The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Just How Much Does Jesse Jackson Loves Andrew Young?
Is it just me or does Jesse Jackson look like he is trying to break Andrew Young’s jaw in this photo from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial groundbreaking today in the Washington Post?
Jackson: “I loved him more than you.
Young: “No, I loved him more.”
Jackson: “I Loved him more than YOU!”
Young: “I LLLRLRGRGRGGRGGG!”
I don’t know how Wonkette missed that one.
Now its time to be serious. Besides the very fitting position of the memorial across the Tidal Basin from the Jefferson Memorial and sort of adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial, the new memorial follows the tradition of modern memorial design on the Mall as interactive public art. A form that really began with the FDR Memorial. Like the FDR Memorial, the King Memorial will contain several water features, walk-throughs and “reflection niches.” There is something to be said for the impact of the very traditional Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials though. The effect of stepping up to such great, imposing men inspires a reverence that the FDR Memorial does not. The FDR Memorial is actually quite playful, perhaps mirroring the man. I’m very happy they have situated it on the Tidal Basin– one of the most beautiful spots in American when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. One of my favorite things to do on summer nights in D.C. was to go down to the Jefferson memorial at night, hang my legs over the ledge of the Tidal Basin, and then lay back and gaze at Thomas Jefferson’s rosy tinted likeness upside down. I don’t know why, but I found this to be very satisfying–especially when one of my drunk friends was begging to go home, complaining about how badly they had to pee.
This addition to the National Mall combined with the plans to redesign the entire sheebang is great news. Imagine a new Mall without the wide gravel walkways uninterrupted by anything but dead grass? I almost can’t.
And if you’re lucky to be rich enough, you can get your name on the Donor’s Wall in the new visitors center for $500,000. In all seriousness, it seems a small price to pay to be forever associated with one of the greatest men our country has ever known.
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It looks like Rep. Berkley might chair the Vet’s Sub-Com on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. She is the ranking member. Can you imagine an old Vegas cocktail waitress in charge of erecting monuments…I see lights and glitter. God bless her.
Just what they need! Lincoln especially. So somber.