From: bolton8@juno.com
Date: Thu May 02 2002 - 19:05:48 PDT
> 5/1/02, Pete & Renee Davis wrote:
> >That was pretty much my first reaction, too.
> >
After much ruminating over the topic being discussed, I share the same
feelings. Upon reading the first posting of this thread I was initially
shocked, followed by disgust over the very idea: Turning part of Omaha
Beach into a mussel farm !! It revived thoughts of a previous thread
concerning the salvaging of underwater 'scrap metal' just off the shore
of Normandy. These thoughts were then tempered by the following
postings generally saying: Wasn't that the purpose of invading Normandy
to begin with? To give France back to the French, so they can do with
their country and their shoreline as they wish?
But overall, it appears to me that these feelings are generational.
Tom Brokaw's description 'The Greatest Generation' summed it up quite
eloquently. However a vast majority of this generation has already
passed into the mists of time, taking their emotions and memories with
them. Their deeds and accomplishments are remembered most passionately
by the Baby Boomers, who heard the stories first hand from their fathers
and uncles who were there. The Greatest Generation's grand- and great-
grandchildren think of Normandy as some word that's repeated alot in the
movie 'Saving Private Ryan' or "The Longest Day". Thus the news
release of turning Dog Beach into a mussel farm only causes these kids to
roll their eyes and turn the channel back to MTV. But can you imagine
the reaction and emotional outrage there would have been, if such a
concept was proposed in 1955 or 1964?
My point being, as each generation 'who was there' fades from the
scene, their accomplishments and emotional attachment to 'there' fades
from the collective memory with the passing of each future generation.
How many of today's generation would voice serious discontent if a
developer started clearing trees in Belleau Wood to build tract homes?
How many of today's generation would even know WHERE Belleau Wood is,
much less WHAT it was? Currently a real estate developer has been
trying to obtain outlying sections of the Gettysburg fields, and about
two years ago there was an attempt to build a 'Manasses Theme Park',
complete with boat rides around the theme
park and "appropriately costumed vendors" within. The only groups that
passionately opposed and fought this park were the Civil War Re-enactors
Groups.
I wonder what the Normandy beach will look like on June 6th 2044, or
Gettysburg on July 3rd 2063, or midtown Manhattan September 11th 2101.
LANCE
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