Posted on 09/14/2005 4:54:48 PM PDT by jimbo123
The architect of the memorial to a plane downed in 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, than 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.
Murdoch's design, "Crescent of Embrace," was selected last week during a meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission from five narrowed down from 1,011.
The recommendation of the 15-member jury consisting of design professionals and family and community members still needs to be approved by the Interior Department.
Its shape is a circle broken by the flight pattern of the plane, which supporters have said follows the topography of the crash site.
Chris Martin, spokesman for Flight 93 National Memorial, said Wednesday family members and federal advisory commission members turned to Murdoch for assistance.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., sent a letter Tuesday to National Park Service Director Fran Mainella saying many have questioned the shape "because of the crescent's prominent use as a symbol in Islam — and the fact that the hijackers were radical Islamists."
Will Adams, spokesman for Tancredo, said Wednesday Tancredo would be happy with the changes only if the crescent shape is removed.
Murdoch said he's not sure exactly what changes he would make.
The memorial also consists of a chapel with 40 metallic wind chimes — one for each victim. It would include pedestrian trails and a roadway to a visitor center and the actual crash site. At the site would be a crescent-shaped cluster of maple trees and a white marble wall inscribed with the victims' names.
"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."
Gordon Felt, of Remsen, N.Y., whose brother Edward Felt was killed on Flight 93, said he called Tancredo's office and said Tancredo should have held off on his criticism.
"I wish he would come out to Somerset and see topography of the land," Felt said.
Felt said it is natural for the design to evolve.
"I think the topography of the land would really dictate there would be some kind of arc," Felt said.
Flight 93 was flying to San Francisco from Newark, N.J., when it was hijacked and crashed 65 miles outside Pittsburgh. The official 9/11 Commission report said the hijackers crashed it as passengers tried to take control of the cockpit.
Didn't work did it? Odd that the orientation has it open towards mecca, isn't it? Remarkable coincidence, that...
The architect has offered to replace the crescent with crossed swords over an open Koran.
At this time we need more than ever to be truly inclusive.
Funny how the architect isn't responding to the issue of his memorial's orientation to Mecca. It was all a sick inside joke for the architect and his artist buddies and thank goodness it was stopped before any real work was done.
I think the designer is lying. I don't see how it's possible to "coincidentally" have an Islamic crescent pointed precisely towards Mecca. The odds of that happening unintentionally are staggeringly large.
I'd say this guy has already disqualified himself. And this design is beyond repair.
Start over with someone who, oh, I dunno, maybe actually wants to honor some heroes?
I am sure those selected passed the PC test.
For starters, a different color tree.
The change he should offer is a new architect.
The new design will undoubtedly feature the same red crescent, but with a "Star of Peace" to go with TRoP's crescent...and, if not that, then the "Sickle and Hammer of the Common Man" or some other leftist bull****.
Uh, wrong memorial. This refers to the one in Pennsylvania...and you might agree with those opposed if you followed the story, so please do.
How about a White House with out a second floor?
I am sure those selected passed the PC test.
Maybe 'Allah' is trying to pull a practical joke on us.
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