The Twin Steeples
I seem to be running into strange 9/11 murals lately.
This one is painted on the front of Engine 205 on Middagh Street in Brooklyn Heights. The flag I get. The Brooklyn Bridge I get. But why is there a giant cross placed on top of (or is it behind) the Twin Towers? I don't wish to seem insensitive to the unquestioned contribution and sacrifice of the City's firefighters during that catastrophe, but it seems strange and inappropriate that a particular religion—or any religion at all—should be invoked as the symbol of a civic organization.
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10 comments:
It's that cross that was "miraculously" formed in the rubble. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_cross
It is just a symbol that they, the firefighters, believe in a higher power. That maybe their friends and family were lost to something better then a crazy terrorist's act of madness. Why do people feel the need to bring down religion of any kind? It's pretty sad.
Probably relates to the WTC cross:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_cross
Thanks, Brett and Apter. I wasn't aware of the WTC cross phenomenon.
"It is just a symbol that they, the firefighters, believe in a higher power." - Keriskos
Come on, it's a Christian cross. I think it's pretty sad that people feel the need to force their particular beliefs on civil society, as though they've cornered truth and morality.
Kurt, that's a little harsh. For the firefighters to invoke their own faith when setting up a memorial to their dead, does not constitute forcing their beliefs on anybody.
I'm afraid I'm with Kurt, Anne. If you hold a public position, meant to serve ALL the public, and you make an issue of your faith, you are inappropriately, if subtly foisted that set of beliefs on people who may not share them. What if, instead of a Christian cross, the firefighters painted a Jewish star on the door. Or a Catholic vision of Mary and Jesus, or a symbol denoted the Hindu, Buddhist or Unitarian faith. Or even a symbol indicating the were Atheists. Would that still be considered harmless?
Of course, when it comes to the separation of Church and State, I'm rather extreme, by the standards of this nation. I think, personally, that's it's outrageously wrong that God is invoked on our money, and that the Deity is mentioned when our President is sworn in.
Technically, painting anything on the firehouse door in an area that's Landmarked is against the law. But considering the circumstances—they responded on 9/11, and their truck was destroyed and at least 9 of its crew were killed—no one said anything.
Please desist with all this "seperation of Church and State" crap, already! Your adherence of political correctness to such an extreme is nauseating. This is what happens when the minority dictate to the majority. The fact is, just like the NYPD, FDNY has a very high percentage of members who are Christian. And, a majority of those are Roman Catholic. Please refer to the First Amendment for further clarification of what that separation entails. It has nothing to do with civil servants using a religious symbol. It states that the government will noy endorse any religion as an official "State" religion. No more, no less.
I bet none of the posters who have a problem with this mural have a bitch to pitch about the public schools setting up prayer rooms for Muslim students, on public property no less, do you? Of course not. We have to be sensitive of the needs of these particular students, right? This attitude is nothing more than a thinly diguised continuation of the old anti-Catholic, anti-Papist drivel which was popular amongst the "Know-nothings" and narrowbacks of the nineteenth century. Noone is forcing anyone's religious beliefs upon anyone else. It's only that "enlightened" and intellectually superior individuals who THINK they know more than the superstitious lumpen they look down upon, such as yourselves, try to force-feed your paricular beliefs, or lack thereof, onto everyone else. You don't like the image of the Cross? First Amendment, man. It cuts both ways, dig?
SGI: You lost me at "seperation of Church and State crap." Anyone who thinks that notion is crap doesn't know shit from Shinola about this country and the rights of its citizens; what's more, doesn't CARE, either. That fire dept. door belongs to the City and its citizens, not the firefighters. Painting a cross on it amounts to a tacit endorsement of Christianity over all other religions. And people in America are free to practice any religion they wish. Or no religion at all.
Jesus Christ. "Anti-Papist." Do you really think there are "anti-Papist"s anymore.
Just to let you know, if you write another comment in the same tone as the last (unconstructive, nasty), I will exercise my blogger's right not to post it.
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