A Demonstration Against Escalation: Pt 1 -Set Up & Arrival

Footage from setting up for January 11ths candlelight vigil to protest troop escalation. The singing of “We Shall Overcome” comes from latter in the rally. The event drew roughly 300 people to the war memorial.

Footage from the meat of this rally to follow later this week.

Link to video.

what other blogs are saying about the crosses

delicious links from 1/11-1/29/06

• • colouring outside the lines: the other me
• • The Hanscom Family Weblog » Blog Archive » Lest We Forget
• • Ask Indigna: Forgive Us Our Trespasses
• • SFist: No More Neon Sign
• • Eschew Obfuscation: Crosses of Lafayette: Embraced by Community
• • floribunda quilts

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official website for crosses

Organizer Jeff Heaton has created a website for the crosses of lafayette. It consists of an artist statement and links to sites about similar projects from around the country. Link to site here.

Excerpt:

The Crosses of Lafayette represent a public demonstration of the number of United States Soldiers who have died in Iraq since the beginning of the war. The crosses signify a memorial to those soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country. The crosses are not intended to representation a religious affiliation. The authors of this project and website support exploring the causes of war, finding a way to swiftly end the present conflict, and prevent future wars from ever happening.

We realize that many people who see the crosses on the hillside directly north of the Lafayette California Bart/Metro Station will possibly feel the stirring of many different emotions. I can assure you that is our primary goal and intent.

Whether you support the war in Iraq or are against the war, it is clear that a majority of the citizens of the United States of America lack awareness of the devastating effects to the families that have lost love ones due to the war. It is our goal to create an available memorial where the grief that naturally comes when a loved one is lost in battle can be experienced. I recently constructed the first few concrete crosses that are to be placed on the hillside, and the sorrow I have felt as a result of my endeavor has been profoundly moving.

...

We are also encouraging those who drive by The Crosses of Lafayette on HWY 24 to slow down to 55mph as a salute and tribute to the bravery of the soldiers who gave up their lives in battle for our freedom to live in peace. It is our belief that if everyone in North America where to slow down to 55mph that our need to import oil from the middle east would drop significantly.

link to http://thecrossesoflafayette.com/

Memorial Verite 1/7/07

video montage by chris eaton

A a rough documentation of the workday on Sunday January 7th, when 185 more crosses were added to the memorial. Now over 1200 crosses are present on the hill. Three Goldstar Mothers, who have children who died in Iraq, came to mourn and show their support for the project. They spoke and read names of soldiers killed in the war. The video includes short clips from an interview with organizer, Jeff Heaton.

Link to Video

A note on quality: My video compression software is down. As soon as I can make the picture better, i will.

11/27 Town Hall Meeting

NBC 11's coverage of the November 27th Town Hall meeting where that drew "supporters, opponents of Lafayette Cross display." Link to Video.

Coverage of Sun 1/7/07: Goldstarmothers

ABC Channel 7 reports on Sunday, when 3 Goldstar Mothers came to the Lafayette Crosses memorial site. Scroll down a bit to find the video at this link.



NBC 11 as well as KRON channel 4 were there as well but I am still trying to find their videos.

A Christmas Mystery

On Christmas eve an anonymous person tied red ribbons to many of the crosses. With such actions, and their inverse of vandalism, the power of anonymity appears. A christmas miracle will always make the evening news. KTVU channel 2 reports.

Veteran Plays Taps at the Memorial

World War II veteran Robert Heaton plays taps at the Lafayette War Memorial. Upon filming, Mr. Heaton said he first played taps for WWI soldiers when he was 13.

Link to video.


A note on sound: After equalization proved useless to reduce the noise of background traffic, I decided to keep the sound as it was recorded. In this way I hope the sounds echo the very public presence of a memorial set in a commuter town where driving is the way of life. I hope the overheard conversation reflects the busy and communal effort of the project.

2 more news clips on youtube

Zombietimedotcom has posted two news clips to youtube. One from abc and another from nbc. Conservative and liberal view points are voiced in both videos.

Crosses on blip.tv

A video with good background information on the memorial has been posted on blip.tv. link to video. The same video is also on youtube.

KTVU Reports On Candle Light Vigil

On December 31, 2006 more than 80 people gathered for a candle light vigil to commemorate the surpassing of 3000 US soldiers killed in Iraq. KTVU Chanel 2 news reported. link to video

Multimedia Links

From the Blogs

Counting Coffins: The best piece I've seen on the crosses with great activist interviews. Posted by Seditia on Youtube.

SeatoSea.net has posted a wonderful photo gallery of the memorial.

Tubular TV has posted a video on Blip.tv that gives a greatbackround on the memorial in a classic documentary style.

