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Letter: Lest We Forget

by Letter to the editor

Wednesday, October 8, 2008; 10:32 PM

I feel that it is necessary to share my comments and thoughts about the front-page picture that was in the paper on Oct. 8. The picture depicts 11 mo-ped drivers on the steps of the Pylons. While I do not feel that there is anything wrong with owning a mo-ped or driving it on campus, I feel that it was utterly disrespectful to have the mo-peds up on the Pylons.

The Pylons stand for the university's core values, which are brotherhood, honor, leadership, loyalty, service, sacrifice, duty and "Ut Prosim." In doing some research, I found on the Corps of Cadets' Web site that the memorial was originally intended to honor alumni who had passed away in the service of their country during World War II.

The memorial has adapted with time and now any students who die while serving their country have their names memorialized on the Pylons. So, my question is why would the mo-ped riders, along with the photographer, demoralize what these Hokies have sacrificed by riding their mo-peds up on the Pylons to take the picture? A quote that is used often to represent all of the Virginia Tech alumni who have died while serving our country is "Lest We Forget." I hope that we never forget what all of these special Hokies have sacrificed and that we continue as a school to abide and follow Hokies Respect and what the Pylons stand for.

Matthew Zackon
Senior, Marketing Management & Political Science

Related Topics: mo-ped, pylons

Posted by: Anonymous at Oct 17 Anonymous, thank you. They have better weed in Europe anyway, which we all know is your real reason for leaving. Do you want a going away party? I will help organize one for you to pay for the plane ticket if you want. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Anonymous at Oct 13 i'm actually planning on leaving. america is done. get used to it. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Tom Minogue at Oct 12 If you're sick of America, Anonymous, it would probably be better for you to leave. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Anonymous at Oct 12 the only memorial needed for a war is one that educates people on the stupidity of such an exercise. maybe the "heroes" we "ship off" would think twice before pulling the trigger and dying for this "country" (which was bought and sold long ago) Flag Abuse

Posted by: Responding to Alumni at Oct 11 How dare you? You are essentially accusing those of us who are student for 4/16. Yes, there will always be a select group of stupid people who do or say insensitive things in any population you sample. I think you're a prime example of one of these select people in our alumni population. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Alumni at Oct 9 Don't forget that students openly giggled to the media about getting out of class in August, 2006 when William Morva was on the loose and killed a deputy and a security guard in the area. They treated it as if it were a game. Then 4/16 happened.... Flag Abuse

Posted by: alumni at Oct 9 Thank you for writing this letter. For years it has upset me how students on campus treat the War Memorial. I also know a lot of students don't understand that the center stone, the cenotaph, is a memorial similar to a tombstone. But I have seen people sunning themselves and laying on top of it! At Texas A and M every student is required to take off their hats when entering their student activity building because it is their war memorial. Please have a little respect for this monument. You wouldn't go to DC and swim in the reflecting pool or picnic on the Vietnam memorial, so have similar respect for the Pylons and remember that you are on the roof of a chapel as well. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Anonymous at Oct 9 Well, we ought to take care to prevent the Germans, Italians and Japanese from standing on it as well. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Anon at Oct 9 It would've been much easier had they had their pic taken with Torg Bridge in the background, move 20 yards, geez Flag Abuse

Posted by: Bradford S. at Oct 9 Good post Zackon Flag Abuse

Posted by: Anonymous at Oct 9 I also thought it was pretty strange that they chose that location. A lot of people don't know enough about Virgina Tech history to understand the meaning behind the Pylons. Flag Abuse

Posted by: Andy at Oct 9 This was exactly my first thought as well. Flag Abuse

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