The 9/11 Museum in New York City on "hallowed ground"
has opened. Wherever one may fall along the spectrum, from believing in the government's conspiracy theory (which, of course, the museum endorses) to believing there were no planes, no one can deny that this "museum" is nothing more than a feel good for rich, crass elitists and a monument to tastelessness.
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| (photo by Todd Heisler, New York Times, under Fair Use) |
It was bad enough that the powers that be decided to move
some 8,000 pieces of remains to a repository in the same building as the new "museum" as opposed to an aboveground tomb like the Unknown Soldier. It was even worse that
crass rich elitists (some of whom made a lot of money off of the attacks) attended what amounted to a
cocktail party on hallowed ground before the "museum's" official opening. “You enjoy dinner & drinks on top of my brothers grave last night douchebags?” tweeted Robert Shay Jr.’s sister.
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| (photo by Marcus Santos, The New York Daily News, under Fair Use) |
No, the real jaw dropping act of tastelessness is the gift shop. You read that right, on "hallowed ground" there rests a
fucking gift shop where people will continue to make money off of the victims. Perhaps the most tasteless gift in this dive is the
9/11 Cheese Plate, complete with little stars where the attacks occurred. I'll wait as you let that sink in.
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| (photo by Scott Lynch, The Gothamist, under Fair Use) |
If anyone is still onboard with idea that your rich overseers and politicians have always had your best interests at heart I hope this "museum" has disabused you of that.
Imagine what a visit to the gift shop might be like.
"Hello, and welcome to the 9/11 Museum Gift Shop. Oh, I see you're spying our classy 9/11 Cheese Plate. Perfect for your wine and cheese parties as you discuss the latest best seller. No, no, no, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Perhaps I could interest you in one of our Mohamed Atta passport replicas? They're only $9.95 each. We also have ashtrays formed out of the steel from the girders. They make excellent conversation starters as well has a repository for your butts. Or, might I interest you in our 9/11 Paperweights? Made from the pulverized remains of your fellow citizens, it retails for only $29.95. Buy two, they make wonderful gifts!"
2 comments:
I'm not sure I actually believe the cheese plate thing, Rod. It really is jaw-dropping bad taste.
Perhaps it is not real, but the gift shop is there. But, maybe I'm being naïve. Are there gift shops at Pearl Harbor or Oklahoma City or Auschwitz?
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