LAFAYETTE, Calif., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- A controversy has erupted in a northern California town over a hillside memorial erected in honor of fallen U.S. troops in the Iraq war.
The New York Times reported on the memorial, which consists of about 450 small white crosses and a sign that reads: "In Memory of 2,867 U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq."
The memorial was created by anti-war activist Jeff Heaton, who said he created it "to get people involved on a local level" and talking about Iraq.
But some are reportedly saying the memorial fails to honor U.S. troops. Rather, they say it is stark, disrespectful and ugly.
Most of the protesters are upset about the sign, which Heaton was ordered to take down due to a municipal code violation.
Heaton, 53, told the Times his idea for the memorial came from a visit to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. He said the memorial also is meant to reflect the changing attitudes about the war.
"There's been a real change in the tide of feeling about the war," he said. "It is much more acceptable now to question the reasons for the war."
