Critiquing designs for memorial

Christopher Knight’s criticism of the final proposals for the World Trade Center memorial were right on the money (“So Much to Say, So Little Time,” Nov. 21). It takes a brave soul to be honest about shortcomings of an effort to commemorate such a tragedy. Two years is too soon to do the memorial justice.

As bad as 9/11 was, I’m sure we’re going to see worse things in the future, and we don’t want to build a cult of the dead in the middle of our cities. Think what Israel would look like if they built monuments to the victims of every terrorist attack they’ve endured. We’ve developed a tendency in this country to over- memorialize death lately.

Jay Jiudice

Marina del Rey

*

The sterile spirituality and overly abstract spaciousness of each design leaves one wondering why the competition was open to everyone. While the submissions challenge the bounds of public acceptance, they are neither fresh nor mediocre accommodations toward a true community coming together.

The designs reflect a lonely collection of souls, lack an expression of cultural richness and are professionally trendy. They express the ethos of a public-works project that is politically expedient and quietly reminiscent of distaste for public input.

Joseph Middelkoop

Pasadena