VFP Santa Barbara has long debated about what is the most effective
way to protest wars in general and especially the current ones. The
crosses in the sand began as a protest on November 2, 2003 when 320
crosses made by Steve Sherrill were pounded into the sand by local peace
activists including some VFP members. It was decided to do it again and
the crosses evolved into Arlington West.
We have discussed a Vietnam Wall type memorial for years and built our
new wall with the Vietnam memorial in mind. A memorial designed as a
place of healing, and not a tribute to the glory and gore of war. More
than 1600 names of the US dead in Iraq have been visited by family,
friends and combat buddies. We believe that Arlington West has been a
place of healing for those visitors. As the shift occurred from the war
in Iraq to that of Afghanistan, we decided to put up crosses for the
increasing losses in Afghanistan. We decided to built an Iraq Wall to
replace the crosses for Iraq. Our new Iraq Wall is much smaller, more
portable and hopefully effective. It can be set up on flat ground also.