The Memorial Three Card Monte

The LMDC continues to play games with the 9/11 families and the general public. This is a very good article by Tim Sumner and originally appeared at the "Take Back The Memorial" web site.

MEMORIAL THREE-CARD MONTE
April 8th, 2006 by Tim Sumner

LMDC steals the soul of ‘Reflecting Absence.’ Asks public to pay to grieve.

Earlier this week, representatives of the Coalition of 9/11 Families learned during a World Trade Center Historic Preservation Meeting that the LMDC unilaterally, and without public process, removed the centerpiece of Michael Arad’s jury selected design Reflecting Absence. The “contemplation room,” which contains the unidentified remains of the 9/11 victims and their tomb (now referred to as a symbolic mortuary vessel) at bedrock and open to the sky is no longer a feature of the 9/11 Memorial. Rather, the LMDC revealed that it has now taken the “contemplation room” and placed it in the Memorial Museum. Unlike the Memorial, which will be free, visitors will have to pay a ticket fee to access bedrock and the victims’ tomb.

Members of the Coalition of 9/11 Families strenuously object to having the unidentified remains of the 9/11 victims and their tomb treated as a museum exhibit. We further object to the LMDC denying the public — who will pay for this Memorial through both their tax dollars and contributions — the right to descend to bedrock to stand on the historic site and pay their respects as the Memorial intended. While we appreciate the need to raise money for the Memorial and Memorial Museum, the unidentified remains of our loved ones are not for sale.

The LMDC cannot continue to act in private and spring the results on the public as a fait accompli while claiming to engage in an “open and transparent process.” The LMDC continues to force the public to fight to keep what they believed was the status quo and while we fight, LMDC officials make the next unilateral change. This latest move is morally reprehensible and entirely unacceptable.

Please write or call Governor Pataki and let your voice be heard.
George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390