Tom Udall: “our nation prides itself on establishing monuments and memorials in remembrance of the past. We shape marble, bronze…”

“our nation prides itself on establishing monuments and memorials in remembrance of the past. We shape marble, bronze, granite and stone into physical commemorations, hoping that they will reflect particular ideals of justice, principles, and beliefs from our country's history and encourage those who visit to embody the same ideals. Twenty-five years ago, the Nation found itself dedicating a memorial to a war that was bitterly fought both at home and abroad and trying to find within that memorial the peace and solace that had been elusive for so long. The memorial design created by 21-year-old Yale University undergraduate Maya Lin, and managed by the National Park Service, wrought emotional reactions from the crowd when it was dedicated in November 1982. Thousands of veterans, regardless of their personal feelings on what the war had meant to them, found themselves moved by the Wall. Their faces reflected against the names of the dead etched into the black granite, visitors found that this memorial was not simply a standing block of stone, but instead was a moving tribute that refused to separate the past from the present, merging the two and forcing them to coalesce into a semblance of calm. Now 25 years later we continue to see the effect of the memorial. Families and friends leave at the base of the memorial personal belongings of those whose names lie above.”