NEOGNOSTIKOS

Sunday, 11 September 2005

Offensive Shit
When I first heard about the proposed memorial to the heroes of Flight 93 at Shanksville, Pennsylvania yesterday, I thought it was a joke. But it isn't. Somehow, the stupid bastards organizing this thing want to make the memorial a sick homage to the crescent symbol of Islam.

"Crescent of Embrace" will feature a Tower of Voices, containing 40 wind chimes -- one for each passenger and crew member who died -- and two stands of red maple trees that will line a walkway caressing the natural bowl shape of the land. Forty separate groves of red and sugar maples will be planted behind the crescent, and a black slate wall will mark the edge of the crash site, where the remains of those who died now rest.

This reminds me of Bill Hicks' observation that, if John F. Kennedy returned to Earth in the manner of Jesus of Nazareth returning to a world of Christians wearing and worshipping crucifixes, how little he would wish to see people wearing miniature Mannlicher-Carcano rifles around their necks.

I certainly hope there is enough outrage expressed to scuttle this disgusting and ill-conceived memorial to people who were victims of the barbarity of Islam.

Think I'm overstating things? Read what one of the artiste-architects has to say about it:

"A crescent is part of architectural vocabulary. It's a generic form used in design," said Paul Murdoch, one of the winning architects. "We don't see any one group having ownership of it."

"Crescent of Embrace" features an arc of maple trees that will turn red each fall.

Murdoch believes it's unfortunate that the design is being interpreted that way.

"You can call it all kinds of things. We can call it an arc. We can call it a circle. We can call it the edge of the bowl. The label doesn't matter to us in terms of intent.

"We have no objection to calling it something else."

Murdoch did say they have no intentions of changing the design.

The design is offensive. Fuck it. It isn't going to happen.

Posted by Toby Petzold at 12:03 AM CDT | Post Comment | View Comments (3) | Permalink
Updated: Sunday, 11 September 2005 12:05 AM CDT

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Tuesday, 13 September 2005 - 8:22 PM CDT

Name: Rider

New Orleans is known as The Crescent City, btw. Are you going to rename croissants along with french fries? Anyone who relies on Michelle Malkin for news is a fool. The "crescent shape" of the memorial was first pointed-out by a wacko street evangelist. You have put yourself in the same league as people who get offended by the crotches of trees.

The design was approved by families of Flight 93. Get a life.

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Tuesday, 13 September 2005 - 8:34 PM CDT

Name: Rider

Here:

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/05253/569055.stm

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Wednesday, 14 September 2005 - 12:14 AM CDT

Name: sluggo

Hey. Maybe it symbolizes an incomplete circle, kinda like the lives that were lost. Perhaps it's a way of incorporating the earth and sky to include the spirit of the people on that flight. It might be possible that the artist wants to make a contemplative setting for people to understand mortality and loss and then the eternal. Maybe it's an embrace.
It sure beats my design, that was rejected. I designed a performance piece/installation called "let's roll" it involves one entirely brushed silver remote control airliner loaded with high explosives and pigs accompanied by a swarm of red, white, and blue cruise missles to be joined to the earth at mecca and the al qaba mosque during the height of the Haj. Strangely enough, the proposal was returned with a sticky on it that said "don't we have this one already?" it was signed Don R....
LIGHTEN UP.

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