9/11 Wingnut Watch: Seeing Things

In response to what otherwise seems like an eloquent proposal, certain wingnuts are literally getting bent out of shape over the design of a 9/11 memorial.

Recently unveiled to the public and to the families of those who died on Flight 93, this 2,000 acre memorial proposed for Pennsylvania has drawn widespread support and approval.  The problem the concrete-thinking right wingers are having, however, is the shape of the walkway.  Apparently, this path -- lined with 40 separate rows of red and sugar maples (each row representing one of the 40 victims), and designed to follow the existing shape of the land -- seems to remind the radicals too much of an Islamic crescent.

In highlighting the image, Michelle Malkin (who is fast becoming one of my favorite examples of what has gone terribly wrong with America) posted various choice comments by her fellow flat thinkers.  One asked: "What next--a holocaust memorial in the shape of a swastika?"

From a visual standpoint, it's worth noting that these radicals are responding to a topographical model -- an abstraction created to symbolically represent the project.  In reality, the memorial would hardly call out this impression (unless, perhaps, you were flying over it in an airplane at an unnaturally low altitude).  And still, the natural shades and shapes of the terrain, combined with the colors of the land, would likely never offer this kind of aerial contrast).

For those who see only bias, however, the impression of the "problem" might be better transmitted this way.  Below is a representation of the path shape from ground level.  Unless the design calls for carving the Islamic crescent into the trees, its hard to imagine there is much of an issue here.

(Story source: Making Light)

(Image: Paul Murdoch, architect.  Posted at 9/11 Memorial website)

Comments

[ummabdulla]

I don't even think it looks like a crescent, which is wider at the side and then kind of tapers at the ends. But I guess it doesn't help that it's called "Crescent of Embrace".

Just for the record, though, the crescent really isn't any kind of official symbol of Islam. See Crescent Moon: Symbol of Islam?

[Asta]

Wingnut logic: We should get rid of our lovely satellite, the Earth's Moon. Or force it to stop going through its lunar phases and promoting Islam in the night skies with its waxing and waning.

[mugatea]

Anytime trees are to be used in forming a memorial site it's good by me. Concrete and marble memorials have the feeling of a cemetary or an office building. Trees are living objects that many generations of people and birds can share.

Switching to wingnut mode ... I see a doughnut with a couple o' bites out of it.
Mmmmmm ... cinnamon doughnut.

[fotonique]

Pyramid in Our Pocket.

[eva]

The design is called "Crescent of Embrace," which the designers intend to symbolize "a gesture of healing and bonding." By casting the memorial in this light, they set themselves up for attack by bellicose right wingers, many of whom prefer yellow ribbons over thoughtful discussion. I suspect some people want such memorials to be places where they can harbor thoughts of rage and revenge, rather than deeper reflection. In any event, the designers might have chosen a less politically charged title for their design, for the healing and bonding must first begin between the factions in this country, left and right.

[fotonique]

Can't See the Forest for the Trees.

[James]

I cannot think of a single memorial project that didn't have their lunatic detractors in the design and presentation stages. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was beset by all kinds of lunatic accusations back in the 1980's. It took several years after the opening to the public to gain acceptance.

[susan]

I LOVE the design. I do, however, feel rather guilty as I sit here eating my terrorist croissant.

[Purple]

I'm pretty far from being a right-wing wingnut, but, um, well, gee, the word "crescent" is in the name of the thing.

[dogfonam]

It most definitely resembles a crescent as its name implies.
So what is the purpose in making a memorial to the passengers of flight 93 that resembles a shape generally associated with Islam?
It really is a legitimate question. No doubt not everyone will see it this way but that is not relevant to this question.
Why not a design that doesn't possibly cause an immediate association with any religion? What 93's passengers did had nothing to do with religion and everything to do extreme bravery in the face of an almost sure death. There are many shapes available that are not associated with religion. If this basic layout is the one that is liked by most that will make the final decision then maybe with a little tweak here and there it can be changed to nor resemble a crescent and it can also be just as easily renamed.
Regardless of what you think about this design and it's suggestion/relationship with Islam I believe it would be a very bad idea to build a memorial to "93's Hero's" that in anyway pays any kind of(however remotely associated suggestion) to anything Islamic
.

[amanuensis]

It's beautiful. And yes, it's a red crescent.

I can see the argument against it because of a possible interpretation of the symbolism. But overall, I just can't help but think it's beautiful.

