Following our Rolling Thunder ride on Sunday afternoon, Hubster, Shay's Ma and I visited The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Wall has more than 58,000 names engraved on it! As Shay's Ma and I walked away, we wondered what sort of Memorial will there be for our Fallen Heroes of the Wars in Iraq/Afghanistan? How long will it be, before these men and women are recognized? Why did it take so long for there to be a World War II Memorial...and why is it taking so long for the 9/11 Memorial to be completed? ...and yet the design of The Wall was received and approved in March, 1982 and construction was complete in November, 1984. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. (VVMF) raised nearly $9,000,000 entirely through private contributions from corporations, foundations, unions, veterans and civic organizations and more than 275,000 individual Americans. No Federal funds were needed. Who will fund a Memorial for the casualties of the Wars in Iraq/Afghanistan? We have already lost 6,000 Americans lives. What about the design? In my mind, I see an image of a U.S. Flag with the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. I'm not sure the exact term for this image of our Flag...so I'll call it the U.S. Flag of our Deployed. You still with me? OK...so we have Our Flag, perhaps engraved in a material which will last for thousands of years... or perhaps the image of the 'Deployed Flag' in in the bottom of a Reflection Pool of sorts. Oh my...how does one come up with an original idea for a Memorial? Perhaps it should represent the New Century with Laser Lights...then again technology could be dangerous...it changes all too rapidly. Most likely this is why we see so much of the timeless materials such as granite, water and fire. I have no idea.... what I do know, is we have over 6,000 American faces gone. These men and women deserve hallowed ground.
Your turn.......................
2 comments:
One of my young art students planned and organized the building of an Iraq/Afghanistan Memorial here in Duncan, OK, as his Eagle Scout service. It is pretty simple in design - much like the other memorials here.
your ideas a beautiful.
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