those who sacrificed all on 911, particularly the brave souls fighting their enemies on Flight 93. If I, as an admitted untalented and non-professional architect or landscape artist could come up with something such as this, surely the professionals tasked with presnting proposals to the US givernment could do the same.

If you are unhappy with the chosen design above, the "Crescent of Embrace", please contact the US Park Service at the Official Fight 93 Memorial Web Site and register your feelings.

Jeff Head
Author of the National Flight 93 Memorial Petition

[Jeff Head]

From this article today:

Tom Burnett Sr., whose son died in the crash, said he made an impassioned speech to his fellow jurors about what he felt the crescent represented.

"I explained this goes back centuries as an old-time Islamic symbol," Burnett said. "I told them we'd be a laughing stock if we did this."

But his fellow jurors -- and it turns out, many of the other family members -- disagree with his interpretation.

"I got blown off."

So, it is clear that they knew from the beginning regarding the potnetial ramifications...amd chose to go ahead anyway over the objections of Tom Burnett's father. Now that the outcry is growing, they are willing to consider changing it. Good...time now to pour on the protests all the more IMHO.

[Eastbound]

From the tone of many of the blogs, it wouldn't surprise me if the 'archtitecht will even include any of the letters, 'I', 'S', 'L', 'A', or 'M' in the new name of the memorial. Heh.

Thanks to all the diligent folks who made their outrage heard, I'm certain the final design will reflect what it is supposed to reflect. And thanks also for the critical role you played in publicizing this, Jeff. And certainly, thanks to the many other FReepers who led the charge and did the initial comparison graphics.

The total effort was more than just outstanding, considering the short amount of time it took for the architect to re-consider. I am duly stuned. Freegards ! -- Dave

[snowsislander]

I just took another look at the Flight 93 memorial website, and there are now two letters there that I think indicate that there will be no substantive change in the memorial:

http://www.nasites.com/cmprojects/projects/Flight93_bulibmgr/docs/FL93%20Reynolds%20Respond%20to%20Memorial%20Questions_OPED_9_14_05.pdf

http://www.nasites.com/cmprojects/projects/Flight93_bulibmgr/docs/FL93%20Peterson%20Respond%20to%20Memorial%20Questions_OPED_9_14_05.pdf