A Proper War Memorial

I found Michelle Malkin’s comment, concerning the airliner crash in Pennsylvania on 9/11, that a “proper war memorial should stir to anger and action” to be offensive. As a Kansas City, Mo, native, I have always admired our very own Liberty Memorial that is the only monument entirely dedicated to WWI in the country.

The Great Frieze on the north terrace wall depicts “progress from war to peace,” carved in stone that stretches 400 feet across and stands 13 feet high. The following is taken from the Liberty Memorial Museum’s website:

“In honor of those who served in the world war in defense of liberty and our country.” The quote best depicts the reasons and emotions behind the raising of the Liberty Memorial Monument. World War I (1914-1918), which ended on the Western Front in Europe on November 11, 1918, had dramatically changed the world and deeply affected future generations.

After the guns were silenced and the huge celebrations had died down, concerned citizens in the United States reflected on the past War and on the losses sustained. What could be done to honor and remember, they wondered. Just two weeks after the Armistice, a meeting of Kansas Citians brought forth the idea and need for the creation of a lasting monument to all men and women in the war and to those who died.

A community-based fund-raising drive in 1919 raised over $2,500,000 in less than two weeks through public subscription in Kansas City and around the nation. This staggering accomplishment reflected the passion of public opinion about the Great War, which so recently ended.

**********

Malkin was also incensed about the use of a red crescent of trees. A quick web search on the red crescent provided many links to an organization similar to our own Red Cross and a web page that explores the history of the crescent as a symbol of Islam.

It states “the crescent moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years.” It goes on to say that the symbol was chosen to honor the goddess Diana or “to a battle in which the Romans defeated the Goths on the first day of a lunar month.” At any rate, it is “essentially an ancient pagan icon. It is certainly not in uniform use among Muslims.” The article lists countries whose flags depict the symbol and notes that “The majority of these countries are not Arabic-speaking, but rather are part of the greater Muslim world.”

9-25-05