Mainstream Media

Goldstarmothers: ABC Channel 7's coverage of the January 7th workday attended by Goldstarmothers.

Vigil: KTVU reports on the December 31sth vigil attended by more than 80 people to commemorate the number of fallen US soldiers passing 3,000.

A Chistmas Mystery: KTVU Channel 2's coverage of Christmas Eve when an anonymous person tied red ribbons to many of the crosses.

Town Hall Meeting: NBC 11's coverage of the November 27th Town Hall meeting where that drew "supporters, opponents of Lafayette Cross display."

Links to Articles and Blogs

Sites of Note

The Crosses of Lafayette: Organizer Jeff Heaton has created this website for the crosses of lafayette. It consists of an artist statement and links to sites about similar projects from around the country.

Eschew Obfuscation: A Lafayette based proggressive blog by my dad, John Eaton. It contains more posts, links, and photos of the memorial than any site on the web.

Zombie Time: An anti-left blog with a comprehensive post, "The Lafayette Mock War Memorial," about the crosses with many great pictures.

del.icio.us 1/29-2/24

• Arnita Kabba » Cross To Shrink At War Memorial
• Berkeley Real Estate Blog Cast: Talking From The Heart
• Conceptalive.com Cross To Shrink At War Memorial
• Future of Lafayette crosses unclear — even to organizers - Contra Costa Times - Memorial Fund
• TheWorld...IMHO: War Memorial Gets Smaller Cross.....www.christineschult.com
• Cross To Shrink At War Memorial - Family
• sfgate.com- LAFAYETTE /
• ContraCostaTimes.com | 02/09 Lafayette may shrink war-dead sign
• SignOnSanDiego.com > Lafayette war memorial sign could shrink under pact
• MichaelMoore.com : Future of Lafayette crosses unclear -- even to organizers
• ContraCostaTimes 02/24 Andrew McGall: How many crosses will it take?
• HoopDance HoopDance How Many Crosses Will It Take? A Response to Andrew McGall.
• blog.myspace.com/cdcrosses
• blog.myspace.com/gomommygo
• Welcome to mardigra home: Google Alert - lafayette
• Left I on the News
• Public Invited To Discuss Lafayette Cross Display - News
• Public Invited To Discuss Lafayette Cross Display - KNTV-TV - MSNBC.com
• colouring outside the lines: the other me
• The Hanscom Family Weblog: Lest We Forget
• Ask Indigna: Forgive Us Our Trespasses

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delicious links from 1/11-1/29/06

• • colouring outside the lines: the other me
• • The Hanscom Family Weblog » Blog Archive » Lest We Forget
• • Ask Indigna: Forgive Us Our Trespasses
• • SFist: No More Neon Sign
• • Eschew Obfuscation: Crosses of Lafayette: Embraced by Community
• • floribunda quilts

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delicious links in chronological order from 11/11

