On the weekend of May 23rd and 24th, Military Families Speak Out teamed up with activists from Movement for a Democratic Society-Staten Island, Peace Action Staten Island, and others to set up a vast display of crosses, Stars of David, Crescents, combat boots and shoes of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On the beach on the south end of Staten Island, off the recently built Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier, 200 markers representing soldiers and marines killed who came from New York State and died in Iraq and Afghanistan, were displayed. Along with the markers, combat boots tagged with the names of the soldiers and marines were placed in the sand, with a memorial flower. Flags were erected representing Iraq, Afghanistan, United States and a World Peace flag, in the center of the entire exhibit, running lengthwise along the beach.
Visitors who came on bike, foot, or stroller stopped and gazed in amazement at this memorial for the human cost of wars. The exhibit received a tremendous amount of local press running on the local TV news stations, as well for 2 days in the Staten Island Advance. Coverage from Staten Island advance:
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/arlington_new_york_state_retur.html
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1242906303275270.xml&coll=1
http://photos.silive.com/advance/2009/05/524_news_photos_6.html
On Saturday, the first day of the exhibit, a press conference was held highlighting speakers such as Ed Josey from the Staten Island chapter of the NAACP, Elaine Brower of Military Families Speak Out, Sue Niederer, Gold Star Mom of Seth Dvorin, KIA in Iraq 2004, Sally Jones, Peace Action New York State, Hugh Bruce, Veterans for Peace Chapt. 34, Debi Rose, candidate for City Council and Rev. Susan Karlson, Minister of the Unitarian Church on Staten Island.
Over the course of 2 days, thousands of people witnessed the display and reacted. Whether they were for the war or against it, people were reflective about what they saw. Family members visited their loved ones who were from New York, and it gave them a little comfort to see the boots and names of the person they so missed.
Motorcycle groups visited, and solemnly walked to the Iraqi shoes representing those civilians killed in the war, and then turned to walk through the crosses and boots, with the same expression of sadness and grief.
The war has touched us all on some deep level, and taking our Arlington New York State exhibit to the beach brought it home to Staten Island.
For more media and photos see:
