Yah really. Sure those steps can be used by maintenance , but thousands of fountains have no steps so your premise does not hold water haha.
As to the memorial being for those who died, your assertion is again incorrect. The memorial is for the living to help us remember those who served. How do I know? Because I responded to the first call for donations and made a donation on behalf of my father who served. So did all my siblings. My father is no longer ariound but I think I can speak fairly accurately for him and I don’t think he would have cared all that much one way or another. He was daily laid back and did not talk much unless forced to. Most. WWII vets I knew were like that.
“The memorial is for the living”
Well, hot damn!
Let’s have a WWII dead American Soldier theme park!
You can go on the B-17 Adventure Ride and help put your buddy’s guts back into his abdomen!
Your ticket purchase will help pay for the park.
The memorial is to honor the dead, as well as the survivors. Naturally, the dead can’t visit it; the living do. Duh. If your dad wouldn’t object, that’s up to him. But if the 99% of the posts here are any indication, I’m guessing most people do.
But just in case I’m wrong, here’s a quote from the FAQ section of the National World War II memorial website:
“Why can’t I wade in the Rainbow Pool?”
“For reasons of safety and respect. The pool contains many lights and sharp fountain heads that could injure visitors. American and Allied victories are celebrated here as are the millions of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that fought to secure those victories. Please honor our veterans by respecting the symbolism underlying the memorial pools and water features.”