Greece's economic crisis strands National Mall's MLK Jr. Memorial
By
Ed O'Keefe
By The Post's Michael E. Ruane:
The Greeks' offer was a gracious one: The giant pieces of sculpture for Washington's new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial needed to be transported from China. Perhaps Greece, with its large shipping industry and admiration for the civil rights leader, could arrange for vessels to move the monument for free.
Officials planning the $120 million King memorial on the Tidal Basin were delighted. The cost savings would be substantial. And the connection to Greece and its ancient culture would be rich.
But now, with the 159 huge stone blocks that make up the sculpture waiting at a Chinese seaport and major work underway on the memorial site in Washington, Greek officials have told officials of the King project that they can't deliver.
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By
Ed O'Keefe
| June 7, 2010; 9:00 AM ET
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Posted by: hooper9999 | June 7, 2010 11:13 AM | Report abuse
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So the man who was known as a proponent of helping ALL Americans to have access to the same rights at work and in society, will be honored by granite carved in China?? Will there be a little "made in China" stamp on the back of each stone?? This just seems wrong on so many levels... I can drive one half hour from my house in Vermont and find unemployed granite cutting artists and shuttered granite quarries. I am not sure that this does not simply shame the ideals Dr King represented and gave his life for.