No one would disagree that fallen police officers should be honored. In the city of Austin, Texas, a local group decided to honor them by placing memorial landmarks at the exact locations of those officers who had died in the line of duty. It seemed to be an idea with an overwhelming positive response. However, in one case, the landmarks in Austin caused a stir.
Residents in the hip, South Austin neighborhood of Travis Heights are rejecting the idea of placing a memorial landmark in their area. Basically, they believe it will be a morbid reminder of a tragic past no one wants to be reminded of every day. It’s not that they oppose landmarks, it’s that the thing is so big. It also gives a graphic verbal account of what happened that day. It even goes on to tell visitors that the officer’s assailant was executed in prison. For the neighborhood residents, that’s just too much information.
The local group who is sponsoring the landmarks disagrees, as does the mayor. To them the point of the memorials is to remind citizens on a daily basis what officers go through to protect them. Prior to construction of the large concrete structure, Travis Heights residents ask that it be moved. However the project went forward. The stone is placed on a piece of real estate that has no aesthetic value otherwise. It sits on a curb by a fence. Even so, the residents don’t want it there. They want it moved to an area park.
To the outside observer, this is exactly the thing that keeps Austin at the top of the list of cities with ecentric behavior. Most people probably wouldn’t dare complain about a memorial landmark for someone who died. Not so in Austin. Seems they’ll find a reason to oppose it.