Atheists’ misguided fight over the 9/11 memorial

[MineralMan]

182. As a long-time atheist, I'm of two minds regarding this.

In one of those minds, I don't care what religions people believe in, and if this thing gives them some comfort, then it's not a problem for me.

In the other mind, I'm troubled that only the Christian symbol is in evidence, despite the diversity of belief and disbelief held by those who died in those buildings. Some were Christians, no doubt, even a majority, perhaps. But not all were, by any means. All major religions were represented by people who died. Non-religious people, too, died. Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and more all were among those who died.

The reality of this monument is that it is more for those who didn't die than for those who did. The United States has a majority of people who believe in one form of Christianity or another. That majority has decided that only Christianity should be represented in this memorial sculpture. Of course there are cross forms in the framework of those buildings. Hundreds of them. This one was cut from the debris, with the parts that did not look like a Christian cross removed, leaving only the symbol.

It is the insularity of this cross that disturbs me. It is there. It is the only religious representation that is there. Yet, people of many religions and of no religion at all died on 9/11. That means that the cross isn't a representation of the religious beliefs of those who died. Instead, it is a representation of only the majority religion of the United States. That's wrong.

It was the World Trade Center, not the Christian USA Center. No single religious symbol can represent those who died. In fact, if only a single symbol appears, it dishonors those who are not Christian and, in doing so, dishonors the sentiment it is supposed to express.

For that reason, I oppose having only a single religious symbol on display. It's unfair to those who do not see a cross as a symbol of peace. It is unfair to those who see all religion as a symbol of prejudice and inequality. I believe that they should either represent all religions in a memorial or none at all.

Where is the six-pointed star, or the star and crescent? Where are the symbols of Hinduism or Buddhism? Where is a symbol of disbelief? If they are not there, the symbol of Christianity should not be there, either.

The Christian deity did not protect those in the building, nor did any other deity. Why is a religious symbol appropriate as a memorial symbol in any way?