A lot of reactions have surfaced following a recent religious banner that was draped over the 9/11 memorial site at a cemetery in California. A video posted on X detailed the controversy as well as live reactions from a few locals who had loved ones buried at the cemetery. In the clip, the reporter explained that although the Islamic banner had been removed following the uproar that it caused, many people felt it was not something that should have ever happened in the first place, especially at such a sensitive memorial site.
As shown in the clip, the banner advertising a newly purchased “Garden of Peace” Islamic cemetery was draped right next to the 9/11 memorial headstone located in front of the cemetery. “I felt, like punched in the gut,” a local confessed. The resident, Danny Kimmel, shared that his brother had served the country and was killed in Vietnam. Kimmel added that his mother was buried in that same cemetery and would have been taken aback had she seen the banner mounted on the 9/11 memorial site.
Another member of Kimmel’s patriotic family shared the same opinion and considered the placement “insensitive,” adding that although everyone was welcome, respect is necessary. Locals weren’t the only ones displeased by the banner. The cemetery title holder explained that he had recently sold part of the cemetery to an Islamic family and had permitted them to put up advertisements. However, he stated explicitly that he never agreed to draping it over the 9/11 memorial and immediately ordered the banner removed as soon as he realized its presence.
Banner Controversy Earns Online Reactions
Just as the locals expressed their disapproval of the banner’s positioning. A netizen noted that it was not a matter of inclusion and was bordering on desecration. “I served. My kids know what 9/11 means. Draping an Islamic banner over a 9/11 memorial isn’t inclusion, it’s desecration.” Another hammered on the insensitivity, even comparing it to the desecration of a Holocaust memorial:
“This act is comparable to placing symbols of the German military from the WWII era over a memorial dedicated to Holocaust victims.”
More users characterized the action as an intentional sign of disrespect. “The button pushing is becoming unreal. It’s bound to start a chain reaction and not in a good way,” one comment read. A last user stated bluntly, “A 9/11 memorial is not the place for anybody’s religious statement. Period.”
The history and trauma associated with the September 11 terrorist attacks still make it a sensitive topic for many, even decades after.
