Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to locate and address troubling notions of exclusion, dominance, and intimidation resonating from visual forms and their associated meanings in the recently dedicated National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.
This past event of conflict involved the commitments, brave participation, and contributions of a wide range of American and international social groups. In its commemoration, however, the visual forms and textual quotations included in this commemorative and public space predominantly represent figures and voices of white male Americans. This exclusive and narrow perception of identification generates a dangerously narrow historical narrative, and acts as a marginalizing tool for some social groups as they negotiate this memorial space and struggle to deal with painful memories and grief. I argue that the visual representations, architectural forms, and textual inscriptions contained in the memorial do not resonate for all visitors because they do not provide a common sense of identity for all visitors to relate as a shared past event is remembered and healing is sought.
Overall, important and deserving social groups and events are not present in the National World War II Memorial, either visually or textually, and with the few exceptions that are, their roles appear as subordinate, and in some cases in a patronizing manner. These oversights include African Americans, Native Americans, Japanese Americans, women, other participating nations, and the who also suffered, were maimed, or died as a result of this global conflict.
I also argue that along with the visual forms, location, and architecture of the World War II Memorial, incumbent Republican president, George W. Bush and associates, to promote and perpetuate their own ideals and value-centered political agenda during an election year, used the general milieu surrounding its construction and dedication.
My method of analysis is interpretive. I study the World War II Memorial as a site of public culture. Public culture is the enactment of rituals, symbols, expressions, and displays intended to foster shared identities, build communities and establish attachments to place, and is used to explore current American practices of exclusion and dominance within the dynamics of collective memory, commemoration, and identity construction. In conclusion, privileging the contributions and identity of white male Americans, while marginalizing and excluding others in the processes of collective memory and commemoration denies the possibilities for healing over the trauma of World War II—recognition, inclusion, validation, and identification.