NationStates Jolt Archive

Five Years Later...
NYC Unveils 9/11 Memorial Hole (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nyc_unveils_9_11_memorial_hole)

It's sad because it's true.

I find it most interesting that Spain was able to get its memorial up already while we are still fighting over what it should look like and what to rebuild. They made a beautiful and simple symbolic structure that will be remembered well. Americans suck. Seriously we do. We can't even build a goddamn memorial after 5 and a half years (today). The people in power won't rebuild the towers. They want some "Freedom" Tower BS. The "victims" are still whining and crying. Get over it. I lost a pretty building that distinguished a skyline, but I got over it. Terrorists win.

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070311/wl_nm/spain_bombings_memorial_dc)

MADRID (Reuters) - A small glass tower channeling light into an underground chamber was unveiled as a memorial to victims of the Madrid train bombings, meters away from where the blasts killed 191 people exactly three years ago on Sunday.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia inaugurated the memorial -- a glittering cylinder of glass brick -- less than a month after 29 suspects went on trial in the attack that ripped apart four rush-hour trains approaching Madrid's Atocha railway station.

Around 1,800 people were injured by 10 bombs, which had been stuffed into sports bags and set off by mobile phones. One woman remains in a coma and hundreds others are still plagued by medical and psychological problems.

On a sunny spring day, relatives of victims and survivors bowed their heads in silence as the king laid a wreath at the foot of the 11-meter (36 ft) tower -- its height a reference to the date Spain suffered its worst peace-time attack.

The tower's architects -- five friends working on their first commission -- said the design's main ingredient was light.

Sunshine hitting the column of 15,000 glass bricks focuses light into an empty, blue chamber below a busy highway, which the public can access via Atocha station.

From below, visitors can peer skywards to read hundreds of messages of condolence and support wrapped around the inside of the cylinder.

"When the sunlight completely fills the chamber, it's like an explosion of light. It's a calm environment, a place of reflection," one of the architects, Esau Acosta, from firm Estudio FAM told Reuters.

Three days after the bombs, Spain held general elections and voted out the conservative Popular Party (PP), a close U.S. ally, putting in its place a Socialist government that quickly fulfilled a pledge to pull Spanish troops out of
Iraq.

The trial of those accused of carrying out the attacks will hear from more than 600 witnesses and 100 experts before a panel of three judges gives its verdict, probably in early autumn.

Separate commemorations were held at two other stations hit by blasts on Sunday.

But if America doesn't have the best memorial ever the terrosists win!

America couldn't put together a jig saw puzzle... meant for 4 year olds.

I believe Keith Olbermann once talked about this in one of his special comments, about how 6 years after the incident, there is still nothing to commemorate the victims of 9/11, and how the Bush Administration likes to use the hole in the ground that is "Ground Zero" for their own political benefit. I mean they even hijacked it for the Republican convention, how sick is that?

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the 9-11 memorial is considerably larger then what they did in Spain. Also the "Freedom Tower" project will shape America's largest city skyline for a very long time (hopefully). Comparing apples and oranges here.

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the 9-11 memorial is considerably larger then what they did in Spain. Also the "Freedom Tower" project will shape America's largest city skyline for a very long time (hopefully). Comparing apples and oranges here.

QFT.

We should have set to work rebuilding the towers as they once stood the moment we got the area cleared. No memorial could beat that.

Why does it need to be though? What's wrong with something simple, beautiful, and dignified?

Nothing at all if it comes with a laser show and is 1,500 feet tall.

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the 9-11 memorial is considerably larger then what they did in Spain. Also the "Freedom Tower" project will shape America's largest city skyline for a very long time (hopefully). Comparing apples and oranges here.

Why does it need to be though? What's wrong with something simple, beautiful, and dignified?

First the argument starts with "why hasn't America started building a monument yet?", then it gravitates to "why does it have to be so big and beautiful and great?" .... guess there's no pleasing some people.

Why does it need to be though? What's wrong with something simple, beautiful, and dignified?

It's supposed to replace the twin towers in the New York skyline.

