Posted on 10/23/2005 5:23:59 AM PDT by gridlock
Despite the outrage of the American public over the planned memorial to those who lost their lives fighting terrorists who hijacked their plane on 9/11/2001, the Flight 93 Memorial does not appear to have changed. The Crescent of Embrace design still remains on winning architect Paul Murdochs site, as well as the official Flight 93 Memorial site. On neither of these sites is any change mentioned or shown to the original design. Murdochs site does not indicate that any changes or refinements will be forthcoming. To refresh memories, the problem with the design was and is the Islamic crescent symbol. The memorial to the American citizens who appear to have thwarted Islamic terrorists from completing their plan to crash the commercial airliner into the White House deteriorated into a memorial to the terroristsnot to those who tried to stop them. Far beyond a slap in the face to the United States, American citizens who died protecting their country are being marginalized. Instead, it is the terrorists who are being commemorated. The totality of this abomination is staggering.
To be fair, I again contacted Chris MartinPublic Relations contact for the memorial projectto determine why there was nothing included on the official Flight 93 Memorial site, as to any change in the memorials design. My direct question was Nothing seems to have changed nor is there any indication that the memorial will differ from [its] original design. Do you have any information or comments on this? Mr. Martins response was: The refinement process is still underway. The designer and the partner organizations are working together to refine various portions of the 2,200 acre site. We anticipate an announcement regarding these various refinements in the coming weeks. Conspicuously absent from Martins response is any indication of the replacement of the Crescent of Embrace. This patently begs the question: What are they refining?
Perhaps Ive just become too jaded over the years. But, trusting ambiguous answers to rather straightforward questions no longer seems the best course to follow. Also, the original National Forest Service (NFS) contact, Joanne Hanley, doesnt appear to be listed anywhereanymore. Note: In September, you flooded her email-box to the point that it was inoperable. Good show!
In fact, there does not appear to be anyone currently identified by the NFS, who is in charge of the project from the governments end. My guess is that they dont want to again receive thousands of emails and phone calls similar to those they received last month. However, below is a link to the NFS main contact site. To give all involved the benefit of the doubt, perhaps the design will change. But, in order to keep their feet to the fire and better ensure the Islamic crescent isnt used my strong suggestion is that as many of us as possible call and write them, to inform the caretakers of this very important project that we havent forgotten.
We also need to powerfully and consistently let them know that were still watching and that we will not accept any honors to the ones who attacked us. Doing so would be both appalling to those who died and a strong indication to the terrorists that we believe they were right. Neither of these is even remotely acceptable.
http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/weblog.php
Flight 93 "Crescent of Embrace" Remains Unchanged
Sher Zieve notices that even though the Flight 93 memorial project organizers announced they would reconsider their design, the Flight 93 Crescent of Embrace Remains Unchanged. link: 138 comments
Perhaps we haven't made ourselves sufficiently clear. Isn't it funny when people think you're just going to get bored and go away?
#128
fmfnavydoc 10/22/2005 03:00PM PDT
I'm no designer or architech, but this is what I would think would be a fitting memorial to Flight 93... A grove of evergreens in the distance - one for each passenger and crewmember(minus the slopeydopes) A White marble wall - shillouttes of the passengers and crew (minus the slopeydopes), wiht their names, date of birth and hometowns and religious faith etched in black. On both ends of the wall, the following statement: On this spot, on September 11, 2001, Americans stood up, fought and died in the first major battle in the war against Islamic Terrorism. "LET'S ROLL"
Just put a Nazi swastika or--better yet--the number "666" on top of the crescent, and the irony will be fulfilled.
Any one have a bulldozer to take care of this POS when it is finished.
A primary task o' dis here generation iz ta create new patterns o' development dat sustain human habitation on dis here planet. Towards dis here end, da principles adopted fo' our practice iz intended ta ensure dat each project contributes ta an overall goal o' environmental responsibility while striving fo' design excellence.Can somebody please post the "Man the lifeboats" BS Meter graphic? Very applicable :)As architects, we's iz uniquely qualified ta he`p formulate an' translate policy into tangible form; mitigating pressures o' urbanity wiff da need ta heal da natural environment. Each design solution iz seen as uh contribution ta da human condition; as it exists taday an' evolves into future generations.
Our goal iz ta define an' study problems both in terms o' clients’ direct needs an' relative ta long term effects on natural an' nig made surroundings. More than problem solving however, we's aspire ta emotionally affect an' uplift our lives through poetry an' beauty.
It iz through deez transcendent qualities dat we's optimistically strive fo' ways ta enrich life an' fulfill our original purpose fo' engaging in da practice o' architecture. wazzup?
You obviously know nothing about Islam (or you are a muslim).
Is there freedom of religious practice in America? How about Saudi Arabia? Which religion is it that kills you if you leave it?
The God of the Jews and Christians wants your love and wants you to be free. The Islamic Allah (the god of anger and hatred and destruction) wants you to be his slave.
I have suggested that a simple modification, where the circle would be flattened on the sides, then the apex of the oval opened and the new endpoints slightly flared outward from the circumference, would offer a positive, acceptable alternative to a intentionally misbegotten design.
I would also ring the two new sides in dogwoods, completely encapsulating the red maples.
Yes, I am aware that the UN logo also contains a laurel, but they in turn, merely borrowed it from European heraldic history.
This would be a low-impact but thorough change from the radical original. Any FReeper is encouraged to propagate this idea or come up with an alternative, because that is what is needed at this late stage of the game -- an acceptable alternative.
bump
Courtesy ping to this thread and also curious to know if your opinion has changed in the intervening 40 days since your post.
"It's a memorial to the terrorists," McRae said. "It's not a memorial to the innocent Americans who died there."But Tom Sokolowski, the director of the Andy Warhol Museum, and one of the Stage II jury members, said that claim is 'asinine'. "If the families of the 40 people who were killed felt this was an appropriate symbol to honor their loved ones, then I think he is delusional," he said. "To take this small-minded, bigoted view is disgusting and repellent." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, by Paula Reed Ward
Well, the Internet is full of all kind of interesting things:
"MONDAY: Last night I dreamed that I return to New York City...AIDS was all around me again. People were sick, people were dying...and yet--yet--style was everywhere...AIDS graphics were stylish, Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs were stylish, ACT-Up meetings were echt stylish and the attendees young and hot! The younger you were, the tighter your jeans, the closer cropped your hair, the louder your bray...Get relevant, get laid. It was hot and in supremely good taste. Yum...All so tasteful. Lush dying. If a bunch of fags was to hang some crepe, then dammit it was going to be real peu de soi, Mary! And hang the crepe we did." -- The Unfashionability of AIDS, by Tom Sokolowski (Director of the Andy Warhol Museum).
The plans for the memorial may remain unchanged but the memorial itself won't. I see this becoming the most defaced memorial in the world and defacing it would be no insult to those who died. The memorial is a slap in the face to those heros and this country. We need to take this country back.
A couple of bulldozers could eventually change it..
Isn't the Heinz Foundation at work here somewhere? I thought their money was paying for at least some of this. Which explains a lot.
Sounds great to me. You got my vote.
Couldn't agree with you more.
That stuff from the architects web-site reads like a pathetic romance novel. Design your buildings and shut up!
This memorial is shameful and it is really sad. The people who died on Flight 93 and this is the best that can be done for them, when there is no telling how many lives they saved?
Translated into English, this means: "I am a pretentious, pompous ass."
Did you know if you bisect the 2 points of the crescent, they point within a few tenths of a degree to GUESS WHERE???? This memorial was a purposeful act to side with our enemies!!!
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