One Down, One to Go

It appears that we have a small, but important victory, in the fight to take back the 9/11 Memorial. The Drawing Center, which has displays of grotesque anti-war art at their Soho center, is considering withdrawing from the 9/11 memorial. The sooner they find a new place for their "art", the better. An editorial in the New York Post gives some details.

'For its part, the Drawing Center is doing the honorable thing: "The [Lower Manhattan Development Corp., which oversees Ground Zero] knows that we would never be able to accept censorship," said the museum's executive director, Catherine de Zegher.

Center officials have put plans for Ground Zero on hold, Crain's reports, hoping to get Pataki & Co. To backtrack.

So, all things being equal, the Drawing Center likely will find itself another home.


This leaves the International Freedom Center, whose brass apparently attaches so little value to actual freedom that they'll gladly truckle to Pataki's conditions. Or say they will, anyway — at least for as long as it takes Pataki to shuffle from the scene.

In any event, full compliance seems impossible given the aggressively litigious nature of New York City (and the fact that the executive director of the ACLU, Anthony Romero, is an IFC adviser!).

Again, for emphasis, both organizations should have every right to display whatever they want, even if we don't like it (and we don't). But not at Ground Zero.'

Now is the time to increase the pressure on the elected officials to see the IFC looks for and finds a new home for their anti-American dribble. If you have not been to the Take Back The Memorial web site, now would be a great time to visit. There is a multitude of great information there on what you can do to keep the pressure on. - Sailor