Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

On Saturday, I took my family to visit the newly opened memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 from the terrorist attacks that crashed a passenger airplane into the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

The memorial was well done and thought provoking. There is a bench dedicated to each person who died from the tragedy, with their name engraved on the end of the bench. If they had family members who also perished in the event, then their names are engraved directly under the bench in a reservoir of water. The benches are organized in a manner such that those that were in the airplane have their names facing towards the building and those that were within the building have their names facing outward. Also, the benches are organized in rows by year of birth posted on either side's surrounding wall.

I explained in as simple terms as possible to my young daughters, Adri and Bella, 7 and 5 years old. They asked "Why, daddy?". Because their are bad people in the world who hate us; our enemies. We are a strong Nation, led by a strong President, who took strong action against our enemies. We have not been attacked since.

"A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America — with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could." George Bush, Address to the Nation (September 11, 2001)

It pierced my heart and soul to the core as we continued to walk the memorial park grounds and I saw someone wearing an "Obama '08" button. Now I asked a question. How could someone paying respect to our fallen countrymen who died at the hands of terrorists, display at the very site of tragedy, support for another enemy of our state? One who has had close relations with known and convicted terrorist, William Ayers, who bombed the building in front of us about 40 years earlier? I was literally dumbfounded and speechless. I had no answer; only disgust.

links
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http://memorial.pentagon.mil/
http://pentagonmemorial.net/home.aspx
http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2008/0708_memorial/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/interactives/pentagonmemorial/index.html
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_W._Bush
The Return of the Students for a Democratic Society
http://studentsforademocraticsociety.org/home/