Rightfully thinking of honoring our fallen soldiers, Hugh Hewitt proposed the other day that we encourage Congress to build a memorial in Shanksville, PA, in the field of the first American resistance. Then I read Jonathan Last's response. Evidently, he has visited Shanksville (written up here), and he says that that would be a horrible thing. It seems that Americans (and non Americans) have, spontaneously, been building a memorial, have been making a sort of pilgrimage and leaving behind signs and symbols of gratitude and memory. The local folks maintain and monitor the site. A big, planned memorial would ruin what has sprung up there. (I wish we had pictures!)
There's more. Tonight, Powerline pointed out a website, Fallen Heroes Memorial, dedicated to listing each of our fallen soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq--with circumstances of death, home, and a place for comments for each soldier individually or a bulletin board for all. It is moving, especially comments of friends or comrades of the fallen. Much, if not all, is hard to read. It is gratifying though to see the graditude and good faith of non-Americans' (again) and many of our American youth.
UPDATE: Jonathan Last has kindly left links to photos in the Comments section.
2 comments:
For pictures, look here, here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Actually, it's worth going through both slide shows, but understand that these pictures, as affecting as they are, don't do the current memorial justice. I would encourage every American to make the effort to visit Shanksville at least once. Like going to Gettysburg, it's special.
Thanks a lot Jonathan. The pictures are helpful.
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