Memorial plans draw foes

SSG. Joe Gullo was in disbelief.

During a recent visit to see the Vietnam Moving Wall in Edinboro, Pa., the area resident learned about a memorial planned for the victims of Flight 93, which crashed into a field on Sept. 11, 2001, near Shanksville, Pa. Since 2005, when the design of the memorial was announced, there has been loads of criticism.

Gullo understands why.

During a stop at the OBSERVER office last week, Gullo brought with him a newspaper from Somerset, Pa., which included two paid advertisements attacking the design, which opponents say includes hidden tributes to Islamic symbolism. One of those opponents is Tom Burnett Sr., whose son died while protecting Americans in the crash.

“My son Tom confronted a terrible moment of truth,” the father wrote in the advertisement. “Faced with a plot against our nation, he and the other heroes of Flight 93 fought back, and at the cost of their lives, foiled that plot to destroy the White House or the Capitol.”

Another opponent, Alec Rawls, author of “Crescent of Betrayal,” calls the proposed design “a mihrab: the central figure around which every mosque is built.”

Despite the heated debate and criticism, the U.S. National Park Service seems prepared to move forward with the controversial design. It just does not seem fair.

On Sept. 11, 2001, when the United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by four terrorists, 33 passengers and seven crew members responded selflessly and courageously. In a sense, they were U.S. soldiers in battle.

Knowing their lives were in danger, they made sure America’s capital would not be a target. Around 10 a.m., their plane went down because the 40 Americans would not let the terrorists have their way.

On this Memorial Day weekend, doesn’t a memorial to the passengers and crew need to be in the best interest of the family and nation?

“This is absolutely incredible,” Gullo said last week of the planned memorial. “It is ridiculous.”

Earlier this month, a Flight 93 Memorial Task Force and Advisory Committee was presented with more than 5,300 signatures of U.S. citizens who oppose the design, which was put together by Los Angeles designer Paul Murdoch. First titled the “Crescent of Embrace,” the plans are likely to cost $58 million with the first phase of the design to be completed on Sept. 11, 2011.

Burnett has continued to fight the plan, even making reference to the “damned 44 glass blocks on the flight path,” pointing out the 40 passengers and crew members and noting the four terrorists who were aboard.

“The Memorial project acknowledges the 40 blocks inscribed with the names of my son and the other heroes,” Burnett writes in the advertisement, “and they acknowledge the three inscribed with the 9/11 date, but they pretend not to know about this one: the huge glass block that dedicates the entire site.

“When this 44th glass block is pointed out, Project Partners say that it can’t be counted with the other blocks because it is not the same size. What? Because the capstone to the terrorist memorializing block count is magnificent, that is supposed to make it OK?”

Our greatest heroes all too often die quietly fighting for our country. That was not the case on this horrific day. Remembering those 40 and their actions must be done in the most respectful way.

As we pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed for our country this Memorial Day, think about what they have fought for and the freedoms they have preserved. Then take time to think if those who have sacrificed would be satisfied with this type of memorial.

As Rawls’ wrote in his recent advertisement, “The planned memorial is a terrorist memorial mosque, and this hijacking is still on track to succeed.”





Stepping up to assist in the upcoming June 20 golf tournament to raise funds for the Van Miller Hometown Hero Scholarship Fund are the Buffalo Bills. On Thursday, Stephanie Pulvino of Lake Shore Savings Bank announced the Bills will be a gold sponsor for the tournament. She also said a number of Bills’ alumni will be taking part in the event at Shorewood Country Club.

For more information on becoming a sponsor or to participate in the event, which is less than one month away, call Pulvino at 366-4070, ext. 1237.



John D’Agostino is the publisher of the OBSERVER. Send comments to jdagostino@observertoday.com'>jdagostino@observertoday.com or call 366-3000, ext. 401.