It's supposed to replace the twin towers in the New York skyline.

I thought memorials were meant to commemorate, not replace?

So it's not so much about actually being a memorial, it's more about showing off?
:confused: or about filling in the gap the terrorist attacks caused....

It's supposed to replace the twin towers in the New York skyline.

So it's not so much about actually being a memorial, it's more about showing off?

Why not something like the Oklahoma City Bombing memorial? Not in the actual form of the memorial, but in the idea behind it; to remind people of those who died in a dignified and reflective way?

So it's not so much about actually being a memorial, it's more about showing off?

Why not something like the Oklahoma City Bombing memorial? Not in the actual form of the memorial, but in the idea behind it; to remind people of those who died in a dignified and reflective way?

I see no reference to the average (large by world standard) penis size of Americans in this suggestion. In fact, I see nothing phallic at all. You do not understand us.

I thought memorials were meant to commemorate, not replace?

In this case it will be doing both.

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the 9-11 memorial is considerably larger then what they did in Spain. Also the "Freedom Tower" project will shape America's largest city skyline for a very long time (hopefully). Comparing apples and oranges here.

That doesn't excuse nothing getting done? Have they even decided on the plan they are going to use to build it? Last I heard, everyone was standing around with their thumbs up their asses going "wooo, terrorism!"

I thought memorials were meant to commemorate, not replace?

Exactly.

Five Years Later...
NYC Unveils 9/11 Memorial Hole (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nyc_unveils_9_11_memorial_hole)

It's sad because it's true.

Well, we had those light beam thingies for a while. :p

I thought memorials were meant to commemorate, not replace?

Well, think about it for a minute. Manhattan's economy was gutted because of the collapse of the buildings.

We're getting a whole complex as a memorial and an office park. I really don't see what the problem is, as it's quite beautiful as well. Or, we could do it *cough* somebody else's way and not reinvigorate lower Manhattan...

...But tell me: How many buildings were turned to dust in the London blitz? And then, how many thousands of people were killed? But wait, we should just make memorials and not rebuild. Yeah, that's the stuff.

Well, think about it for a minute. Manhattan's economy was gutted because of the collapse of the buildings.

We're getting a whole complex as a memorial and an office park. I really don't see what the problem is, as it's quite beautiful as well. Or, we could do it *cough* somebody else's way and not reinvigorate lower Manhattan...

...But tell me: How many buildings were turned to dust in the London blitz? And then, how many thousands of people were killed? But wait, we should just make memorials and not rebuild. Yeah, that's the stuff.

It is possible to rebuild and have memorials. There is no reason why there could not be a small monument or garden as the memorial; a quiet area, where people can reflect. Calling the rebuilding work the memorial, however, seems to be more about machoism than memory; more about sticking two fingers up to the terrorists rather than remembering the dead.

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the 9-11 memorial is considerably larger then what they did in Spain. Also the "Freedom Tower" project will shape America's largest city skyline for a very long time (hopefully). Comparing apples and oranges here.

1. They are still fighting over designs and who will pay for it. I live 30 miles from NY, so unless you're closer STFU.
2. It will MAR the skyline...if it is ever built.

Well, think about it for a minute. Manhattan's economy was gutted because of the collapse of the buildings.

We're getting a whole complex as a memorial and an office park. I really don't see what the problem is, as it's quite beautiful as well. Or, we could do it *cough* somebody else's way and not reinvigorate lower Manhattan...

...But tell me: How many buildings were turned to dust in the London blitz? And then, how many thousands of people were killed? But wait, we should just make memorials and not rebuild. Yeah, that's the stuff.

jep.

It is possible to rebuild and have memorials. There is no reason why there could not be a small monument or garden as the memorial; a quiet area, where people can reflect. Calling the rebuilding work the memorial, however, seems to be more about machoism than memory; more about sticking two fingers up to the terrorists rather than remembering the dead.

...Have you even looked at the design? There's a huge fucking garden right in the middle of it! On top of that, there's also a plaque dedicated to all of the people who were killed in the incident.