We've Got Monuments, but No Pretzels

We forgot to mention that after our drive back from Flagstaff we did get the car repaired. It was way more expensive than we expected, but apparently the catalytic converter was rusted to all the rusted-out piping so that had to be replaced too. That was over half the cost, right there! We had a nice rental for the day so we got all our errands done even while they did the work. After that Maya had several days in a row where she worked and days she didn’t we just stayed at home. Two weekend trips in two consecutive weekends can really make one long for staying in.

When we decided to go out again, it was to the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza. Phoenix is the Capital of Arizona. Right next to the capitol building in down town is this plaza where all kinds of memorials for all kinds of things have been set up. In addition to memorials to the soldiers of just about every war America has been in, there are monuments honoring Arizona’s pioneer women, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Navajo Code Talkers, Arizona’s maimed workers, peace officers (going back to Arizona’s territory days) and victims of Turkey’s genocide of Armenians. It seems that any kind of cause that can get up the funds can have a monument placed in the plaza. “Ooh, ooh! Me too! I want a monument!” Really? A monument for Merchant Seamen? One for the Civilian Conservation Corps? One for K-9s? We’re not saying these aren’t respectable things to give your life to or that we haven’t benefited from the work or the merchant marine and the CCC, but do they really rate so highly that they needs be emblazoned in bronze and marble? Wesley Bolin himself has a marker there too. He was acting governor of Arizona (serving less than one year) after a career as the state’s Secretary of State. He died in office just five days before the plaza was to be dedicated, so it was named after him.

We did see some interesting monuments there. We saw the Arizona 9/11 Memorial. It’s something of a controversy-maker, apparently. Some question the need of an official memorial in Arizona. Others question the patriotism and appropriateness of the memorial because of the fairly wide range of reactions to the attacks that are recorded on it. Matt, who has an interest in the way monuments commemorate things, was really interested to actually see this one. We found it to be tasteful if not a touch stoic. It’s a circular wall of concrete enclosing a courtyard of sorts. Above this is a tilted ring of metal. Below that higher end is a pillar of concrete which contains rubble from the Pentagon and dirt from Pennsylvania which is topped by a chunk of a support beam from one of the World Trade Center towers. The lower end of the slanted circle is covered in stamped-out words. These let the sun shine through so that on the wall of the courtyard they are words of sun light in the midst of the ring’s shadow. These light words tell three stories. One is a time line of the day as the events occurred. Below that is a time line of the next few years as the other events related to the attacks continued to unfold. Between these two are quotes taken from all kinds of Arizonans as they responded to the attacks and to other responses to the attacks. The way the sun moves and the way the shadows are cast cause only one section of the words to be in focus at any one time. The rest are a blur. It makes one think of the sharp focus some moments can take on right in the middle of a hurried, confusing situation. It is a good memorial. Very honest. The attacks happened, like it not. These are the things people said, like it not. However, it is a little strange to find this monument all the way out here in Arizona.
Matt was also really excited about seeing the anchor and mast of the U.S.S. Arizona. It was only a few days after the anniversary of the sinking when we were there. There were still a few flowers on the ledge by the anchor. There isn’t much to it. The anchor is on a big pedestal with all the crewmen’s names on it. It’s a big anchor. That’s about it. Other than knowing that this piece of metal was present at the event that got the U.S. into WWII, it isn’t that exciting after all. There are fountains around, but they weren’t on for water conservation reasons. The signal mast is nearby. After it was cut off the ship it was used at some navy academy in Ohio as their practice mast so the cadets could learn to fly flags and tie knots. Only much more recently has it found its way to Phoenix.
We both agreed that the best monument in the plaza was the Ernest W. McFarland Memorial. He was a judge, a U.S. senator and later governor of Arizona. It’s as a senator that he made his widest impact. He’s one of the two people considered the Father of the G.I. Bill. There is a pathway that leads to the monument from the main sidewalk. Set into the brick path are special bricks with remembrances carved on them. They are little personal stories by people who benefited from the education offered by the G. I. Bill. This path comes up to a paved area and a curved wall. Sitting around in this plaza are concrete seats that are shaped like stacks of books. The wall details the life and work of Ernest McFarland. This is where you find out that he worked to pass the G.I. Bill. The wall stair-steps up toward the right then there are actual steps set in the side of a hill as it starts to curve. As you climb up the steps there are a few quotes from McFarland about the significance of his work. When you reach the top of the steps there are more of those book-stack seats stretching off into the distance. You can see the various government buildings that surround the plaza. It is as if you have passed through the education afforded by the bill, climbed a little bit up in world and now there are limitless possibilities laid out before you. It’s a really nice way of representing education in general and the G.I. Bill in particular. The monument creates a real experience by having you move through the monument and see things from a different point of view at the end, than at the beginning. In that respect, it was similar to the FDR memorial in Washington. Who’d have thought that a memorial to a piece of legislation (and the man who sponsored it) could be so powerful?!

After we left the Plaza, we went to the Snyder’s of Hanover factory over on the west side of town. We had noticed it when we went to L.A. since it’s right off the highway. We were hoping they had a factory tour. They don’t. At least not at the factory here. But they have a factory store! Our expectations were greatly decreased when we actually got there and a sign said, “snacks sold in lobby.” That’s not quite the factory outlet store we imagined. When we went it, it was snacks in the lobby, not a “proper” store. The prices were about one third of retail so that was good. We picked several bags of flavored pretzels pieces and some different kinds of regular pretzels. Great! Then we took them up to the counter and a little sign said “cash or check only.” What? We hardly ever carry cash anymore. Everything is done with plastic anymore. Alas. We put back all pretzels we had picked. Driving home we were both pretty mad. Maya was really upset. It was about time for an afternoon snack and she had been looking forward to pretzels. No! No pretzels for you! To spite the store we made our own pretzels when we got home. Ha! Take that Snyder’s of Hanover!