Duh, ya think!?
Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
By AMY WESTFELDT, Associated Press Writer Amy Westfeldt, Associated Press Writer – Sat Mar 28, 2:22 pm ET
NEW YORK – Even without the name, the symbolism of the Freedom Tower as an American response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks was hard to miss.
The original architect designed a twisting form he wanted to imitate the Statue of Liberty, with a spire that rose to the deliberate height of 1,776 feet to recognize the year of American independence. Politicians called the tower proof of the country's triumph over terrorism.
Former Gov. George Pataki said visitors to the iconic skyscraper "will know our determination to overcome evil" in a 2003 speech that first gave the Freedom Tower its name.
The tower — still under construction with a projected completion date of 2013 — no longer has the same architect, design or footprint on the 16-acre site. And this week, the owners of ground zero publicly parted ways with the Freedom Tower name, saying it would be more practical to market the tallest building in New York as the former north tower's name, One World Trade Center.
Critics called the name drop an unpatriotic shedding of symbolism by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Some newspaper editorials blasted the agency for years of missed deadlines and changing plans for the site.
[…]
Pataki — who named the Freedom Tower in his 2003 speech and continued to refer to it in rebuilding speeches as a symbol of America's ability to come back after Sept. 11, took offense at the loss of the Freedom Tower moniker and its replacement.
"Where One and Two World Trade Center once stood, there will be a memorial with two voids to honor the heroes we lost. In my view, those addresses should never be used again," he said.
The Daily News and New York Post published editorials backing the former governor. But The New York Times on Saturday wrote that Pataki's name for the building became "its burden," and said the Port Authority was "quietly and sensibly" using another name to market the tower to high-profile commercial tenants.
[…]
Mayor Michael Bloomberg — who said Friday he prefers the name Freedom Tower — said the building's true name may be left to the public.
"One of the things is we call things what we want to call them. So Avenue of Americas is a good example. It's Sixth Avenue to most people," the mayor said. "If they name this One World Trade Center, people will still call it the Freedom Tower."
Read the entire article here: Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
20090328 Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090328/ap_on_re_us/attacks_freedom_tower
Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
By AMY WESTFELDT, Associated Press Writer Amy Westfeldt, Associated Press Writer – Sat Mar 28, 2:22 pm ET
NEW YORK – Even without the name, the symbolism of the Freedom Tower as an American response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks was hard to miss.
The original architect designed a twisting form he wanted to imitate the Statue of Liberty, with a spire that rose to the deliberate height of 1,776 feet to recognize the year of American independence. Politicians called the tower proof of the country's triumph over terrorism.
Former Gov. George Pataki said visitors to the iconic skyscraper "will know our determination to overcome evil" in a 2003 speech that first gave the Freedom Tower its name.
The tower — still under construction with a projected completion date of 2013 — no longer has the same architect, design or footprint on the 16-acre site. And this week, the owners of ground zero publicly parted ways with the Freedom Tower name, saying it would be more practical to market the tallest building in New York as the former north tower's name, One World Trade Center.
Critics called the name drop an unpatriotic shedding of symbolism by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Some newspaper editorials blasted the agency for years of missed deadlines and changing plans for the site.
[…]
Pataki — who named the Freedom Tower in his 2003 speech and continued to refer to it in rebuilding speeches as a symbol of America's ability to come back after Sept. 11, took offense at the loss of the Freedom Tower moniker and its replacement.
"Where One and Two World Trade Center once stood, there will be a memorial with two voids to honor the heroes we lost. In my view, those addresses should never be used again," he said.
The Daily News and New York Post published editorials backing the former governor. But The New York Times on Saturday wrote that Pataki's name for the building became "its burden," and said the Port Authority was "quietly and sensibly" using another name to market the tower to high-profile commercial tenants.
[…]
Mayor Michael Bloomberg — who said Friday he prefers the name Freedom Tower — said the building's true name may be left to the public.
"One of the things is we call things what we want to call them. So Avenue of Americas is a good example. It's Sixth Avenue to most people," the mayor said. "If they name this One World Trade Center, people will still call it the Freedom Tower."
Read the entire article here: Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
20090328 Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090328/ap_on_re_us/attacks_freedom_tower
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/
