I saw this numerous times around the Pittsburgh region
when I lived there, usually it was in relation to a
traffic fatality that resulted in the death of a teen.
Also, this is a common site (albeit illegal but rarely
enforced) in Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa. Here it
seems to be teenage deaths and drunk driving
fatalities. One specific site that has garnered a lot
of local attention for the issue, is the corner of
58th & L St in Omaha; this corner has been the site of
a makeshift memorial since the death of a young driver
probably 7-8 years ago. To my knowledge the family has
petitioned the city of Omaha to allow them to erect a
permanent memorial. The city has denied the request
and the girl's mother continues to decorate that
corner for every holiday. Friends leave carved
pumpkins for Halloween, the light pole is decorated
for Christmas and I assume it's the girl's birthday
when the corner seems overrun with flowers and what
appear to be cards or notes or banners. Everytime the
city cleans the site away, a new memorial appears.
I don't think they are a relatively new thing, I have
heard of roadside memorials as early as the 1920s. I
personally believe that the more noticeable profusion
has to do with the ever increasing disposable income
of America, especially younger members of society.
Coupled with the youthful notion that "we are
immortal" and the tragic and often unexplainable death
of a young, young friend and you have a grief coping
mechanism. This allows the friends of the deceased a
chance to work through the wide range of emotions that
occur. Without necessarily going to the gravesite (to
memorialize) where only those who know and loved the
person will ever see it. I think these roadside
memorials are a way of crying out to society to say,
"Don't forget _(insert name)_. He lived, he was loved
and still is." or "I can't let her go and I want you
to know I loved her."
Personally, having lost friends in high school to both
stupid and preventable accidents as well as absolutely
beyond our control "acts of God", I would say these
memorials are healthy for the people who build them,
are a mild curiosity for those who pass them, and a
thorn in the side of road crews who must work around,
maintain or destroy them.
On a side note, whoever suggested allowing juvenile
delinquents run through a new museum or exhibit,
though I doubt you were serious. I suggest you
work/volunteer in a juvenile correction facility for a
week or so. I'm sure you will see that a) not all
delinquents are stupid enough to do things like slide
down a banister and die, b) those that are stupid
enough often will not act without the prompting of
friends/acquaintances (who probably did not end up in
juvvie), and c) those that would do stupid things
would also be the ones who misbehave so badly that
they get punished by not being allowed to leave for
special outings. I know enough kids who were or still
are "juvenile delinquents" or "problem children of the
court" to say even this type of "trial by fire" would
not eliminate all the possible "stupid acts". Even
very bright people act on spontaneous and hasty
thoughts without having it go through the mental
filters that would tell them to not do it.
=====
Kris Kiper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's true! It has all been said before!
Why, then, do you walk as if you had swallowed a ramrod?
Epictetus
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