- Anti-War Memorial in Lafayette, California

by Kim Montenegro

Crosses speak louder than words!

There is a memorial of crosses in Lafayette, California, that is sparking debate and more conversation. Some parents who had their soldiers killed in the war asked for their child’s cross to be taken down. Are there ethical implications to this memorial? Also, as a Christian who is against the war, is there larger issue of fallen soldiers being memorialized with a symbol from the Christian faith? I am aware of it being a tradition, but, thinking systemically, what are the inter-faith issues that arise?

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more from Kim:

As an eighth grader I was picked to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown solider in Arlington National Cemetery. As for most people, visiting the tomb was very emotional. I remember at that time having a difficulty seeing row after row of white crosses rolling over the hills overlooking Washington, D.C.. The crosses, which number over 290,000, seem to be unable in representing people who have died in war.

The crosses in Lafayette as well as Arlington deserve a closer look. What is the basic meaning of the crosses? For many Christians, I would venture to say, a cross is an identifiable metaphoric symbol of their faith tradition. To what ends is the symbol of a cross being used and by whom? In the case of Arlington National Cemetery, it is the United States Government that is using the metaphor. In the case of the memorial of crosses in Lafayette, California, it is on the property of by 81-year-old Louise Clark and her husband, Johnson Clark, a WWII veteran and paid for by the Lamorinda Peace Group and Grandmothers for Peace.

The presence of the crosses has become a disturbance for many not only in the affluent area; the controversy has been on news stations throughout Northern California. Part of this issue may be due to the fact that the goal of the memorial is unclear. Is it an anti-war statement? Is it a memorial to soldiers? Is it a critic on the U.S. foreign policy? All that accompanies the crosses is a sign that reads “In Memory of [insert number] U.S. Troops Killed In Iraq”. As a seminarian I must ask myself how does this display shape the image of God and World? What are the implications of having crosses adorning the hillside?