24 Jan 2003 | JF said...

I'm with you, ML. It's part the PC world we live in now. It feels like anyone who dies tragically needs to be honored, revered, immortalized, etc.

In some ways, this is like people throwing the word "revolutionary" around like it's no big deal. Nearly every new product is revolutionary this, revolutionary that. Everything is so revolutionary that it's going to change your life.

It all makes us numb.

24 Jan 2003 | Darrel said...

Memorials are vital in keeping the sculpting and plaque making sectors of our economy thriving. More dead people = more memorials = more employed sculptors and plaque makers. I say let's go to war!

24 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

I don't mind the amount of memorials, and I don't even mind the idea of "remembering the fallen." I just don't want to have to remember it forever. There should be a time limit. Kind of like election signs. They need to come down after the election is over or the person who put them up is fined. Same for memorials.

This way people have something to look at and share (because I think on an individual/small group level this is important) but then the memorial would come down after a time, and the water cooler can go back to it's regular spot.

And if you are feeling numb... Take back your time

24 Jan 2003 | snarky said...

How about the growing number of roadside memorials going up? There was one down the street from my house where the family draped the bloody jacket of the person killed over the cross they erected. Nice touch. The largest roadside memorial I have seen was on a van trip to the Nazca. Bus crash - 42 dead.

24 Jan 2003 | britt said...

I hope I die in a large, tragic event so I will be remembered by everyone.

We need memorials for all of the failed dot-coms. And maybe a memorial for the people who don't win reality TV shows. The latter would probably become a huge Hollywood tourist attraction.

24 Jan 2003 | ~bc said...

How about a memorial to all the college kids who graduated just in time to reach a graveyard of an employment market? Go to school and make something of yourself"

Seriously, forward-thinking is not a specialty of this country.

25 Jan 2003 | lt said...

~bc said: "Seriously, forward-thinking is not a specialty of this country"

What are you talking about? There is no country on this planet more forward thinking, in total, than the U.S.

26 Jan 2003 | alisha said...

...depends on what you mean by "forward thinking".

I think they better hold off on all those expensive memorials. With the way things are developing now, there will be many many more to build. They should maybe consider using cheaper stone and metal so that they can afford all those thousands of memorials that will come in the near future.

27 Jan 2003 | Drew said...

How possible is it that any person over the age of 2 will ever forget 9/11?

Impossible.

If it were me, I wouldn't want a memorial erected - I'd want Osama's head bronzed on a pike.

27 Jan 2003 | Don Schenck said...

Let the employer -- The Wall Street Journal -- put a memorial on the outside or inside of their building. Fair enough.

I want a memorial to Joe Roth, quarterback for the University of California in the early 80's. Played his entire senior year with cancer, didn't tell his teammates, then died. Gutsy.

We need a memorial to the "Common Man" and "Common Woman".

27 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

How possible is it that any person over the age of 2 will ever forget 9/11?

Impossible.

Probably not forget, but they won't think about it much (depending on how much the administration uses it) in a few years. Much like I don't think much about the Challenger exploding as I watched it. But I had much the same feelings of loss then as I did on September 11th (See I can spell September).

I was 2 when JFK was shot. Doesn't affect me.

Besides, more than likely something else will come along (extremely good or bad) to wipe away most of the feelings. I hate that it happened, but I know I will let go of it as time goes by.