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thatcrazycajunYesterday in Washington, a parade was held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, better known to many as simply "The Wall."
In the early 1980s, as veteran-activist Jan Scruggs struggled to make it a reality, he ran into far more obstacles that you might think today; and its design by Maya Lin, then a Yale architecture student, was considered the next best thing to sacrilege by some. A black wall rather than a white statue? Dug beneath the earth, rather than soaring to the heavens? A scar in the ground, some called it; many saw it as a veiled criticism of the US involvement in the war and an attack on the soldiers. (Wikipedia has notes on the controversy here.) This was kind of ironic, as the stated brief of the design competition was to avoid political statements.
Time and the experiences of veterans, their comrades in uniform, families and friends have since vindicated Lin's vision. The addition of two other components, statues to honor living veterans and women killed in combat, have both enriched the experience and served to quell the discontent of those who wanted a more traditional type of memorial. The addition of a website, The Virtual Wall, ensures that new generations of Americans will be able to know of the Wall and its meaning...and participate in a meaningful way in adding to the knowledge of the history and keeping the soldiers' memory alive. And not one, but two traveling exhibits—one for outdoor display, one for indoors—allow those who cannot make the pilgrimage to D.C. in person to have the Wall brought to them in their own communities.
My own song, "Names Upon the Wall," was written in 1988 following the airing of an NBC TV-movie based on Scruggs' book, To Heal A Nation, which tells the story of his effort to get the Wall erected. Before I had even seen the Wall in person, I was moved by his passion for his cause and by the scenes of people actually visiting the finished memorial. (See previous post here for lyrics and chords.) The following year, I moved to the D.C. area and felt the Wall's power myself, in person, and have gone back more than once to feel it again.
As we remember our fallen today, let us also remember those who still live and deserve our respect...and aid those who need our help. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund accepts donations to help with the Wall's upkeep and storage/cataloging of memorabilia left behind by visitors. And a Google search on "helping veterans" will lead you to several online resources aimed at getting living veterans in medical, psychological and financial difficulties the help they need.
"And may there be no future names / To carve on any wall."
Time and the experiences of veterans, their comrades in uniform, families and friends have since vindicated Lin's vision. The addition of two other components, statues to honor living veterans and women killed in combat, have both enriched the experience and served to quell the discontent of those who wanted a more traditional type of memorial. The addition of a website, The Virtual Wall, ensures that new generations of Americans will be able to know of the Wall and its meaning...and participate in a meaningful way in adding to the knowledge of the history and keeping the soldiers' memory alive. And not one, but two traveling exhibits—one for outdoor display, one for indoors—allow those who cannot make the pilgrimage to D.C. in person to have the Wall brought to them in their own communities.
My own song, "Names Upon the Wall," was written in 1988 following the airing of an NBC TV-movie based on Scruggs' book, To Heal A Nation, which tells the story of his effort to get the Wall erected. Before I had even seen the Wall in person, I was moved by his passion for his cause and by the scenes of people actually visiting the finished memorial. (See previous post here for lyrics and chords.) The following year, I moved to the D.C. area and felt the Wall's power myself, in person, and have gone back more than once to feel it again.
As we remember our fallen today, let us also remember those who still live and deserve our respect...and aid those who need our help. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund accepts donations to help with the Wall's upkeep and storage/cataloging of memorabilia left behind by visitors. And a Google search on "helping veterans" will lead you to several online resources aimed at getting living veterans in medical, psychological and financial difficulties the help they need.
"And may there be no future names / To carve on any wall."