[George Myers]

Well to speak up for the symbol, "a new moon" according to my WordWeb, which was actually a surprise to me, thinking it a waning Moon, past gibbous ("more than half full") is perhaps the intent of the designers? That site still drives me to distraction as the seismic data on the crash requested by the US Army, in time, does not match the description of the crash, and some eyewitnesses claim to have seen a pursuit aircraft, though the time between those two times perhas should also be in question.

[Annoying Old Guy]

So BAGNews, which so often calls out thers on their insensitivity of how they project themselves (see the just previous post on Laura Bush for a classic example), is now telling others to chill out in reacting to imagery for a very sensitive subject? I'm curious as to what privileges your ability to interpret images over Malkins' to do likewise.

[EG]

If this were pre-1990 the wingnuts would be calling it a hammer and sickle. And don't get them started on the fact that the trees are RED.

As for Annoying Old Guy, it's ok for wingers to be as perceptive and discerning as BAG is, but we can take issue with what they are sensitive to.

The swastika of the Third Reich was the official symbol of Nazism. The crescent is a symbol used by all Muslims including those who love peace, condemn the terrorist attacks, and were victims of those attacks.

[fotonique]

EG: The crescent is a symbol used by all Muslims including those who love peace, condemn the terrorist attacks, and were victims of those attacks.

One Flag Over All

[The BAG]

I have a question and a comment.

First, if the project was named "Arc of Embrace," would the verbal OR the visual discomfort be the same? (Partly, I'm interested in how the name pulls for a particular visual interpretation. Along those lines, by the way, I have no trouble saying that the architect could have used better judgement in how he named the project.)

Re AOG's comment: My main point here is that the design is being taken out of context based on one drawing that is primarily a technical rendering. A primary reason I started this blog (and also, why I like this story so much) is because our culture is so deficient when it comes to visual literacy. The real problem here is that those of us who haven't been to art school or taken design classes have next-to-no idea how to read and understand technical illustrations or presentation graphics or scaled computer-generated images. Therefore, they tend to be taken at face value, and understood as flat images at a 1:1 scale.

C'mon AOG. I'm not being a hypocrite. How can you compare the photos of Laura Bush to a computer-generated architectural rendering of a completely schematic topology? The problem here is not the design, per se. The problem is the ability to read the design. If that wasn't the case, then why was the response to the complete presentation so moving and so strongly accepted by the families of the victims?

[jillian]

have these folks been examined by a mental health expert?

[Asta]

I live very near the crash site and visit it frequently. Currently I am taking photos to document the curious trinkets left behind at the make-shift shrine by visitors. (It is so bizarre what people will leave behind in their attempt to connect with, communicate to, and commemorate something they can't comprehend.)

Anyway, in consideration of the topography of the terrain at the Shanksville site, the semi-circle is, in my mind, most appropriate. The design competition has been presented many times in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and I've had a lot of opportunities to consider the entries. The semi-circle works with the landscape, and it never occurred to me that religious symbology was involved in the planning (if indeed).

For all the critics of this design, I say, drive to Shanksville Pennsylvania, see where the plane plummeted to the earth, feel (if you are sensitive enough) the psychic ripples eminating from the death pit, and leave behind something personal, like your sunglasses, a beat-up teddy bear or your car's license plate, to show how much you give a damn.

[Annoying Old Guy]

The BAG;

I don't buy the "out of context" argument primarily for a reason you mention, that the architect himself referred to it as a "crescent". I think it's quite reasonable to take his word on what he was designing over secondary sources. And not only did the architect chose that term, he explicitly rejected changing it to something more neutral like "arc" when this issue was brought up in some of the presentation meetings. Unless you want to claim that the architect is also taking his work out of context and is too visually illiterate to grasp his own design, you have to allow that the crescent interpretation is valid. Beyond that, I am not going to comment.

Even if, however, the Right Wing Death Beasts are taking this out of context by picking a single image and using that to interpret the overall concept, isn't that exactly what most of your posts do? The discussion and commentary on Judge John Roberts comes to mind in this regard (particularly this one, or maybe this comment about how Roberts verbally abuses his family).

One can certainly disagree with the overall claims being made by Malkin and the other RWDBs, but to claim that they can only see a crescent out of ignorance is, in my view, unjustified and given some of the examples I've cited rather hypocritical.

A few other notes:

As you mentioned, I think that the architect's choice of terminology had a definite effect on the interpretation of the memorial. However, even if he hadn't said it, given what we know now it would still have been his design intent and would not be an unreasonable view.

