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Lafayette Hillside Memorial
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5 reviews for Lafayette Hillside Memorial
For more times that I can count, I have driven past the Lafayette Hillside Memorial on the way to and from work or Gayle's house. Sometimes I notice and more often I should. I have also lingered at the BART station and quietly pondered many of the unintended consequences of our war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The signs (and the previous controversy) are besides the point, as they aren't really the things doing the talking on this beautiful and poignant expanse.
The Bush-era "aid and comfort to the enemy" accusations have now faded, while the growing number of crosses on the hill silently and timelessly stand watch. It's a good reminder, as in the course of my busy daily life, I sometimes forget about the sacrifices that our troops and their families have performed on our behalf.
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High on a hillside in Lafayette above the westbound side of Hwy 24 lies a sea of white crosses surrounding a simple white sign that reads, "In Memory of 4,000 U.S. Troops killed in Iraq."
During my last trip up north a few weeks ago, I spent some time looking at this memorial while at the BART station waiting for friends. I frequently see this memorial when driving to Oakland or San Francisco and I am gobsmacked by the exponential increase in crosses with every visit.
The property is owned by 83 year old Louise Clark who along with her husband and a group of volunteers began erecting the crosses years ago, and the memorial has been a source of controversy ever since. Now the memorial represents troops killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Some say it's a shocking protest piece that denigrates the memories of those killed. Others say that while stark, it is a strong visual reminder of the sacrifice that so many of our young troops have made for this country and their families. Regardless of whether or not you view it as a protest or a memorial, the most important thing about this sobering hillside is that it gets people thinking and talking, and to me this project is well worth a drive out to the East Bay to experience.
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I pass by this hillside whenever I ride on BART and it's sad to see the numbers keep going up. I decided to pay a visit to the hillside and attended the vigil that was being held there. It's great to see people come together to pay respect to the fallen soldiers.
http://www.flickr.com/...
Somber...
On 19 March 2008, it will be 5 years since this war started...and counting.
I've been trying to do some research on this spot since I've gotten back from up north. I haven't tried hard enough because it's all right there.
Just to be at this sight, reminds you of the grave importance of not only how precious life is, but of the sacrifices of others, so we could live our lives how we see fit.
So don't forget about those who are there now, or about the ones who fell for us. God bless.
- http://en.wikipedia.or...
- http://www.antiwar.com...
End the war.
-side note...my 50th review.
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Inspired by Chico's beautifully written review which was chosen for today's ROTD, I've decided to add my own. I'd heard about the memorial and the controversy surrounding it. Some objected to it as somehow unpatriotic and some self righteous jerks actually vandalized it in the name of patriotism. Sort of the "destroying the village in order to save it" kind of mindset. Though I drive out Highway 24 a lot, it's easy to miss from the highway. One day several months ago I made a point of driving on the road between the BART station and the memorial and I was stunned by its awesome, beautiful and terrible expanse. It's a generous tribute on the part of the landowner to those who have sacrificed for us in this needless war.
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