An Unfitting Tribute

Thus quoteth Confucius:

…if there is careful attention to burial rites, if the offerings are made to the dead, the people, I promise you, will turn fully to Excellence.

Word dawg. Word.

However, it's doubtful the people turn to excellence when this "careful attention" includes confiscating 500 acres of land. Then again, this ain't China:

The government will begin taking land from seven property owners so that the Flight 93 memorial can be built in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the National Park Service said.

In a statement obtained by The Associated Press, the park service said it had teamed up with a group representing the victims' families to work with landowners since before 2005 to acquire the land.

"But with few exceptions, these negotiations have been unsuccessful," said the statement.

Landowners dispute that negotiations have taken place and say they are disappointed at the turn of events.

The seven property owners own about 500 acres still needed for what will ultimately be a $58 million, 2,200-acre permanent memorial and national park at the crash site near Shanksville, about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

 …The next step will be for the U.S. Justice Department to file a complaint in federal court. A court would have to decide the matter and would set a value on the land.

Whole thing here.

With all due respect to the victims' families pushing for this memorial–what the fuck?  The dead are not honored by taking from the living. As for the $58 million to be blown on a permanent whatever, a more lasting tribute to their sacrifice can be found here, here, and here (just to name a few).

High Five: The Knight Shift