The Secret 9/11 Memorial

[JohnnyRingo]

I say it's secret because although it was dedicated on the 5th anniversary of 9/11, I don't recall hearing of it on the TV or internet. Indeed, I had a hard time tracking down these pix.



"To The Struggle Against World Terrorism", commonly called The Tear Drop, is a 100 foot monolith created by Russian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli and memorializes the victims of the 1993 and 9/11 WTC bombings. It was donated by the people of Russia and by proxy, Vladimir Putin.

The sculpture shows a rip in a bronze encased steel tower with a stainless steel tear dripping from the center. The memorial sits on the shore at Bayonne NJ, where many of the evacuation and rescue operations were coordinated.



The memorial is in clear view of Ground Zero, The Statue Of Liberty, The Staten Island Ferry, and planes arriving at Newark International.

Around the base are bricks donated by those affected by the two tragedies.



The eleven sided marble base features the names of victims.



This is the plaque expressing the sympathy that even Russia shared with us during our time of shock and disbelief following the attack.



Here's where it gets interesting.
Even though the wall behind the tower shows images of Putin and Bush, neither attended the official unveiling.



The sculpture was dedicated by President Bill Clinton and was attended by Governor Jon Corzine, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Senator Robert Menendez, Mayor Joseph V Doria, and family members of World Trade Center victims.
All Democrats, except perhaps the family members. I can find no pictures anywhere of that dedication.

The only Republican who chose to be there that day was Michael Chertoff, and thus continued the squandering of good will by the Bush administration.

A tearful outcome indeed




http://www.bayonnelra.com/Memorial_Brochure.pdf

[merh]

1. I have never heard of this memorial.

wow

thank you for posting this.

[cabbage08]

2. Cool, thanks for the Pictures

[pinto]

3. Thanks for posting this. And, no, I'd never seen it mentioned before...

:hi:

[leftstreet]

4. St. Petersburg Times says Putin was there

:shrug:

http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=15592
Tuesday, September 20, 2005

BAYONNE, New Jersey — A monument designed by Zurab Tsereteli to honor victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks will stand as a vital symbol of Russian-U.S. unity against the threat of terrorism, President Vladimir Putin said.

“Four years ago, the perpetrators believed they would bring America and the rest of the world to chaos,” Putin said. “But they were mistaken.”

Putin spoke at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday evening.


Security was tight at the ceremony, with police boats patrolling the water and snipers stationed on nearby buildings. Also in attendance were U.S. Senator Jon Corzine; state Commerce Secretary Virginia Bauer, whose husband died on Sept. 11, 2001; Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria Jr.; and Frank Perucci, chairman of Bayonne’s 9/11 memorial commission. Twelve Bayonne residents and five former Bayonne residents were killed in the terror attacks.

The Sept. 11 monument was originally intended for Jersey City, but officials there decided to pass on it after complaints from residents that it was too big and from the artistic community that it was not aesthetically pleasing. But at the ceremony, many in attendance commented that Jersey City’s loss was Bayonne’s gain.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. Not to be technical, but that was the groundbreaking

The dedication of the completed memorial was a democrat only event.

[leftstreet]

9. Oh duh. Right you are

:hi:

It's all very weird though.

You'd think we'd have heard about it back then.

[global1]

5. You Mean To Tell Me Former NY Mayor Guliani Wasn't There.....

either?

[JohnnyRingo]

7. I'm guessing he had a prior speaking engagement in Peoria

...Or somewhere else he thought was safe on that anniversary.

[Hannah Bell]

8. i don't like the tear. better without it, just the split tower.

tear is tacky, reminds me of cheap knick-knacks.

[deaniac21]

10. The NY Times covered it:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03E7DB1238F933A05755C0A9629C8B63

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04EFDA1431F933A2575AC0A9609C8B63

[liberalla]

11. What does it mean?

Why is it ignored (boycotted) by the pukes? What's the backstory?

Nice pictures - thanks for shining a light.

[AwakeAtLast]

12. I remember seeing pics on DU when it was dedicated

But I don't remember seeing it on the 'newz'. :shrug:

[bridgit]

13. Seen this posted yesterday, still like it, rec13

:kick:

[LuckyLib]

14. This is quite possibly one of the more tacky memorials. With each "event" we seem to see ever more

bizarre "artistic renderings" of grief and homage. What purpose does this one serve? Better to plant a grove of trees in the wilderness, to seed wildflowers in natural habitat, to restore the earth in some way, WITHOUT bronze, concrete, glass, massive stones, and other crud.

[Regret My New Name]

16. I think it's odd looking too.

Before I read the article, I was trying to figure out exactly what it was supposed to be.

I actually like your idea of planting a forest or something for memorials... It would last a lot longer and have far more meaning in the grand scheme of things.

[spoony]

17. What "purpose" does any art serve?

And I suppose this is an eye of the beholder thing, as I like it.

[Raine]

21. I like it too

it's simple, it says it all.

[barbtries]

15. this was news to me

thank you.

[Chulanowa]

18. Even as odd-looking as it is...

It's still vastly better than the "9/11-land Theme Park and Resort" that we're apparently going to build in Pennsylvania

[merh]

19. please tell me we aren't building a theme park

or national park or whatever.

[Chulanowa]

20. Complete with a plaque honoring the corporate sponsors

http://www.9-11memorialgarden.org/journey.asp

[merh]

23. I don't get it

I don't guess I ever will.

[Raine]

22. I hadn't heard of this

THANKS for the info.

[UTUSN]

24. Oh. I thought this thread was about some Nazi-occult chamber where CHEENEE

and Darth RUMS do reach-arounds with Shrub.