Megan Fricke:
I thought that this chapter of Erika Doss’ Book Memorial Mania was particularly interesting as she discussed gratitude and our desire to thank and remember those who lost their lives for our country. While there wasn’t a national monument dedicated to WII until 2004, the memory of these soldiers continued to live in the memory of citizens in various manners. The placement of this monument, directly in between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, demonstrates the importance and significance of WWII and the deceased. The Announcement Stone at the entrance states that this monument was placed here to symbolize “the struggle during the Second World War and [who] made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us: a nation conceived in liberty and justice”. I was fascinated with the fact that this million-dollar memorial was created out of gratitude and remembrance of these honorable soldiers, but some visitors did not understand the significance of the memorial. I think that the living memorials that are usable by citizens, such as stadiums, bridges, highways, etc. have more of an effect on the nation and help people to understand the importance of the event.
I thought that this chapter of Erika Doss’ Book Memorial Mania was particularly interesting as she discussed gratitude and our desire to thank and remember those who lost their lives for our country. While there wasn’t a national monument dedicated to WII until 2004, the memory of these soldiers continued to live in the memory of citizens in various manners. The placement of this monument, directly in between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, demonstrates the importance and significance of WWII and the deceased. The Announcement Stone at the entrance states that this monument was placed here to symbolize “the struggle during the Second World War and [who] made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us: a nation conceived in liberty and justice”. I was fascinated with the fact that this million-dollar memorial was created out of gratitude and remembrance of these honorable soldiers, but some visitors did not understand the significance of the memorial. I think that the living memorials that are usable by citizens, such as stadiums, bridges, highways, etc. have more of an effect on the nation and help people to understand the importance of the event.
War porn is
described as “the contemporary American lust for war, evinced not only in war
movies, war games, war toys, and war memorials but in the general fetishization
of war itself on every conceivable level of American society,” according to
Doss. Society idolizes those who
sacrificed their lives for our nation and picture these heroes in great and
valiant acts of combat. We don’t want to
forget those who fought for us and strive to remember their actions and
sacrifices in the best light possible, despite any surrounding controversy. Overall, I believe that memorials are
necessary, but we should focus on teaching and creating a lasting memory of the
soldiers and effected citizens.
No comments:
Post a Comment