By KATIE KLIMACEK
Opinion Editor
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Thirteen years later, and the haunting memory of Sept. 11, 2001 still hangs over the heads of many Americans. The unforgettable picture of the towers crashing to the ground has been imprinted for a lifetime on those who witnessed the attack firsthand, and those who lost loved ones are left carrying the burden of knowing that they will never see them again.
On May 21, 2014, it was hoped that that burden would be lifted when the 9/11 Memorial Museum was finally opened after much anticipation. The 110,000-square-foot space is located within the heart of the original 1 World Trade Center.
The museum houses many artifacts from the rubble, including clocks, watches and even a mangled fire truck. A multi-media production walks the visitors though the events of the day, minute by minute, telling stories of the heroes and extraordinary acts of kindness that came out of the day that changed America forever.
Despite the overall intentions of the museum, was it necessary? Should ground zero have remained untouched, and stayed a natural memorial to that fateful day?
Just glancing at it, you would think that it is only a museum meant to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, but a closer look would tell you that it is much more than that.
The memorial is also, for lack of a better word, a graveyard, housing more than 8,000 unidentified human remains in a closed room away from visitors. On the same ground stands a gift shop which sells commemorative memorabilia so you can buy a souvenir to help you remember your visit to the site.
This is what has so many people up in arms- in the same building as the unidentified remains of their loved ones, there are stuffed animals reminiscent of the rescue dogs of 9/11 being sold for $19.95.
There are also key chains, coffee mugs, magnets and there was even a cheese plate in the shape of the U.S. with hearts signifying the location of the three attacks that took place. Thankfully, after much outrage from the families and the public, the gift store finally removed the cheese plate due to the crassness of the item.
In an interview, Foundation President Joe Daniels told CNN that “People want to take a souvenir away” and remember what they saw. But when it comes to sensitivity of the items on sale, Daniels said the most insensitive of remarks: “This is America, if you don’t like it, don’t buy it,” a rather harsh statement from the man who is in charge of what goes on at the memorial.
Many feel as though the gift store is just an opportunity to capitalize on a horrific event and make a profit from those who lost their lives.
Regarding the reason behind the gift store, museum representatives told ABC News that neither the memorial nor the museum receive any kind of funding from the government and survive solely on the donations, ticket prices and sales through the gift store.
The museum costs almost $65 million a year to run and can only remain open if it continue sto charge a $24 entrance fee and sell trinkets. But does that allow the museum to keep the integrity of what it was meant for?
No. The 9/11 foundation did not have to spend millions of dollars to show respect for those who died. Did someone forget to tell the foundation that it is not a contest to see who can spend the most money on his or her memorial?
It is understandable that they would want to memorialize the victims in the best way possible, due to the significance of the attacks, but that doesn’t mean that millions of unnecessary dollars needed to be spent for us to have a constant reminder of what happened more than a decade ago.
I think that what we have to keep in mind is that this memorial is in remembrance of the thousands who tragically died. And when you put a monetary value on those lost lives, it seems to take a disrespectful turn.
Fortunately, families of those who died don’t have to pay to get in, but if you were “only” friends of theirs, you have to open your wallet to pay your respects, which is incredibly frustrating. And at what point is it no longer a monument but just another building with stuff in it to remind us of an awful day?
It has been 13 years now, and it feels as though it is time to start closing the book on that horrible day. We will always remember what happened and those who lost their lives. We don’t need to buy a $24 T-shirt or cell phone case to properly honor the victims, nor do millions of dollars have to be spent on a memorial that many feel is borderline disrespectful.
