Wednesday, July 29, 2009
How much time for memory and myth?
After last night's visit to the Vietnam Memorial, a question keeps me wondering. When is the time appropriate to honor historic events? I ask this after seeing the two additional sets of statues of the three soldiers and the women's section. Why couldn't the nurse( the women's statues) hold a Vietnamese child in her arms, instead of a soldier's helmet? Why did the three soldiers look like something from Apocalypse Now? Memory and myth-so what are we saying about this unpopular and lost war by these three structures? How do we honor those that have given the ultimater sacrifice? Do we always need the actual figures? Sharon
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I think the expediency of the Vietnam Memorial was in response to the extremely volatile feelins surrounding this war and our war dead. Because of the unpopular war and the mixed feelings regarding those who served I think the government and the armed services felt compelled to honor the war dead to help erase the pain felt by the nation.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what, if any, memorial is made for the men and women who have died in the "War on Terror." Will it ever happen, where would it be, and what would it look like? Then I think the issues Sharon brought up will become the issues of the current generation rather than the issues of the current generation dealing with the past and from a future perspective. Hope that's not too confusing
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