A historic battle took place near Locust Grove, Virginia. General Lee and General Grant met for the first time on a battlefield called the Wilderness. By the end of the three day campaign, nearly 30,000 men were dead, wounded, captured or missing. Although the battle ended in a draw, it was a significant event in the Civil War. General Lee's army never again had the offensive upper hand. This battle doesn't have the recognition of the Battle at Gettysburg, but it is no less important.
Recently, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 4 - 1 to allow Wal-Mart a special use permit to build a super center near the battle site. The area is already zoned for commercial use. Proponents of the measure cite the tax revenue, jobs and cheap shopping as reasons to allow Wal-Mart to build. Opponents of the measure say that the area Wal-Mart wants to build on is considered part of the battlefield, even if it isn't protected. The sanctity of the area should be preserved.
I have to agree with the opponents. This area, close to Fredricksburg and another major Civil War battle site, is ground on which our ancestors fought to preserve our freedom. It is hallowed ground on which men died. Once the first shovel full of dirt is taken from the ground, the memory of those who fought and died there will go with it. And for what? So that tourists to the area have a familiar haven? So that locals can have one-stop shopping for inexpensive food, clothing and household wares?
We are becoming more materialistic. Our lives are becoming defined by what we have, not who we are. We consume what we need, what we want and what others tell us we need and want. Wal-Mart, in my eyes, is the standard bearer for our materialism. By allowing them to build on sacred ground, we give away an essential part of who we are and from where we have come for the ability to get more stuff. At some point, we need to become aware of the destructive force of our materialistic ways and the need to preserve the irreplaceable.
