Last week, we remembered the ninth anniversary of 9/11. I planned to write about the Arizona 9/11 Memorial at Wesley Bolin Plaza, but some negative comments made on a local talk radio station made me change my mind. Instead, I wrote another piece on the Healing Field.
The Arizona 9/11 Memorial resides at Wesley Bolin Plaza.
Since 9/11 passed, I decided to write about the Arizona 9/11 Memorial this week, and if someone wants to make a negative comment, so be it. A politician, who I won’t even bother to name, brought the memorial into controversy shortly after its dedication in 2006. Unfortunately, the stigma never went away.
The Governor's Arizona 9-11 Memorial Commission appointed by two Arizona governors.
When I visit the 9/11 Memorial, I get nothing but inspiration from it. Sure some of the comments that were etched into the metal halo represented comments that we might not want to recognize, but the whole construction of the piece and the many people whose ideas went into it represent everything American-ingenuity and freedom of speech.
The sun shines through the halo and phrases appear on the concrete below.
The monument contains a piece of steel taken from the World Trade Center and rests on a concrete base which includes rubble and dust from the Pentagon and ground from Shanksville, Pa.
A piece of steel from the World Trade Center rests on a concrete base containing rubble and dust from the Pentagon and ground from Shanksville, Pa.
Even though this memorial may be labeled controversial, I find it comforting to have a place to remember what happen on September 11, 2001. The inscriptions may be unacceptable to some, but I find they represent the diverse opinions held by all Americans. The thought behind the memorial and the items included in it represent everyone’s opinion. We will never forget!
The Arizona 9/11 Memorial contains remembrances from September 11, 2001.
Photos by Janice Semmel
Leave a comment
Comments feed for this article