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Editorial: Photos of courage

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so Rep. Walter Jones decided to let the images do the talking.

The North Carolina Republican, whose district includes thousands of Marines and sailors stationed at Camp Lejeune and the Cherry Point and New River air stations, says he wanted to honor troops who deployed to combat from his region but never came home.

His makeshift memorial, posted on easels in the hallway near his office, displayed the faces of hundreds of service members who paid the ultimate price in combat.

But new rules designed to free the halls of clutter for the sake of pedestrian safety and evacuation routes made the bulky memorial a target. So Jones removed the easels and hung the posters on the wall.

Then this, too, came under attack. Other rules, intended to keep the halls of Congress tidy and attractive, were invoked. The posters were removed.

For Jones, this was going too far. An initial supporter of the Iraq war who has since regretted his vote, he wants those faces back up on the wall.

At least three others — Reps. Ted Poe, R-Texas; Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., and Jim McDermott, D-Wash. — have joined him in seeking to change the rules to allow for such displays. They noted that about 20 Congress members have had such displays outside their offices.

These four lawmakers know that such memorials serve not as obstructions, but as a constant reminder to visitors and staffers on Capitol Hill of what it means to serve one’s country.

Surely, the House of Representatives, in the name of neatness and order, won’t block an effort to honor the men and women who have given their lives in service to their country.