politics
Proposed GWOT Memorial Design Draws Congressional Criticism
Lawmakers objected to an abstract design for a planned memorial honoring service members who served after the September 11 attacks. The design was unveiled Wednesday by the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.
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A proposed memorial design for U.S. service members who served in operations after the September 11 attacks drew criticism from members of Congress after its unveiling Wednesday. The design was presented during a virtual event hosted by the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.
The plan includes a marble path of honor, steel structures covered in vegetation, and a reflecting pool. Visitors would be able to leave footprints in the path alongside impressions of filled and empty footprints representing those who served and those lost.
The design was developed after input from 20,000 Americans, including Gold Star families and veterans, beginning in 2018. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma led the design team.
Congressional Response Republican Indiana Sen.
Jim Banks posted on X that the design was a disgrace and that service members deserved to be honored with dignity, not disconnected abstract art. Republican Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden stated there was bipartisan and bicameral support to stop the proposed memorial.
The foundation stated its role was to listen to input rather than impose a design. The memorial is planned for a triangular plot on the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial.
