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Show "We are dedicated to the public interest, to OPINIONS fairness and accuracy, to innovation and growth, and to the restless pursuit of excellence." Pulitzer mission statement EDITOR: DONALD W. MEYERS Peace RIGHT ASCENSION Rick Soulier WWII Memorial fraught with deep symbolism The Washington D.C. National Mall has spectacular vistas. Those who have walked from the Capital to the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and to the White House will always remember that park's luscious views. A huge memorial to the soldiers of World War II will be built in the Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Some are upset, because it will interrupt the uncluttered vista between those landmarks. The location of the World War II Memorial is perfect symbolism in a city full of symbolism. There are, of course, the symbols in monuments and inscriptions. Washington's symbolism, however, is even deeper thanks to its designer, Pierre UEnfant. LEnfant, like many early American leaders, was a Freemason. The city he designed is an encyclopedia of Masonic symbolism. The carpenter-squar-e shape (hereafter "square") and compass shape both have symbolic traditions in Freemasonry. Washington's streets are interconnecting squares and compasses. Their design makes Washington a nightmare to drive. The map is a symbol that functions at many levels. Washington's street patterns remind some that government is men and women working together or that government is written law and its application to individuals. The Mall that UEnfant designed is a giant square of grass from the White House to the Washington Monument to the Capital. The streets around the White House and Capital are arranged in occult patterns. "Experts" have speculated for decades about the conspiratorial implications of the symbolism. The Washington Monument stands in the middle of several symbolic patterns. It is also visible from Congress and the White House. It is the world's tallest stone obelisk. The obelisk is ah Egyptian phallic symbol of eternal life. At that level, an obelisk in the middle of Washington symbolizes that the American Empire is everlasting. Well see if it works better for us than it did for the Egyptians. The obelisk is also a symbol of revelation. Those who have stood close to its base and looked up to its point from that vantage understand why. From that perspective, the monument resembles a pillar of light coming down from heaven. The symbolism is clear to those who will see it. Real leadership governs by inspiration. Without inspiration, bureaucracy simply dominates. It does not govern. The Mall from the White House to the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial is another square. Placing a World War II Memorial in it, of course, interrupts the vista But World War II was a massive, unnecessary disy history. ruption of The symbolism is perfect in a city 20th-centur- built on symbolism. Val- rickjsouli-eremail.co- appears Fridays. PfCKMnN69S- - 5s Sm eveMe The United States is HERALD resuming its role as mediator in the greatest feud the EDITORIAL world has seen since the Hatfields started taking pot- States into the mess is a shots at the McCoys. waste of our time, critics The Bush Administration say, and puts us in the role has sent a new envoy to the of being the world's policeMiddle East to hammer out man. a peace agreement, or at We disagree. between least a cease-fir- e While the United States the Israelis and Palestini-ans- , cannot intervene in every who have been trying to dispute around the world, kill each other since late Israel is a special case. It is September. a place three major world However, Secretary of religions claim as holy State Colin Powell has ground, putting it in a spewarned that America's cial place in the hearts of efforts are not free: Both many around the world. sides need to put down their There are millions of peorocks, bullets, artillery shells ple, if not billions, who have and rockets before anybody a vested emotional interest sits at the negotiating table. in what happens in PalesWe think Powell's warntine, especially control of its The one. a is sacred sites. Let's not forget good only ing to a that the Crusades started way get lasting peace both to is when Muslims exerted conget agreement sides to let go of each trol over The Church of the other's throats. Holy Sepulcher and other Some may argue that tryChristian shrines, enraging ing to get peace in Israel is( the Pope. next to impossible. Look at' Ariel Sharon's declaration what happened to the Oslo in September that the TemAccords and President Clinple Mount in Jerusalem was ton's Camp David Summit. forever in Israeli hands United were fighting words not just Dragging the i i TO There are millions of people, if not billions, who have a vested emotional interest in what happens in Palestine, especially control of its sacred sites. to Palestinians, but to Muslims around the world. He's fortunate that the only thing coming in from the Arab world is food from Iraq to help the beleaguered Palestinians. A major Israeli-Ara- b war is the last thing the United States needs. Israel has proven a strategic friend in the area, while Persian Gulf countries supply us with oil and were gracious allies during the Persian Gulf r War. As we have a military and economic reason to take interest, we also have a moral one. As the remaining global superpower we cannot sit idly by and allow people to kill themselves in sectarian and ethnic