Why A Monument Is Important

Monuments are attesting to the bravery, sacrifice, honor, and achievement of everyday people. We erect these testaments of greatness to remember what was done for us and our country. The cause for one, the scale and stature, the location, and the design are all factors that can really make or break, a monument.

To make a monument, there must be a great reason. The task must be significant in order to be commemorated for it. In Source A, Savage states, "...and the existence of a nation is confirmed in a simple but powerful way...grounded in the connection of individual to the collective body." Any monument, large or small, needs to have real depth to its meaning. We can't, for example, give a monument to a student for being accepted to a prestigious college. While this is a great achievement for that person, it doesn't have the gusto, greatness, and dedication to the betterment of our country and humanity as a whole to acknowledge it in such a

Is something grandiose and humongous something really necessary or is it unwanted, unnecessary and unwanted embellishment? Take the destruction of the peak of a mountain in South Dakota in Sioux land for example. In Source C, Downes states, "The South Dakota peak is being carved into a mounted likeness of Crazy Horse, the great Sioux leader…” Many Native Americans say that this could be considered as disrespect to their leader as he fought hard to protect the very land that's being chipped away from to make this monument. Leatrice Big Crow said, "...the memorial is one of those things that could go on swallowing money and effort forever." In other words, this face carved into the mountain was not the best choice and that other Native American tribes would like help rather than something like that. A smaller, more nature based monument would have been more accepted and appreciated than carving the 'face' of that beautiful