Are Lake Saint Louis officials doing right by changing memorial plaques?
A new veterans’ memorial park in Lake Saint Louis is just opening — but opening to controversy. Apparently, part of the planning for Veterans’ Memorial Park included memorial plaques that summarize the wars that the United States has been part of.
Those plaques include sections for “mistakes” and “consequences.” Our story points out:
For example, the “mistakes” portion of the plaque entitled “Global War on Terror, 1997—Present” read, in part: “As of 2007, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars failed to enable viable governments leading to continued guerrilla fighting. The Iraqi Army was quickly crushed but the U.S. disbanded the Iraqi Army and removed civilian government employees belonging to the ruling political party leaving no one to help maintain security or run the country, which was contrary to policy used after WWII in Germany and Japan.”
Under “consequences,” it said: “U.S. was accused of a Crusade against Muslims which caused riots all over the Muslim world. Pakistan became an opportunistic ally of the U.S. in its Afghanistan war. U.S. lost prestige around the world.”
Our story also says, “Ralph Barrale, an Army veteran of World War II, said the text was a collaborative effort among some members of the volunteer committee of veterans. He said he was not offended by the plaques but added the park is not meant to cause controversy.” The committee agreed to remove the plaques and rework the text.
The park will be dedicated May 17. Should the city make changes in the plaques or is the additional text appropriate for a veterans’ memorial?
(2 votes, average: 3 out of 5)
Loading ...
Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor. 
Sounds like Rob is turning conservative. Hey peeps, bias is present in EVERY memorial this country erects. History is written to exclude people of color and women. Perhaps you would have wanted the plaques to be separated by so many feet to be valid for your american rah rahs. I suspect the views on this have to do with how much someone has traveled and REALLY gotten to know the people of other countries we rape, murder and shove aside in our “patriotic” zeal to conquer all lands. I am glad they are bringing the subject to light if nothing else. I got spat on after ‘Nam and I understood why. I felt the same way, but then I wasn’t operating totally on OFFICIAL PR. I agree that if we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. The difference is, more countries have the skills and money and will to kick our collective butts…and they are in Iraq. It costs too much in all ways to put diplomacy in the back seat anymore. It is juvenile indeed to say we shouldn’t talk to someone who we feel is extremist, then say we follow jesus. We shoot, we don’t talk. And YES, the sand walkers will talk. They are talking. GB just doesn’t like what they are saying. Consider many of those in the towers are responsible for our economic crisis conditions. It all fits together, no matter which sports/political tems you are presently cheering for for your own egoistic identity. Dr…you need to go relieve some of the women soldiers who fight for you and still get sexually hassled daily if you feel so strongly.