Flight 93 Hero's Parent Endorses Crescent Memorial (and slams Malkin, Tancredo, et. al.)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Setember 18, 2005 | Dennis Roddy

[John Robertson]

Throwing 'em a curve

Every now and again we must surrender territory to a cause larger than ourselves.

Last week, Ron McRae, a self-ordained minister who makes a hobby of lording his holiness over gays, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, decided that the use of the term "Crescent of Embrace" to describe a single feature in a multi-faceted Flight 93 Memorial design was a tacit endorsement of Islam.

In due course, Michelle Malkin, a right-wing commentator less familiar with the topography of Somerset County than with the direction of political winds, added her thoughts. She said the inclusion of a semi-circle of trees is not only a hint of the infidel Musselmen, but a "surrender" to them.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who ordinarily scores his publicity by stirring up fear about immigrants, demanded that the design be changed. Tancredo is a man deeply sensitive to religious sensibilities. For example, when speculating on whether Islamic terrorists might use a nuclear device, he suggested that, if it happens, we nuke Mecca.

Not as heard from have been the families of the people who died fighting to prevent the al-Qaida hijackers from crashing Flight 93 into the U.S. Capitol in which Tancredo works, or into some other building in the city where Michelle Malkin's conspiracy theories are ascendant. I heard this week from Alice Hoglan. Her son, Mark Bingham, was among the leaders of the uprising onboard Flight 93 and she sent along two letters -- one to Malkin, one to Tancredo -- that offer the viewpoint of a woman who spoke by cell phone with Bingham as the rebellion was born and who understands that, just as every Muslim is not a terrorist, every crescent is not a symbol of Islam. It's time to surrender some territory. Here are Hoglan's words:

[John Robertson]

Well, this is interesting. There is a parent who disagrees with the criticism (I don't like her argument, but it is hers, and that's fine). But note the agenda of the very leftist PG columnist Dennis Roddy: She lost a loved one, therefore what she says must count more than what everyone else says.

He conveniently ignores Mr. Burnett, who also lost a child, and who OPPOSES the design. By the way, it is impossible that Roddy doesn't know about Burnett, because the original story about Burnett was in his paper only two days ago--here:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05259/572574.stm

But citing a parent who has the opposite opinion of the position you want to advance doesn't help your agenda, does it, Mr. Roddy. He should hear from us. His phone number and email are at the end of the article.

[flashbunny]

"She lost a loved one, therefore what she says must count more than what everyone else says."

This is known as the cindy sheehan rule.

[rellimpank]

--with a nod to another Freeper, the crescent was famously popular as the shape of the vent on outhouses---why not make it the universal symbol of the restroom in western nations?

[kenth]

"She lost a loved one, therefore what she says must count more than what everyone else says."

Including others who have lost as well.

[bill1952]

Perhaps the learned professional writer can tell me what the H*ll "Musselmen" are.

[CyberAnt]

These are the same people who believe we can negotiate with terrorists. They're ignorant of the real intent of the terrorists who only want to kill ALL CHRISTIANS and ALL AMERICANS because we support Israel - their real enemy.

Did anybody else pick up on what Bubba was saying at his "conference" - "we cannot leave the terrorists out of the negotiations". Another Chamberlain .. and I hope his statements anger the American people and those who have lost precious family members to the terrorist monsters - and destroy his wife's chances to RULE America.

[tertiary01]

IMHO only if the relatives have privately garnered the funding for this memorial should their opinions then have more weight than that of the general public.

[prophetic]

there is something very patent corrupt & evil amongst us.

How else can you explain how on the heels on 9/11 by just a couple months, you see a bunch of school leaders in California demanding the students read the Koran, take on Muslim names and observe Ramadan - all in the name of "understanding America's enemies" and "cultural understanding" of the 9/11 terrorists????

[Sally]

Mrs. Hoglan (Mother of Mark Bingham) writes:

"The human being who can transcend bitterness and extend a hand in friendship -- as Mark Bingham did every day of his short life -- does more to combat terrorism than any military force."

Breathtakingly dimwitted remark. As I recall, the hand of friendship involved ramming an airline hospitality cart through the cockpit door and overpowering the red-bandanaed terrorists. Mark clearly understood what was required... why doesn't his mother?

The woman is entitled to her opinion, as I am entitled to reject it.

[Taggart_D]

droddy@post-gazette.com ...his email in case you want to reply. Thanks for the post, I love Michelle Malkin so I had to send Mr. Droddy the following email:

Last week, Ron McRae, a self-ordained minister who makes a hobby of lording his holiness over gays, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, decided that the use of the term "Crescent of Embrace" to describe a single feature in a multi-faceted Flight 93 Memorial design was a tacit endorsement of Islam.

I've never heard of Ron McRae....but I know that when someone talks about someone as "lording his holiness over" anyone ...obviously has some issues of their own. Your intolerance of Christians is showing. I think Michelle Malkin is right on the money and that any symbolism to Islam either by design or unintentional has no place at such a memorial.

[FarmerW]

"She lost a loved one, therefore what she says must count more than what everyone else says."

Including others who have lost as well.

Sorry, that is only true if the others are also liberals. Didn't you get your copy of the liberal rule book?

[stylin19a]

Does anybody know what "Crescent of Embrace" actually means ? how it was derived ?

[mcg1969]

Look, if a parent wants to build their own private memorial to their Flight 93 hero, so be it. They can adorn the memorial with overt Muslim symbols if they want.

And if we as a society wanted to build a memorial just for the immediate families of the Flight 93 heroes, and present it to them as a gift, we could. And in that case, we would be doing them the utmost respect by giving their opinions overwhelming weight in the design process.

But neither is the case here. This memorial is for the entire country to remember September 11th, its heroes, and its vicitms. Therefore the entire country has a say in its design.

The opinions of this family member are duly noted---and combined with the opinions of millions of others.

[pigsmith]

"The mothers and fathers of those terrorists -- and the terrorists themselves -- are all human beings who struggled for their version of the right..."

I could only get this far

[RichInOC]

Under the circumstances, putting that symbol at the Flight 93 monument is like putting swastika topiaries in a Holocaust memorial garden, or sculpting a bulldozer-shaped headstone for Rachel Corrie. There are some things you just don't do.

[Crim]

" It's time to surrender some territory"

Those who do not learn from histroy are doomed to repeat it....

[Crim]

Yeah I can spell...not.

[RGSpincich]

Consider this, the shape is consistent with the topography of the designated area. The shape happens to resemble a symbol of Islam but its really shaped like an abandon quarry, which it was. They are all over the US if you want to look around. The shape is not a tribute to Allah, it's just the way the rocks fell. I'd rather conservatives don't get as paranoid as the Muslim who thought the Burger King ice cream label was sacrilegious because it resembled the Arabic symbol for Allah.

[dware]

Perhaps the learned professional writer can tell me what the H*ll "Musselmen" are.

Must have been referring to this...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/838661/posts

[BIRDS]

The parent's comments seem a tad like someone suggesting that you just swim over to the great white shark and pet it because it's in a very bad mood and could use a hug.

Islam may not be Al Qaeda and vice-versa, but the objective by many who are Muslims remains the same and is shared by them and that is that the objective of what they believe in is that anyone who does not believe as they do is to be eradicated, is "not human," and moreorless to be discarded, done away with, as an act of their concept of righteousness.

We can all extend hands and make great smiles all we may be able to do toward Islam but it isn't going to change the dogma's objective by which they are motivated and that is that the United States is "the great satan," that Jews and Christians are subhuman problems to be eradicated from the earth and our good deeds and friendly gestures will not change that.

Not at all modestly, either, that writer doesn't waste any time in getting right to his point and that is that people who perceive this memorial as a problem (etc.) are representated by a "minister" who is out to get "...gays" and on and on.

THAT's this guy's point, right there, because we then have to read a few more paragraphs into his OP/ED to even find him mentioning the headline topic (parent of Flight 93 hero who endorses crescent memorial).

I strongly disagree with naming this Memorial the "Crescent Memorial" based upon the specifics of the incident itself that is being memorialized. However, I like the design -- just without the political/religious associations (as a design, it is compellingly beautiful, but politically and religiously and morally, it is offensive when attempting to honor those who died and why).

I GUESS we can now start saying, if this guy and those who reason as he does (if that's what it is) are to be credible, that the swastika is a fine representation to honor those who perished in World War II because the symbol means "good luck" traditionally, and is, after all, just an element of design (I was reading just the other day on the internet, some journals, whereby some Pagans and Wiccans are trying to generate some "coven energy" to accomplish this very thing as to that symbol, particularly).

I think the design is beautifully but awfully composed, all things considered. Under no circumstances should it be titled "the Crescent Memorial" and it should be modified to reduce the reference to that specific symbol out of consideration for the issue being memorialized.

BUT, it has little to nothing to do with ministers denouncing gays and such. The writer of this piece was just dying to be able to write that allegation again. In fact, he has on many instances about a myriad of issues he condemns and ridicules. I think it's reasonable to conclude that this writer guy is not concerned about memorials and crescents so much as he is obsessed with furthering homosexuality and ridiculing Christians.

The Memorial, Flight 93 and the people who perished on that flight...I strongly doubt the writer experiences much of any thoughts or feelings about them.