Unacceptable

The Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is at the center of combat between preservationists and cemetery officials.

The giant marble sarcophagus marking the location of four unknown U.S. service members from World War I to Vietnam has been battling the elements since it opened to the public in 1932. More than 70 years later, it is showing the scars, with cracks encircling it.

On its most famous inscription -- "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God" -- a crack cuts diagonally across the words.

Those scars are at the center of a debate: Should the memorial be fixed or replaced with a replica?

Now, I'm of the notion that if it is fixable, it should be fixed.  However, the cracks in this tomb is completely unacceptable.  We owe it to these men and women to make sure that monuments are properly take care of.  Now, there's arguments for an against replica's.  Some people would argue that we shouldn't mess with the original, and I can see that.  However, we need to face realities, is marble "fixable"?  If so, fix it.  If not, the above cracking is unacceptable to me, and should be replaced as soon as possible.

Of course, there's also the touchy subject of how to be sensitive to the remains of the soldiers who lie in this tomb while the monument is repaired or replaced.  That, I don't have an answer for.

The only thing I have respect for Bill Clinton about is when he ordered the exhumation of one of the soldiers buried there to identify Lt. Michael Blassie because we owe it to the families to identify their loved ones.

 

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com