The Flight 93 Memorial; Land May Be Taken

The government seems poised to grab the land for the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. While I feel that gouging the price for the land is a terrible act in and of itself (I would just donate the land to honor the heroes of that flight.), I have a very hard time justifying the use of government force to just take that sacred ground.

The National Parks Service, which falls under the Department of the Interior, wants to see the first phase completed by September 10, 2011, just in time for the 10th anniversary of that fateful day.

Shanksville represents our first victory in the war on terror. No fancy weapons, no well-thought-out plan. Just a group of heroes with love for their country and her people. They enlisted without any fanfare or expectation of medals; they knew their fate. They were determined not to let evil win.

The plans for the memorial have been very controversial. To view plans for the Flight 93 Memorial, go to www.nps.gov and follow the links to the Flight 93 Memorial. Part of the plans include a crescent (symbol of Islam) of red maples and a 93-foot "Tower of Voices" (I would suggest maybe similar to a prayer tower). I've also read and heard that a plaque honoring the flight will be part of the memorial, and, when one stands to read it, they will be facing Mecca. There is a book available called "Crescent of Betrayal" (I forget the author) that details just how subtle Islamic symbols are being integrated into the memorial.

If the design and what it represents is the sole reason for not wanting to part with the land, I back the landowners completely. The present design would be a slap in the face of the families, and the memory of their loved ones and what they gave would forever be skewed. Should the issue be "Let's see how much money we can get for this land", I'm very mixed. Shame on you if that is your reasoning. On the other hand, government has no business using eminent domain. It's a problem inside a dilemma wrapped in an enigma.

We will never forget. "Let's Roll"