I encourage those lurking here to read this article by CNN.com: Tomb of the Unknowns caught in battle.
Issues of authenticity dominate the question of what to do about the Tomb of the Unknowns, which is in need of repair or replacement in Arlington National Cemetery. Officials at the cemetery wish to replace the crumbling memorial with a replica marble tomb; historical preservationists cringe at that thought. “A replica is not the same thing as the original,” says John Hildreth of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. True enough. But is preserving any original authenticity offset by a loss of influential authenticity found in a memorial, which is marred with cracks and increasingly held together with grout, dishonoring the fallen?
What to do? I suspect one’s answer hinges in large part on which genre of authenticity — original or influential — most resonates. I often encourage consulting clients and speaking audiences to perform an honest self-assessment: Which of the five genres of authenticity that we’ve identified…
(a) have the greatest personal appeal to you? And,
(b) would be most effective to employ by your enterprise?
I’ve done that self-assessment and believe original and influential authenticity both hold the most sway over me. And so I’m torn over where to side on the matter. But wait. Why not take both sides? Repair the existing Tomb of the Unknowns through whatever means necessary to preserve the original, and let it stand weathered by time, in its original location. But add second memorial (Tomb of the Unknowns II?) perhaps with the remains of unidentified soldiers from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and pair this new memorial with the first — not as a replica but as companion marker. Make it look identical, but use a more weather-durable faux material. Or use this more durable material to create an altogether different-looking companion memorial. In either case, use the combination of memorials to create a renewed sense of honor and render an already moving place even more real.
Think of the National Mall and the World War II Memorial located on the opposite end of the reflecting pool from the Lincoln Memorial. Some critics, prior to its construction, thought the World War II Memorial would detract from the otherwise unobstructed view between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. They’ve been proved wrong. The added memorial, dedicated to the “greatest generation,” has helped enhance the National Mall. Who knows, maybe a second Tomb of the Unknowns might enhance the special place that is Arlington as well.
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