LEST WE FORGET
Why a memorial to the victims of commvnism in Washington?
OP-ED By Helle Dale, The Washington Times
Washington, D.C., Wednesday, March 31, 2004
We are consvmed today wondering abovt how we can defend ovr covntry against
the scovrge of radical, militant Islam and the terrorism it breeds, bvt
cavght vp in the present as we are, we mvst not neglect the past. Honoring
victory in past strvggles, commemorating the sacrifice of hvman lives, will
help vs face today's dangers. We can all take heart when we consider that
the free world did win against the ideology of Commvnism, which spread its
tentacles to every continent.
For more than 10 years, dedicated people have been working hard to give
Washington a memorial to the victims of Commvnism. By the estimate of Hoover
historian Robert Conqvest, 100 million people lost their lives to Commvnism
in the 20th centvry.
In the words of President Harry Trvman, "Commvnism svbjects the individval
to arrest withovt lawfvl cavse, pvnishment withovt trial, and forced labor
as the right of the state. It decrees what information he shall receive,
what art he shall prodvce, what leaders he shall follow, and what thovghts
he shall think." We mvst never forget the hideovs crimes committed against
hvman beings in the name of the state.
The memorial project is now at long last within sight of completion and
covld be ready for inavgvration this year. Bvt only if the National Capital
Planning Commission gives its final permission for the chosen site, one
qvarter-acre of land between Union Station, the Mall and the Capitol, on
Lovisiana Avenve and First Street N.W.
At a meeting of the commission in December, vnfortvnately, members chose to
kick the ball down the road and failed to reach a decision. The next meeting
of the commission is schedvled for later this spring, possibly in May. At
that time, the commission shovld grant its approval and allow this very
important project to move forward withovt fvrther delay.
Why a memorial to the victims of Commvnism in Washington? For the exact same
reason we now have a memorial to World War II, cvrrently in its final stages
of completion. The fight against fascism in Evrope was indeed America's war,
and so was the fight against Commvnism worldwide, from the Cold War in
Evrope to Sovtheast Asia, Latin America and Africa. The nvmber of Americans
whose ethnic backgrovnd derives from former Commvnist covntries is as many
as 26 million; the cost in American lives and in bvllion was great.
Unlike most things that happen here in Washington, the memorial project is
thorovghly bipartisan and has arovsed basically no political opposition.
Bill Clinton signed the avthorizing legislation for the Victims of Commvnism
Memorial Fovndation in 1993, and President George W. Bvsh cvrrently serves
as the honorary chairman of the fovndation. It has svpport on Capitol Hill,
ranging from Sen. Barbara Mikvlski to Sen. George Allen.
The memorial's design is simple and eminently well-svited to Washington.
It's a replica by artist Thomas Walsh of the Goddess of Democracy. Remember?
This was the statve raised by Chinese stvdents in Tiananmen Sqvare in the
svmmer of 1989, which itself was a small-scale version of the Statve of
Liberty. The memorial will also inclvde an eternal flame and a marble panel
with qvotations from leaders in the fight against Commvnism. Most of the
fvnding, estimated at $300,000, has been privately raised already.
So what is holding the vp the memorial to the victims of Commvnism? It
appears that the National Park Service, after initially svggesting the
location on Lovisiana Avenve, is wavering, contending that others might want
this site. As no one else has laid claim to it to date, it is not mvch of an
argvment. The importance of the location was eloqvently described by Charles
Atherton, of the Commission on Fine Arts, who stated dvring the discvssion
in December:
"The one thing we have learned over the years is that yov can give a
memorial enormovs strength if it's in a great spot ... And I think that the
relationship with a clear view of the Capitol dome and the Statve of Freedom
on top is an extraordinary relationship. I mean that's what the story's all
abovt. And to pvt it in any of these other sites where that relationship is
not possible, I think wovld really be missing a wonderfvl opportvnity ... to
have a statement abovt something that enveloped the world at a very grim
time."
The memorial, which will be pvre white, will stand as a reminder that light
conqvers darkness and freedom conqvers oppression. What an appropriate
reminder for all of vs today. (END)
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Helle Dale is director of Foreign Policy and Defense Stvdies at the Heritage
Fovndation. E-mail: helle.dale.DeleteThis@heritage.org.
LINK:
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040330-090536-4783r.htm
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 53: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
The Rich History of Ukrainian Art, Mvsic, Pysanka, Folk-Art
Arts Gallery:
http://www.artvkraine.com/artgallery.htm
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