I actually have several friends who are architects and the idea that they don't embed symbology in the overall layout of buildings is completely untenable. Even if you can't see it from ground level, the architect thinks about it and makes his design with the over all shape strongly in mind. I mean, do you think the drawers of the Nazca lines didn't mean to create those symbols?

And finally, have you ever considered whether the tendency of the left to label those who disagree as "ignorant" or "stupid" (as you do) might possibly be a reason for the resurgence of the right?

[bob crane]

if the name were changed, despite aog, i do think the issues would remain. the recognition of a red cresent or whatever shape you like to call it would call upon the recognition of its religious iconography. and for those that notice that, some (particulary politically inflammatory types) would yell about it, as they are. i also think there may be some validity to their arguements (of it being inappropriate), which is unfortunate, as i do think it's a noble and beautiful proposal and would be a beautiful earthwork. again i say this despite who i may appear to be sympathizing with.

this context may have been intentional by the artist, i don't know enough about the him or his work to say, and which may be of noble origins. however, if this association offends or disturbs the survivors (in particular the loved ones of the deceased) reasonably, there exists a legitamate issue in questioning it.

[fotonique]

Fallen

[hauksdottir]

Annoying Old Guy,

My comments about Roberts are my own responsibility... and I stand by them. If anything, the more I read about him, the more wary I am that Roberts is a very dangerous man. He has only been a judge for THREE years. He may be brilliant, but he is also extremely inexperienced. And his family life is obviously rooted deep in 1950s "perfection"... where the men rule and the women cower in obedience and docility. I am an animator by profession, and use characters' body language to convey motive and attitude as well as other things.

Now as to this landscape design...

The architect was deliberately using a symbol which has been adopted by a religious group where the adherents had been the cause of the suffering being remembered here. He probably had noble intentions.

Let's suppose that somebody decided to mark the place of burning at Pskov with a planting in the shape of the cross born by the Teutonic Knights... do you think it would have made those who'd lost their families any happier? If some folks planted a blackpine swastika in a large circular field of brilliant red poppies, would that have consoled the Londoners who'd been blitzed? Let's say that earnest folk wanted to give the people of Jericho something to salve their mental wounds and so planted a large star of david (Bachelor's Buttons in a white pebble bed?) to mark where the walls fell... would that have eased their pain, or just made everything Much Worse?

If the crescent had been any other color than red, it would have been subtle, and the explanation of fitting with the shape of the land would be more believeable. However, the bowl of the crescent cuts ACROSS the terrain, not with it. Symbols, like any brand, become more potent with exact repetition. Purple or green crescents wouldn't have the same shock of recognition.

I am a gardener and have planted my share of trees. I like most trees. Memorials of living trees are a wonderful idea. However, using trees to make a political or religious statement is abhorrent and runs the risk that the heightened emotions will affect the innocent trees adversely. Like the larches being sawn and destroyed in Fotonique's example above... why plant trees only to set them up for destruction?

If America goes on overt crusade, some good ol' boys will deface this memorial. If they will run over crosses planted in a ditch outside Crawford, they'll feel no remorse about destroying a symbol of another religion.

I wouldn't want a cross of any color planted there, either. Given the number of shapes which aren't used by a religious group, it ought to be possible to find something meaningful but without arousing wrathful emotions. If they really want the sweep of trees, why not a shooting star with curving tail? It would commemorate those who fell from the sky rather than those who caused such grief... and could make good use of the lovely reds and golds.

Carolly

[mugatea]

Are the trees always red? They don't look like red maple trees but rather sugar maples in the fall. Red maple trees are maroon in color, sugar maples are green then turn bright red (as pictured) for about 3-4 weeks at the end of their foliage.

Asta, I now visualize the Pope feverishly working a keyboard with his pointing fingers when I read AOG's comments. Much fun :)

[Tom]

Re: Asta's comments - I was at the location this Sunday for the memorial service, and the topography indeed meets the "crescent," as it were, so it's not like they're going to have to terraform too much to get it right.

As for the trees, I believe they are sugar maples, and the summertime storyboard that the firm had up at the site on Sunday was that it would be green the rest of the time, and only red at the peak time for the color change, which would, of course, be in September. While the coincidence surely seems there, I find it hard to believe that the creators of this were looking to give a pointer to the Muslim world at all.

[fotonique]

Professional, Philosophy, Project, Palette, Brush

Nice.