violence. We heed to make sure the atrocities of Armenia and the Holocaust are not repeated. This does not mean step iriw ping in and establishing Pax Americana over an unwilling population. No. Instead we work as facilitators, get- 1 V J ting uuiu siues Lu me tauie" in a neutral setting and helping them to work out V their differences and come up with a solution to which they both can feel owner- - '''v J - 1 1 A 1 ill , ship. And we can use our influence, including economic . aid, to persuade the combatants to beat their swords, into plowshares. But we cannot sit back X and watch Abraham's sonS ' kill themselves in the land where the Prince of Peace once walked. Members of The Daily Herald editorial board are Publisher ' Kirk Parkinson, Managing Editor Mike Fitzgerald, Opinions "n Page Editor Donald W. MeyersT JO Community Editor Sharon Gholdston, Provo resident Jason Durtschi and Springville resi- dent Patty Roberts. till ED ITCH '! 'Tree' issue is just fuss over forest The "Mayorus billingsii." I pass the offending "plant life" on my way to work each morning, and I must say that I do not blame the Riverbottoms dwellers (oops!) for being irked. After all, it is very important for the area residents to protect their real estate investments by encouraging the city fathers to responsibly adhere to the standard of excluding the presence of unsightly and species. I have not taken a botany course recently, but I feel safe in assuming that the forest of power poles, wooden and concrete, that so uniformly line University Avenue were not here when the pioneers meandered into the Utah Valley basin. Could this be a case of not seeing the forest for the tree? Sue Trammell Provo Live the laws Wake up Tom Green! In the May 22 Herald, you have the audacity to imply that you see yourself as in the same era as your ancestors who participated in polygamy when it was accepted and legal. In case you are illiterate, let us spell it out for you. It is against the law! In the late 1890s, our prophet instructed the end of plural marriages. Utah was granted statehood if plural marriages were abolished. The cold, hard truth you refuse to accept is that you are breaking the laws of God and the land. What a hypocrite you are to say it is your religion. Correct me if I am wrong, but to my knowledge, there is no religion on earth today that allows polygamy. When the judgment day comes and you are before God, I don't believe you will be so smug then. One last thing. If you are still planning on appealing your guilty verdict, where are you getting the money to pay for it? We all know you don't have any. It darned well better not come from honest, taxpayers. Tom Brunger Orem hard-workin- g Dalai Lama visit Thank you for your coverage of the visit of his holiness, the Dalai Lama, to Utah. It is a great opportunity at any time to have a Nobel Peace prize winner visit the state, but when this Nobel Laureate is also a spiritual and political leader of international importance, the event is truly unique. Your extended coverage of the visit, along with the human interest stories, helped the local community understand what a privilege and opportunity this was for Utah and Utah Valley th State College. By Garry Trudeau men J Meiresii fcesl!: mrr- - Doonesbury 0KAY,7H$EAKieVS CFGANIZBPTheCAPm FRIDAY, JUNE 1,2001 THE DAILY HERALD (www.HarkTheHerald.com) 4 Rick Soulier is an adjunct instructor of English at Utah ley State College and can be reached by at His column AO CABIN. THE APPLZ CABIN LIH1X WTHCMAINOVIN ISfCRKIPSUHffVe oss oneis inem- POUS reamr THSIS 1 Thank you again. Lynn Elliott associate director, Butler Center for International Understanding, Utah Valley State College T. community. I hope the teachers and others who helped them make this possible realize how much their efforts were appreciated. Angel Busath Orem Thank you teachers I attended the funeral of a friend, Nella Donatelli, yesterday and was really moved by the performance of the Lakeridge Junior High Choir. Nella had often supported the choir by being its practice as the choir members prepared for concerts. The choir sang beautifully at the funeral and were all dressed in formal attire. I really appreciated the sacrifice the students made to come, and the school's support of that hour of 'audi--enc- e' The Daily Herald welcomes your letters to the editor. .,.. Please remember to include your fun name, address and phone number where" you can be reached. Only your name and the city in which you live will be published. All other information will be kept confidential. Anonymous letters will be discarded. Letters must contain 250 or fewer words, approximately one page, typed and double spaced. Your letter will be better read if flu concerns one central theme or idea. All letters will be edited for length accuracy and clarity. The Herald encourages community discussion of issues in a responsible manner. Please send your letters to: Editor, The Dally Herald n&P.O. Box 717 1555 N. Freedom Blvd. tn- Provo, UT. 84603 Letters may also be faxed or The fax number is 344-298The -- C address is: Ldeanheraldextra.com. If you have questions, call Opinions Page Editor Donald W. Meyers at 344-254ao. service. I realize that the community often supports the schools in many ways but as I listened to them create and share a tender moment with this grieving family, I appreciated their contribution to the Mallard Fillmore By Bruce Tinsley min x V v. UMTT coos- - Mr- -' mse JL cm; wivu. .. j, A? .. . 'Ymj 'assp- vr n Hmy &i& Me UN tint A 3WIS-U- A |
