Today, September 21, 2012 is the thirtieth anniversary of the UN’s International Day of Peace. To commemorate this day and its message, Ailsa has asked bloggers to create posts of white—representing peace. Her white photos include a fitting quote by Martin Luther King and the snow-covered Imagine memorial to peace activist John Lennon. http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/09/20/travel-theme-white/
Here in Hawaii, we look at peace through the terrible lens of war, and nothing exemplifies that more than the glistening white Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, which hovers over the sunken battleship—a watery grave for 2,340 servicemen—reminding us all to put peace above the horrendous destruction of war.
A ranger watches over the Arizona Memorial as visitors pay their respects.
Below the Memorial’s “bones” lies the sunken USS Arizona.
A view of the Arizona Memorial from the USS Missouri battleship, on which the peace treaty that ended Japan’s involvement in WWII was signed
Names of the fallen on the Wall of Remembrance inside the Arizona Memorial
Since I haven’t yet figured out how to insert a link in a post, here’s the live link to Ailsa’s Weekly Challenge post with a peace message from the UN Secretary-General: http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/09/20/travel-theme-white/
wonderful post
to insert a link in the post just copy the URL of the page you want to link to, then highlight the words in your post, that you want to link to the post, and click on the wee chain link on top where all the media stuff is [images and so on], paste the URL in to the box that pops up and there you go
hope that helps
Thanks so much, Jo. If you hadn’t told me about the “wee chain link” I never would have gotten it
Muchas gracias.
You’re welcome. It is all a bit confusing at times.
So true. But I’m trying to take it one step at a time, and this was one giant leap for me. Thanks again.
I only just saw this, and it is now the 22nd here. My daughter and I did wear our peace necklaces yesterday to show our support, does that count?
Yes, absolutely! You wore it on the right day. And even if it was another day, showing our support for peace is the right thing to do 365 days a year, don’t you think.
Yes, absolutely. It is so good because the peace symbol is so fashionable right now. It is everywhere. Well it is here.
Amazing photo collections you have
Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it
Fabulous choice. Brought back memories of our visit there last year. We were so moved by the place and the realization of where we were. Especially poignant to me was the legend of the “tears of the Arizona” – the oil droplets still floating up from the ship below. It’s said they will stop when the last survivor passes on – and the math works out so that it’s likely. The oil will run out in the next 15 years or so…
Thanks for this.
Your words express the feelings of so many who have set foot on the Arizona memorial. The design is brilliant the way it “sinks” in the middle part that crosses the sunken ship below. And that’s where you can toss flowers into the water in memory of the sailors below, and watch them mingle with the tears, which shimmer purple, green and other colors as the oil drifts away. It’s beautiful and so, so sad at the same time. I didn’t know about the tears stopping, so thank you for telling me. But I’m sure you’ll join me in hoping that the real tears for what happened here will never stop.
Absolutely.
My husband’s uncle, who passed away a few years ago, was at Pearl Harbor. It haunted him all his life. The Arizona Memorial is one of many ways to help assure that we never forget.
I can only imagine how experiencing a tragedy like that can affect a person. Our military men and women deal with the horrors of war so that the rest of us can live our day-to-day lives in relative peace and freedom. They deserve more medals than anyone can possibly heap on them. Our duty, then, is to use that freedom wisely. Thanks so much for your comments here.
i’m so glad that you made this post! thanks! z
You’re welcome, z. I’m so glad for http://wheresmybackpack.com ‘s theme of white, which made me think of the Arizona Memorial and all that it means to us.