Visit Dallas' Kennedy Memorial with an open mind

Dallas Morning News | Wes Wise:

“I have always felt a certain magic walking into the enclosure, the sounds of the city fading into a gentle murmur, the blue Texas sky visible above. I like the clean, simple design. I like the idea of the open tomb. I like the very personal interaction of being inside the cenotaph. I would invite others who have written or voiced criticism to visit the Kennedy Memorial with an open mind and take a moment of silence along with their own faith to the experience.

“After the restoration of the monument in 2000, Sen. Edward Kennedy wrote to the citizens of Dallas County: ‘More than 30 years ago, masterful architect Philip Johnson was chosen to design this Memorial. He has created a place for quiet reflection for all who visit, and an opportunity to pause and remember President Kennedy. ... This structure captures the sense of loss we felt – and still feel.’”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Wes Wise, former mayor of Dallas, and Senator Edward Kennedy, brother of the slain President, express better than I the favorable aspects of the Kennedy memorial in downtown Dallas. In my own review, I praised the design for shutting out the city. For its emptiness. For the same blue Texas sky that Mayor Wise finds worthy of mention.

Senator Kennedy, though, puts his finger on something I missed, something that I think explains why the memorial leaves so many modern visitors bored and unimpressed. Senator Kennedy praises the memorial for being "a place for quiet reflection." Modern man has lost the capacity for quiet reflection. We expect to be constantly entertained and bombarded with sensations. In John Kennedy's day, television offered 60 minute documentaries, interrupted by 60 second commercials. Today, a five minute segment is an eternity. Commercials seem long at 30 seconds. Fast cuts are standard film editing. Channel surfing is a way of life. Visitors today don't know what to make of a memorial that expects them to pause and reflect. Not to be entertained. Not to be educated. Not to be told what to think. Only to pause and reflect. It's sad that too many visitors expect the memorial to be something it isn't, and miss the value of what it is.