View source for To the Struggle Against World Terrorism

{{Short description|Landmarks in Bayonne, New Jersey}}
{{Infobox monument|dedicated=September 11, 2006|height=100 feet|begin=September 16, 2005|coordinates={{coord|40.663694|-74.069083|format=dms|type:landmark_region:ES|display=inline,title}}|designer=[[Zurab Tsereteli]]|monument_name=''To the Struggle Against World Terrorism''|image=Tear Drop Memorial from a Cruise Ship.jpg|location=[[Bayonne, New Jersey]], [[United States]]}}
'''''To the Struggle Against World Terrorism''''' (also known as the '''''Tear of Grief''''' and the '''''Tear Drop Memorial''''') is a 10–story sculpture by [[Zurab Tsereteli]] that was given to the United States as an official gift from the Russian government as a memorial to the victims of the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, and the [[19<!-- 1993 not 2001-->93 World Trade Center bombing]].<ref name=Memorial_Brochure>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222101947/http://www.bayonnelra.com/Memorial_Brochure.pdf |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |url-status=usurped |url=http://www.bayonnelra.com/Memorial_Brochure.pdf |title=The Memorial at Harbor View Park |publisher=Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority}}</ref> It stands at the end of the former [[Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne|Military Ocean Terminal]] in [[Bayonne, New Jersey]]. Ceremonial groundbreaking occurred on September 16, 2005, in a ceremony attended by Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.911monument.com/groundbreaking.cfm | title=Groundbreaking Ceremony: September 16, 2005 | website=911monument.com | access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref> The monument was dedicated on September 11, 2006, in a ceremony attended by former U.S. president [[Bill Clinton]], coinciding with the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.<ref name=Memorial_Brochure /><ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222101933/http://www.911monument.com/Tsereteli_Monument.pdf |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |url-status=live |url=http://www.911monument.com/Tsereteli_Monument.pdf |title=The Unveiling of a New World Monument |access-date=March 17, 2009}}</ref>

==Design==
The sculpture comprises a {{Convert|100|ft|m|adj=on}} bronze-clad tower split with a jagged opening in the middle, in which hangs a {{Convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}}-tall nickel-surfaced teardrop.<ref name="NYT2004">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/30/nyregion/our-towns-a-jersey-city-teardrop-for-9-11-or-a-10-story-embarrassment.html | title=Our Towns; A Jersey City Teardrop for 9/11, Or a 10-Story Embarrassment? | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | last=Applebome | first=Peter | date=June 30, 2004 | access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.911monument.com/history.cfm | title=To the Struggle Against World Terrorism: A History | website=911monument.com | access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Memorial_Brochure /><ref name="Tsereteli's_official">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023104507/http://www.tsereteli.ru/eng/part_bio.php |archive-date=October 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.tsereteli.ru/eng/part_bio.php |title=Tsereteli's Official Biography |publisher= Tsereteli's official webpage}}</ref> The eleven sides of the monument's base bear granite name plates, on which are etched the names of those who died in the September 11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818215812/http://www.911monument.com/history.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.911monument.com/history.htm |title=To the Struggle Against World Terrorism: A History | website=911monument.com}}</ref> However, like some other 9/11 memorials, the dedication was based on an outdated compilation and contains about forty people who were removed from later victim listings.<ref name="40toomany">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/10/nyregion/nyregionspecial3/10bayonne.html | title=9/11 Memorial in New Jersey Honors 40 People Too Many | work=The New York Times | agency =Associated Press | date=September 10, 2006 | access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref>

