The Attic first reported that the International Freedom Center has it’s own agenda for the 9/11 memorial at “Ground Zero.” In today’s Wall Street Journal (OP-ED), Richard J. Tofel, President of The IFC, puts his own spin on why and what the memorial should stand for.

Mr. Tofel begins describing the infrastructure of the memorial and performs some PR for the IFC. Tofel states, “First, of course, the World Trade Center site must include a fitting and powerful memorial. And so it will. Michael Arad and Peter Walker’s “Reflecting Absence” will transform the footprints of both of the Towers into “voids,” each nearly an acre in size, and including perhaps the largest continuous man-made waterfalls in the world, surrounded by a veritable forest in the middle of the nation’s third-largest business district. The Memorial will dominate the site, and provide its soul.

Then there will be the Memorial Center, a museum devoted to the events of September 11 itself, with exhibit space roughly equal in size to that at the International Freedom Center. The Memorial Center will tell the stories of the day — of heroism and sacrifice, of rescue and service, of courage and resolution, of memory and loss. It is the Memorial Center that will contain the iconic artifacts of September 11.”

Tofel explains, “the International Freedom Center’s building will serve as a buffer between the sacred Memorial. The International Freedom Center’s building will serve as a buffer between the sacred Memorial. Does this buffer include a left-wing agenda?

Mr. Tofel describes the waterfalls and forest but never specifically addresses what was described in our original blog as “human rights failures.” Tofel asks why some question an “institution” completely sidestepping the blogoshere’s discussion, which is the IFC agenda and it’s powerful left-wing contingency. Tofel discusses hope, tragedy and the rise above politics. He discusses Gettysburg and quotes Lincoln but never talks about American failures, indiscretions, slavery or abuse to Native Americans, something that Ms. Burlingame says is part of the IFC memorial theme.

Conservative bloggers everywhere must continue the dialogue, and yes, question the hidden agenda of the International Freedom Center. As the NY Post states, “We also don’t see how any facility located on the ashes of the World Trade Center can include anyone who uses the 9/11 attacks as a political battering ram. America has done more to advance the cause of freedom than any other nation on earth. And nothing less than an unambiguous celebration of American values will be appropriate for this memorial.”

The International Freedom Center was selected by the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. to be at the 9/11 memorial, and the chairman of the LMDC is John Whitehead (212-962-2300). The LMDC board was appointed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (311 in NYC or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC) and New York Governor George Pataki (518-474-8390).