Architect Will Change Crescent Of Embrace Memorial
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Blogging, Good Decisions, The War On TerrorismThis one slipped past me, but I think it’s good news.
WASHINGTON - The architect of the memorial to a plane downed in western Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, said Wednesday he would work to satisfy critics who complained that it honors terrorists with its crescent-shaped design.Designer Paul Murdoch said he is “somewhat optimistic” that the spirit of the design could be maintained.
“It’s a disappointment there is a misinterpretation and a simplistic distortion of this, but if that is a public concern, then that is something we will look to resolve in a way that keeps the essential qualities,” Murdoch, 48, of Los Angeles, said in a telephone interview.
And by the way, I completely accept the following explanation as the truth. I never thought they had secret intentions, as many on my side of the argument suggested (and therefore HURT our collective argument).
However, I certainly questioned Murdoch’s judgment for using the symbol AND the name of Islam’s defacto “cross.”
“We called it a ‘crescent’ because it was a curving land form. We called it ‘Crescent of Embrace’ because of the symbolic gesturing of embracing this place,” Murdoch said. “There’s no desire to make this a divisive memorial.”
I agree that it’s a misinterpretation of what he intended, but that happens sometimes and When we’re building memorials, these misinterpretations should be taken seriously. He’s doing the right thing by addressing it now.
I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
For more on this story, read these posts:
Flight 93 Memorial Uses Islam Crescent Symbol?
Crescent Shaped 9/11 Memorial Draws Criticism
And if you’re truly a masochist, read this post:
Why Words Matter
September 25th, 2005 at 1:36 am
I’m glad the architect is taking it all in a good spirit, at least for the sake of public harmony.
As a side note, I’d be wary about making direct cross-religion analogies. Cross does not = crescent, just as Bible does not = Quran, Jesus does not = Muhammad. The parallel structure is tempting, but the seeming correspondences are false friends that lead to misunderstanding if you follow them.
September 25th, 2005 at 3:31 pm
That’s why I said “defacto “cross”". I realize it isn’t REALLY their cross, but the crescent is above nearly every mosque I’ve seen in my lifetime, and therefore, I think the comparison is at least apt.