Iwo Jima Mess

NEWINGTON, Conn. - I'm here at the National Iwo Jima Memorial Monument just outside of Hartford wondering why well-meaning people sponsor advertisements at places of mourning.

Here you can see an impressive replica of the famous shot of American soldiers raising the flag on a small Pacific islet. Right next to the towering rock carving is a notice that several local car dealerships help make this monument possible.

I understand that government of a small Connecticut town might not have the money to import and carve a monument of this size, but they shouldn't resort to cheap sponsorship.

The main parts of the monument, the statue and a eternal flame, are dedicated to all soldiers that fought at Iwo Jima. But other parts of the monument imply that its more dedicated to certain soldiers. Families purchased small bricks, so certain soldiers have their names individually listed on the ground, while others don't. The chaplains get a personalized plaque enumerating soldiers served, injured and awarded the Bronze Star. Other units do not.

Don't expect a quiet visit. The entire monument is right on the side of a four lane divided highway, The Iwo Jima Expressway.

In front of the monument is a large slab of black granite that says, "Welcome to the Iwo Jima National Monument." On the back, in equally large letters, the name of the person who donated the piece of stone. It serves as an exit sign to the memorial.

Responsible for this mess is the Iwo Jima Survivors Association, Inc., a local group that raised the money for the monument. While I'm sure their intentions were good, I don't appreciate the results.

The best monuments tend to be the simplest ones, where a tragedy, victory, or person is reduced to one or two powerful messages.

That's why I'm bewildered by the continuing controversy over the Sept. 11 memorial in New York City. Some victims' families are pressing for more information be included on the memorial, including ages and division of law enforcement. One group is airing an ad on New York television that declares the current proposal "a cold, random list of names."

I hope New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg aren't persuaded by these arguments, as I someday would like to see a simple, powerful monument to that awful day. Adding more details about individual people categorizes them, making one life seem more valuable than another. The "cold, random list of names" shows that each loss is equally terrible.

Maybe the mayor should use some of his personal wealth to run a response ad, showing images of this Iwo Jima monument as a frank reminder of what can happen when the monument planning process runs amok.