• • ssj_mato: Veterans' day weekend
• • eastbayexpress.com The East Bay Express Blog » Every Day Will Be Veterans’ Day in Lafayette
• • ReBelle Nation: Iraq war memorial sets tempers ablaze Creators say display is a gesture of respect
• • Signs and De-signs: Crosses up near Highway 24
• • Randy Speaks Out: Talking about Lafayette War Memorial Debate Intensifies - KNTV-TV - MSNBC.com
• • USATODAY.com - On Deadline | Archives | 'Memorial' of 300 crosses sparks controversy in Calif.
• • jcb9: Ah, Lamorinda. Since I've moved away fro
• • Atlas Shrugs: More Goodness from the American Left
• • Thoughtful Preparations: Media Spin Blog » Lafayette’s Sign Of The Times
• • The Lucidity and Lunacy of Millicent Frastley: War Memorial or Anti War Protest?
• • spoke-n-heard: Honor or Exploitation?
• • Carol For Peace - Social Justice Activist in Denver: At What Point Does The Process Of War Become Offensive?
• • blog.myspace.com/meggymoo06
• • US News: Hillside crosses marking fallen soldiers stir debate
• • Drudge Retort: In Memory of 2867
• • i am bossy: BOSSY MOMENTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY - Jeff Heaton.
• • The Rebel Faction: A Sobering Reminder Needs To Stand
• • Ellen's Illinois Tenth Congressional District Blog: Don't make us see what we have done
• • Land Use Prof Blog: Crosses and controversy ...
• • 'Imagine' A World Of Peace,Understanding,Tolerance: Honoring The Fallen
• • The Sniff Test: Please don't remind us that this little war is costing so very much
• • blog.myspace.com/nakedgaea
• • Controversial War Memorial - Page 3 - Political Hotwire
• • CoastRanger
• • "We Will Not Walk In Fear": Iraq memorial stirs bad blood in California.
• • Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly: As Of Sunday, December 3, 2006
• • Washington Scandal: Uncomfortable Truth's Should Not Be Silenced
• • Kerry Fox Live! » Homemade Memorial Is Stirring Passions on Iraq
• • Deacon’s Blog » Some people don’t get it
• • A Web Undone 2: Not In My Back Yard
• • Cinnamon Stillwell: Lafayette "War Memorial" Dishonors the Dead
• • balboo1251: More US troops to head to Iraq
• • blog.myspace.com/livingintheocsucks
• • blog.myspace.com/carolanne2222
• • C.W. Nevius.blog : The Crosses on the Hill in Lafayette
• • SFist: Crosses Vandalized
• • Mother Talkers :: A Hillside of White Crosses
• • Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly: Absolutely We're Winning
• • Calitics: Soapblox California : California Politics Blog. California Progressive Blog. Progressive California. California weblog.
• • A Rational Animal :: Been listening to Newt, have we? :: December :: 2006
• • The Blue Elephant: Impromptu Iraq War Memorial, Lafayette, California
• • paint » Blog Archive » WIK SPRAYER Links: Wik Sprayer Wik Sprayer. Money-Saving Resources About
• • A great resource directory » Blog Archive » Timberlake A Disfigured Iraq War Vet, Gellar A Porn Star In ‘Tales’
• • Lafayette CA Iraq War Memorial « Nancy’s Blog
• • All Things Considered...: What Would Jesus Do in People's Park?
• • Mia Culpa
• • Sheridan: Con-Law: BRENT SCOWCROFT ON THE MESS IN IRAQ
• • Thoughtful Preparations: Media Spin Blog » Escalate This?
• • blog.myspace.com/2692643
• • Neon Sign Added To Lafayette War Memorial (KRXI-TV Reno)
• • Daily Kos: Meet me at the "Crosses Of Lafayette"
• • SFist: Lafayette Crosses Go Neon

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The Story So Far

under construction

About

Background

In November of 2006 residents of Lafayette, CA and neighboring towns began to put up crosses above Deer Hill Rd acoss from the Lafayette commuter rail station and Highway 24. The crosses are meant to represent and memorialize the American soldiers who have died in the ongoing Iraqi war. A large sign above the crosses displays of the number war dead. By the end of March 2008, a cross has been put up for each of the 4000 troops who have died. During its existence the memorial has rallied awareness of the cost of the Iraqi war and garnered wide media coverage. However, it has also evoked anger, contreversy, legal threats, at least two acts of vandalism and more recently, counter protests.

Mission Statement

This video web log is a multimedia exploration of the Lafayette, CA memorial to the more than three thousand US soldiers killed in Iraq. Here we critically interogate the phenomena of anti-war activism in afluent suburbs, why it has provoked controversy and why has it received country wide media coverage. We further ask what do the efforts for and against the memorial signify for the state of American life and if the memorial suggests a shift in the cultural and demographic climate of the suburban Bay Area.

Rather than "accurately" report on the memorial project, lafayettecrosses.blogspot.com seeks to expand perspective and understanding of life in the United States. We hope that the expanded understanding encompasses the political, legal, religious, symbolic and emotional elements of American lives, their interactions and their media. Perhaps a better understanding of home will guide us towards a new path abroad. I hope this new path brings the troops home immediatley.

All of my footage (but not all of that which I link to) is under a creative commons licence. Feel free use it in whatever way, however I'd like to hear about it if you do.

About the Blogger

Chris Eaton was raised in Lafayette and currently lives in Oakland. He graduated from Acalanes High School in 2002 and Brown University in 2006. Chris is pursuing a career in media. His homepage is www.chriseaton.net, keeps the blog afuturedistributed.blogspot.com, and he can be contacted at christopheaton[at]gmail(dot)com

Header photo and photos on about page by john eaton (chris's dad!)... he blogs @ eschew obfuscation

Videos

Videos by Chris Eaton

Building and Painting: Good looking footage of hammering together and painting crosses.

A Spatialized Debate: Across the street, signs protesting the non "family friendly" nature of the memorial reveal the confluence of space and values in suburbia.









Captain Neon And Other Illuminated Objects
Electrically lit objects from the Januarary 11th vigil.

Demonstration Against Escalation Pt2: A Song for Peace
Footage from January 11ths vigil.

Demonstration Against Escalation Pt1: Set Up & Arrival

Memorial Verite
Footage from the January 7th workday attended by gold star mothers.

Taps
WWII vet, Robert Heaton, play taps over a bullhorn.