Tsereteli did not disclose the cost of the sculpture except to say that he paid for labor and materials. A lawyer for the sculptor released the cost at about $12 million.<ref name=elephant>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123120246/http://www.irishamericannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2817:white-elephants&catid=69:mick&Itemid=195 |archive-date=November 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.irishamericannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2817:white-elephants&catid=69:mick&Itemid=195 |title=White Elephants |work=Irish American News |first=Mike |last=Morley |date=October 2011}}</ref> Tsereteli said metals for the sculpture were obtained "From a military factory that did airplanes. In [[Dzerzhinsk, Russia|Dzerzhinsk]]. A [[closed city|secret city]]."<ref name=finnegan>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2007/06/25/070625ta_talk_finnegan |title=On the Waterfront: Monument |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716022924/http://newyorker.com/magazine/2007/06/25/monument-3 |archive-date=July 16, 2015 |first=William |last=Finnegan |magazine=The New Yorker |date=June 25, 2007 |access-date=July 15, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Further information==
The monument was initially given to the local government of [[Jersey City]], but was rejected.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E0DA173BF933A05752C0A9639C8B63 |title=Monument In Search Of a Home |access-date=April 18, 2010 | work=The New York Times | first=Jonathan | last=Miller | date=January 30, 2005}}</ref> It was then relocated to its present placement in [[Bayonne, New Jersey|Bayonne]].<ref name="40toomany"/> In August 2010 the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced it had plans to build a container facility on the location and the monument would most likely have to be moved.<ref name=elephant/> However, Robert "Captain Bob" Terzi, a Bayonne taxi driver started an online petition to prevent the relocation.<ref name=elephant/> 

It was listed as one of the world's ugliest statues by ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' magazine,<ref name="ugly">{{cite magazine |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/04/05/the_world_s_ugliest_statues?page=0,4 |title=The World's Ugliest Statues |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106071746/http://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/04/05/the_world_s_ugliest_statues?page=0,4 |archive-date=January 6, 2011 |url-status=dead |last=Keating |first=Joshua |date=April 5, 2010 |magazine=Foreign Policy}}</ref> while ''[[The New Yorker]]'' said that it looked like "a giant tea biscuit" from a distance.<ref name=finnegan/> Pro Arts Jersey City called it "an insensitive, self-aggrandizing piece of pompousness by one of the world's blatant self-promoters".<ref name="NYT2004"/>

In September 2011, a {{Convert|4|ft|m|adj=on}} section of steel from the World Trade Center was placed adjacent to the sculpture.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hack |first=Charles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027073005/http://nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2011/08/motorcycle_riders_to_escort_pi.html |archive-date=October 27, 2014 |url=http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2011/08/motorcycle_riders_to_escort_pi.html |url-status=live |title=Motorcyclists to escort piece of World Trade Center steel to Bayonne memorial site on Sept. 7 |newspaper=The Jersey Journal |date=August 31, 2011 }}</ref>

In response to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the city of Bayonne had [[Vladimir Putin]]'s name covered on the two plaques in the park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Israel |first=Daniel |date=2022-03-14 |title=Bayonne blocks out Putin's name on 'Teardrop' 9/11 Memorial |url=https://hudsonreporter.com/2022/03/14/bayonne-blocks-out-putins-name-on-teardrop-9-11-memorial/ |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Hudson Reporter |language=en-US |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316003646/https://hudsonreporter.com/2022/03/14/bayonne-blocks-out-putins-name-on-teardrop-9-11-memorial/ |archive-date=2022-03-16}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Empty Sky (memorial)|''Empty Sky'' (memorial)]]
*''[[Hudson Riverfront 9/11 Memorial]]''
*''[[Jersey City 9/11 Memorial]]''
*[[Memorials and services for the September 11 attacks]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.911monument.com WebSite for the ''Teardrop Memorial'' — Info & Facts]
* [http://www.911monument.com/download.cfm?docName=Memorial_Brochure.pdf PDF Brochure for the ''Teardrop Memorial'' — Info & Facts]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313011703/http://www.bayonnelra.com/press/03092005.pdf |date=March 13, 2012 |title=Press Release: ''Teardrop Memorial'' to be placed at the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor }}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114001431/http://www.bayonnelra.com/honor1.htm |date=January 14, 2012 |title=Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority - Monument ''To the Struggle Against World Terrorism''}}

{{Zurab Tsereteli}}
{{Bayonne, New Jersey}}
{{September 11 attacks}}
{{italic title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:To The Struggle Against World Terrorism}}
[[Category:Bayonne, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Art in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Russia–United States relations]]
[[Category:Memorials for the September 11 attacks]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hudson County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Bronze sculptures in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Steel sculptures in New Jersey]]
[[Category:2006 sculptures]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Sculptures by Zurab Tsereteli]]
[[Category:Colossal statues in the United States]]
[[Category:Public art in Hudson County, New Jersey]]