It really should be green

In the days after September 11, 2001, Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert wrote a column with his thoughts on what should eventually become of the World Trade Center site. His idea was to make it green. If I remember correctly he wanted the site to be a field of grass with no memorial statues or anything, not even signage. No signage would be needed because it's most likely everyone will always remember what happened. It would just be a peaceful field of green.

Fields of green don't bring in money though and that's one of the reasons buildings are going up where the World Trade Center once stood. That's not the only reason, at least I hope not. I believe America has an indomitable spirit and rebuilding on the WTC site is an in-your-face response to those who would prefer us defeated and destroyed. That spirit is what I love about this country. Knock us down and we'll get back up and spit in your eye.

We cannot forget though, that the WTC grounds are the final resting place still for so many. There will always be some remains of the murdered at the site. All the remains most likely will never be found. They are dug up regularly as the new construction takes place. Where the towers stood should be hallowed, consecrated ground, not a place with yet another additon to the Manhattan skyline.

The World Trade Center site should be a park. It should be a place where people can gather to hope and pray for a better world, and then go forth and create that world. It should be a place where we remember those who died. It should be a place where we also remember that there are people in the world who want to murder us, every last one of us, for no other reason than the fact that we are not exactly like them. We can't forget these violent people, even as we plan for peace and that's what the site ultimately should be, a place of peace. It should be green.