[Mik]

Today Kim and I took the girls to an engine show near Somerset. On the way back we stopped at a little spot... back this hastily paved strip mine road... out in the middle of noplace... a couple miles outside of Shanksville...

Click for Photo
Image exceeds 640 pixel max. width - convereted to link

It's just supposed to be a "temporary" memorial, until they can raise money for a fancy marble thing. But it is nonetheless touching. People have left all kinds of mementos, written messages and left bumper stickers on the guard rails...and several large bronze plaques, from motorcycle clubs of all things.

 

[ohioriverrailway]

Been there; seen that! Pretty amazing what folks can do on their own. Maybe a little tacky in some aspects, but the sentiments displayed are genuine.

 

[Mik]

I'm not sure how I feel about seeing this news article the day after visiting where flight 93 went down. It's just an odd juxtaposition on Memorial Day to see how those who fought back that day still have so little and those who sat there like sheep (There I said it) already have their memorial nearly completed. Yes I know one is in DC and the other out in the middle of noplace, but it sends a somewhat mixed message on which people and actions are more valued nonetheless.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/23/pentagon.memorial/index.html

 

[Allan W. Miller]

"It's just an odd juxtaposition on Memorial Day to see how those who fought back that day still have so little and those who sat there like sheep (There I said it) already have their memorial nearly completed."
-------------------------
None of us here has any idea of what conditions actually were on those four aircraft, so it's totally wrong to assume that folks aboard those various planes "sat there like sheep." All are equally deserving of our remembrances. Unfortunately, far too many in this nation have already forgotten the message of that day.

 

[Mik]

Sadly, there was a reason for my choice of words. Most airline's policy was (and perhaps still is) in dealing with hijackers is to have everybody sit there and let the hijackers do what they please.... This is based on the 30 year old model when they were just political nut jobs trying to get their name in the news, or taking the plane to Cuba or someplace to ransom it for money. The landscape has changed -- Those hijackers that day were COUNTING on the people on the airplanes to follow policy.

Besides, we are told from so many other sources that we should "co-operate" with criminals, "Give them what they want", "Don't put up a fight", "Let the authorities handle it", etc. This might sometimes work with a simple mugger, but it just doesn't with someone hopped up on drugs, or some crazy who intends to kill you anyway. I just read about a fellow who lost his job last week because he acted to protect a female co-worker who he thought was in imminent danger of being killed during a hold-up.

There is a difference between acting like a victim and a hero. I just thought it rather telling of our social mindset that the victims got a memorial BEFORE the heroes.

Your mileage may vary...

 

[wchasr]

Posted By Mik on 05/27/2008 9:45 AM
I just thought it rather telling of our social mindset that the victims got a memorial BEFORE the heroes.
Your mileage may vary...

I honestly do not disagree with you or your choice of words EXCEPT you are leaving out hte location factor. A farmer's field out in the middle of Western Pa is NOT a convenient location for millions of folsk to travel to ona regualr basis. In a hundred years no one will remember why that big huge memorial is there and will no longer travel to it "just because" where as folks travel to NYC and Wash DC on a regular basis and if those monuments are not off the beaten track tourist wise they will continue to see some patronage. It's as simple as that and has nothing to do with whether folks were sheep or heros.
I honestly mean NO disrespect to anyone living or dead but its simple location problems.
Chas

 

[silverstatespecialties]

Posted By wchasr on 05/27/2008 11:54 AM

In ahundred year no one will remember why that big huge memorial is there and will no longer travel to it "just because" where as folks travel to NYC and Wash DC on a regular basis and if those monuments are not off the beaten track tourist wise they will continue to see some patronage.



Well, if the media has their way, nobody will remember it. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/angry.gif

 

[wchasr]

Posted By silverstatespecialties on 05/27/2008 1:01 PM
Posted By wchasr on 05/27/2008 11:54 AM
In ahundred year no one will remember why that big huge memorial is there and will no longer travel to it "just because" where as folks travel to NYC and Wash DC on a regular basis and if those monuments are not off the beaten track tourist wise they will continue to see some patronage.

Well, if the media has their way, nobody will remember it. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/angry.gif" border=0>" border=0>" border=0>

My point had nothing to do with the media but rather with the millions of memorials placed in town and city parks and out in the country to de-note that at some point in time, something worth noting took place. As an "attraction" they will garner almost no interest based on location. Nothing to do with the media at all. That goes for ANY memorial not just this one. Folks travelling looking for a place to stop may stop and read what it has to say and then again maybe not?
As part of a group that put up a memorial for the only police officer that was killed in our town in the line of duty I can say with certainty that now 10 years after the placement, which was 50 years or so after the death of said officer, no one, even the local policemen that drive by it daily, even notices anymore. Just about EVERY large park in our town has at least one memorial of some sort and one park has many. My town is not unusual. Travel to large cities and you'll find MANY memorials. My impression of Wash, DC is the whole of the tourist experience is to travel from one memorial to another. My experiences in NYC have included memorials unintentionally but there they are. My point has nothing to do with media (modern or historical).
Chas