Letters from an American October 13, 2025
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Oct 14, 2025 Dive into a discussion about Trump's ambitious plan for a Potomac triumphal arch, sparking comparisons to historic European monuments. Explore the potential disruption of symbols connecting the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington Cemetery. Delve into the rich history of the Wilbur J. Cohen Building and its striking New Deal murals. Hear about legislative moves that led to the building's vulnerability and contrast current policies with the Social Welfare ideals of the New Deal era.
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Triumphal Arch Proposal And Its Symbolism
- Donald J. Trump proposed a massive triumphal arch on the Potomac opposite the Lincoln Memorial.
- The arch evokes Roman/European imperial symbols and prompted comparisons to historic authoritarian monuments.
Arch Would Disrupt Lincoln–Arlington Symbolism
- Architects and observers warned the arch would disrupt the Lincoln–Arlington symbolic axis.
- The proposal obscures Civil War memory linking Lincoln and Arlington National Cemetery.
Arlington's Civil War Origin
- Heather Cox Richardson recounts the Civil War origin of Arlington as burial ground on Robert E. Lee's former estate.
- She connects Lee's Arlington House directly behind the Lincoln memorial to the war's history.