Statues of limitations

I've decided to write a book about DC's statues. Why? Because I find it incredible that this city is peppered with generals that all but the most devoted students of American military history would not know. Do you know who General Scott is (pictured at right)? He has a pretty prominent place in DC - staring directly down 16th Street at the White House. People probably should know who General Winfield Scott is, you know, "Old Fuss and Feathers," Commander of the Army during the War of 1812, the guy who devised the Anaconda plan and all? But more than the average American is not going to remember this bit of history.

Or what about Admiral Farragut, for whom two Metro stations are named? What did he do? Yeah, he said "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" and ran the Navy in the Civil War, but does Joe Shmoe from Kansas know that?

I'm not belittling the accomplishments of these men. All I am saying is that I think it is an interesting part of Washington, DC. We have these headache circles with military men in the middle that a vast majority of America would not know, and I confess, I don't know many of them, either. What has struck me as odd for quite awhile now is that I can go to many European cities and know what the immortalized men did, but I don't know who the men are in the capital of my own country.

I often sit on the grass at McPherson Square to eat lunch, as it is the closest park to where I work. But I don't know who McPherson is. I have not seen any sort of guide to the statues, and that is why I am thinking about doing it. I've been busy snapping photos of the statues in the middle of the circles, even if people look at me like I'm crazy for doing it. I'm sure some people think I'm a very weird tourist. At first I felt strange about the stares, but I'm gradually getting used to it.

Of course, not all of the statues are of military guys. I am thrilled that a statue of Longfellow sits prominently at the intersection of Rhode Island and Connecticut, right between the White House and Dupont Circle. There are also statues of Gandi, Gibran, and Shevchenko, among others, people who were not known solely for their military exploits. And that begs the question - why are military figures so prominently displayed in Washington, DC? Is it more proof that this country is more about war than it is about democracy? It puts things into perspective. But then again, what country doesn't honor its warriors? It's a very primitive thing, this concept of military might. If it weren't for the existence of the EU, I think I would have given up on humanity. But -- that continent had been warring for thousands of years and finally decided it had had enough. That is what attracted me to EU studies in the first place and is the reason I wish I could get back into it, because working in the Middle East field can be so damn depressing. Right now, though, there is a tsunami of opportunities in that region of the world, and I guess I am poised to make a difference there, at least if I stick with my organization.

And yeah, I'm rambling. It's a blog! Digression and tangents are permitted on a blog, right? I'm definitely taking this thing in a new direction, and I'm getting closer to the path I want to take.
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