The Arch Is a Military Complex, and Access Is a Privilege
Let me begin by establishing my credentials: I’m just a guy who reads the news so you don’t have to, and this week, the news in Washington was good enough to serve with a side of seltzer. Two stories. Two beautiful, self-sabotaging stories. And between them, they tell you everything you need to know about how power talks to itself when it thinks nobody’s looking. Story number one is a monument. There is a plan for a triumphal arch in Washington. A big one. Two hundred and fifty feet tall, which is more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial that stands next door, because a man who wants a monument for the ages doesn’t want to feel competitive with a stone guy sitting in a chair. It’s granite. It’s got three golden statues on top. It’s got an observation deck. It’s to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which is a beautiful way of saying “I want a thing with my name on it that you cannot miss from any angle, including space.” Now, buildings like t...