Every time I make the 4 1/2 hour drive to see my parents, I can't help but notice the large number of crosses, flowers, even teddy bears and balloons that adorn the roadside. Some are very well maintained, even beautiful while others make me wonder where memorials cross the line into littering. (The photo to the right is a memorial placed on the roadside where a murdered women's body was found.) When I've encountered a particularly eye catching memorial, I will admit to slightly slowing down to check it out. What I never realized until I started researching this post is how very controversial these memorials are.

The Room for Debate Blog, run by the New York Times, had a very interesting post about the ongoing battles being had over these sites. They brought in several different experts to argue both sides of the issue. Are they memorials or distractions? Beautiful folkart or driving hazards?

Attorney Robert Tiernan successfully defended a man who was accused of illegally removing a roadside memorial. He argues that these memorials are themselves illegal. They use public property for private uses. Crosses and other Christian symbols placed in public places are a violation of the separation of church and state. Memorials are a distraction and a hazard as mourners will commonly stop at inappropriate places to visit and maintain them. They are often elaborate and anchored to the ground which could be a hazard if a motorist lost control and hit one.

Another one of the blog panelists, anthropologist Sylvia Grider argues that it is a very old practice, brought over to Mexico and the Southwest US in the 17th century from Spanish colonists whose custom was to mark the site of death with a small cross. They are called descansos. And she argues that these are sacred sites, not necessarily religious even though they may contain religious symbols.

"I regard the attempts of various authorities to legislate or regulate this custom as futile and misguided because those who feel the need to memorialize their loved ones near the roadways where they died will continue to do so, regardless of legislation or other attempts at control. In many cases, where authorities have removed roadside shrines, families and loved ones simply replace them. Tradition is a powerful force in society."

So where do the states come down on this issue? Some states like Colorado, Wyoming and West Virginia put up their own memorials to cut down on the safetly issues with mourners stopping to maintain sites. (To the left are the signs placed by the state of Wyoming.) In New Mexico, where the custom is so strong, it is a misdemeanor to remove or vandalize sites. California and Montana allow memorials but only if alcohol was involved. Wisconsin and New Jersey limit the amount of time a memorial can be up. Delaware has developed a sort of roadside memorial park at some highway exits with reflection pools and victims names engraved on red bricks. This is meant to discourage the placement of memorials by giving families a safer place to grieve. Currently, many states have laws regarding roadside memorials.

Below is a clip from "Resting Places" which is a documentary on roadside memorials. The three people interviewed are lawyer Robert Tiernan, roadside memorial investigator/photographer David Nance and a mother who made a roadside memorial to her son.



This is obviously a much hotter issue than I first realized. I'm not sure what side I come down on. On one hand, it's the job of state governments to keep public spaces clean and hazard free. On the other hand, do state governments cross a line when they dictate how people can and can't grieve? My thought is that there needs to be some sort of meeting in the middle, such as the memorial parks they have in Delaware or the memorial signs that Wyoming places. What do you think?

A recent Google search on a completely unrelated topic, lead me to a hospice website. I found some photos there of a Memorial Quilt that they had made. As an amateur seamstress myself from a family of professional seamstresses, this peaked my interest.

After additional searches, I came upon the AIDS Memorial Quilt. I remember hearing about this years ago. I even saw a few pictures. But I don't remember really looking at it and trying to see what each block was saying about the person it memorialized.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt was first established in 1987 to not only remember those who had died but to build awareness for HIV/AIDS. It was meant to give names to the numbers. It is the largest community art piece in the world, containing approximately 48,000 panels that would cover 185 basketball courts (2007 statistics). The panels have now been photographed and archived on the group's website and can be viewed there.

Some of the 3X6 foot panels are very simple, with just a plain background and a name. They are very profound in their simplicity. Others are more ornate with pictures of the deceased or religious or other symbols. I think the Olympic flame on this block is not only representing an Olympic athlete. Like the flames seen in memorial monuments and grave stones, it is an eternal flame. There is actually a lot of similarity in the symbolism of the Olympic torch (that burns continuously through the Olympic games) and the eternal flame. The ship, also found in this block, is sailing off into the sunset. On it's sail are symbols that represent the deceased.

While the AIDS Memorial Quilt may have slowed down in the past few years, as less people are dying from AIDS, more blocks are still being added and parts of the Quilt are on display around the country. More recently, memorial quilts have been made in honor of those who died in the 9/11 attacks.




There really aren't any fixed rules when making a memorial quilt. You can find memorial quilts made from t-shirts and other fabric belonging to someone who has died. Photos and even documents such as letters can be printed on to fabric to be added to quilts. This quilt has printed pictures (intentionally blurred), parts of t-shirts, and fabric from the deceased clothes. Like the AIDS Quilt, they are often mixed media, with paint, needle work, and pretty much anything that can be sewn on.



I found this quote talking about the AIDS Memorial Quilt, but I think it's a great description of all such works of art. "The Quilt has redefined the tradition of quilt-making in response to contemporary circumstances. A memorial, a tool for education and a work of art, the Quilt is a unique creation, an uncommon and uplifting response to the tragic loss of human life."