I'm not comfortable with the name "Arlington West"

[JimmyJazz]

First and foremost, "Arlington West" is a collection of crosses representing the fallen soldiers, but it isn't really a cemetery. Secondly, Arlington Cemetery does not have Crosses for headstones:



I appreciate and admire the sentiment (and I am really touched by the collection of boots, too), but I'm really uncomfortable with the name "Arlington West" for a make-shift memorial.

Am I the only one and should I be donning my asbestos underwear about now?

[castiron]

1. No, it strikes me as just cheesy and easy

to call it that. It's an eye-roller for sure. But i have no better ideas, either.

[TahitiNut]

2. It makes as much sense as "Western White House"

:shrug:

[benburch]

3. Depends on where in Arlington you look.

There is a section full of crosses.

[peacetalksforall]

4. I don't care for it. Stay with Camp Casey and just call it a tribute.

[mcscajun]

24. Arlington West predates Camp Casey and traveled to it...

...so the names are for two different things that at this moment happen to be occupying the same 'neighborhood', that's all.

I'm not confusing the one with the other.

[blue sky at night]

5. Glad you raised the point...........

I really was unaware of where the term came from, so I googled it. I found the website of the veterans who originated the idea. I can't fault anyone with being uncomfortable with the Term, but I do love the Idea. To raise citizens awareness of the deaths from the Iraq War is necessary.......if this doesn't make them wonder or sad, then what does?



LInk:

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Chp_54_Proposal_for_dissemination_120803.htm

Peace.

[JimmyJazz]

7. If those crosses are representative of the lives lost in this war,

there are WAY too many crosses in this picture. How sad. :(

[marylanddem]

22. What do you mean?

Looks to me like there's many less crosses in this picture than the lives lost in Iraq.

[JimmyJazz]

28. What do I mean?

I mean that I hate this fuggin' war. :(

[radio4progressives]

29. Thank you - Good People in the Peace Movement in Los Angeles created this

two years ago. I'm not confortable the way this President and the Media has done everything in their power to keep images of the fallen from our national psyche.

on edit: I should have been much more specific: The Arlington West memorial began two years ago on Santa Monica Beach by Peter and Sally Marr. Peter and Sally are both artists and activists dating back to the Viet Nam war. They are very highly regarded in the Peace and Justice community in Los Angeles and west coasters needed a memorial that symbolized the trajedy of this senseless war.

Everything else that goes on in the Belly of the Beast impacts every citizen in this nation happens 3000 miles away, in a small little beltway in Washington DC.

West Coasters have a right to create the symbols that reflect our grief and pain - and it was done with honor, respect and dignity.

[merh]

6. It's symbolic - name me another national cemetery.

My father is buried at the local national cemetery. If they referred to their symbolic display by that name, most folks wouldn't recognize the name and they might miss the symbolism. The crosses are also just symbols. The tombstones vary at the national cemeteries, some in ground, some standing as in the image you have posted. I take no offense to them symbolically referring to the symbol of all those that the weed has ignored and has caused to be killed as Arlington West.

I am more uncomfortable with the "Western White House" unless of course he deeds it over to us when he leaves office. He refers to it as the "Western White House" so the sheeple can believe he is working. Like everything it is a fraud. As far as I know, Camp David has never been referred to in that manner.

The White House is my house and it is your house. The White House is the official residence of the prezidip. Our tax dollars paid for the renovations and fortification of the "Western White House". Will he deed it to "We the People" when he is out of a job?

[JimmyJazz]

10. Good point.

It figures it's coming from you. :)

[merh]

18. LOL - I am glad you posted this so that it could be discussed.

I have read where others are not comfortable with the name and I hope this thread helps them to understand the choice that was made.

As for the sheeple that are bothered by it, they need to recognize how this administration has perverted dates and activities and places and names for photo ops and to push their agenda. I mean come on, the "Mission Accomplished" banner should have read "Mission Impossible to Accomplish". And then there were the plastic turkeys. And coming soon to disgust us all will be their "Freedom Walk" scheduled for September 11th.

:hi:

[ohio_liberal]

8. Oh no, not again.....

[JimmyJazz]

14. Ooooh - I love helpful posts!

:silly:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

23. I think they may have been having a flash back to this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4369987

:hi: :)

[JimmyJazz]

27. Oh so there's more than ONE thread about this subject! Oy Gevalt!

We can't have that, now can we - 'cause we all know there's only ONE thread about Cindy Sheehan :o


:sarcasm:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

31. No, yours isn't the same

I was just thinking that this thread may have been what they were referencing. The other thread only addressed the issue of using the crosses, if I remember correctly.

I wasn't dogging you, I just was trying to give you a heads up in case there were more post of this nature. :shrug:

[fishnfla]

9. well, you are wrong right off the bat

and on your own point.

its not a collection of crosses-they use the star of david and some crescents too AFAIK

Its a take on the "western white house" works for me

[JimmyJazz]

12. I am not disputing your point, but the only photos I've seen have

depicted crosses and Larry Northern was accused of running over crosses.

I am starting to see the connection to the Western White House take, though.

[fishnfla]

17. nor I yours-I believe the original Arlington West started out west

like on the West coast somewheres-the markers there are crosses, stars and crescents, again from what I've heard. They moved some of the markers east to be in the southwest but still call it arlington west. got it? good :)

Like Cindy came in from California-its a moving tribute, and travels well too

[earth mom]

11. I like it. It's in your face except make that *s face! eom

[Al-CIAda]

13. Damn, this inane miss-the-point shit again...nt

[JimmyJazz]

15. Yeah - more helpful posts!

:bounce:

[zippy890]

16. I agree with you - sounds too flippant n/t

[uppityperson]

19. It evokes an instant emotional response. And is simple for simple minds

we need to hit them emotionally and this term, while admitably cheesy, does that. And I agree, way too many markers. It is a fast and easy term also, which helps the repetition factor for simple minds.

[ClassWarrior]

20. You gotta lotta time on your hands, dontcha?

B-)

NGU.

[blue neen]

21. I don't know, JJ.

IMHO, Arlington National Cemetery is a place where one feels profound respect for the soldiers who have lost their lives in America's wars.

To me, Arlington West is just an extension of that respect for the lives that were lost in Iraq.

Bush and Co. have tried to minimize attention to the casualties (can't photograph the coffins, etc.). Arlington West puts the focus on the fact that there are indeed many casualties. They're very real losses of life, and the families should be allowed to express their grief.

Let the world see what Bush has wrought.

My $.02.

[JimmyJazz]

26. Your $.02 is worth a helluva lot.

Thank you.

[mcscajun]

25. The way I see it...

...it's an effort of the Veterans for Peace organization, and since I'm not a veteran, whatever they use to memorialize the fallen, and whatever they choose to call their memorial is their business, not mine.

And since it predates Camp Casey, I see no confusion. The two happen to be occupying the same 'neighborhood' for a time.

[gardenista]

30. I think it's meant to make you uncomfortable. "White House West"

is the inspiration.

[JimmyJazz]

33. gee - you disagreeing with me.....

imagine that. ;)

[steve2470]

32. I think it's GREAT nt