Why We Memorialize Tragic Events

Why We Memorialize Tragic Events

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This weekend, the country reflected on the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. We Chicagoans may not have experienced the Hurricane and its aftermath first hand. But we can still share the emotions of fear, sadness and anger that mark that event. As we gather to memorialize the event, what do we do with those emotions? Do memorials serve to help us recover, or do they lead us to re-experience those emotions all over again? Scott Paeth is a Religious Studies professor at DePaul University, and he joins discusses the process and problems of memorialization.