Jonah Goldberg has an interesting podcast on the current imbroglio over the demolition of the White House East Wing. The East Wing was built by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902, expanded by FDR in 1942 (partly to conceal an air raid shelter), and further enlarged by Richard Nixon, so this is not really about preserving history. Goldberg maintains that the demolition is important not because of the hysterical reaction of so much of the media and of the left in general, but rather because of the effect that the images of demolition have on the public in general. People always stop and stare when they pass by a demolition site. It is not a happy stare because there is something sad at a deep human level about seeing a building, any building, being pulled down. A building can be an object of affection. Even if it’s not a work of fancy architecture just everyday shelter, it’s doing its job, keeping the rain off, keeping us safe. This is all the more so in the case of a national icon, whose function is not only practical but also symbolic. I think that’s what people find unsettling. Tariffs can go up and then down, names can be changed and changed back, under-secretaries can be appointed and un-appointed. But demolishing a building is different, it’s forever. It also feels unlucky. This may be a Trump wrecking ball too far.
