Famous Architects.....NOT!

In 1958, after five years of academic study and the completion of my required internship, I achieved my professional goal, my state registration  as an "architect".  Legally,  I cannot use this title, without annual recertification by the state registration board of architects. 

 This is apparently no longer necessary.  Any journalist or newscaster can anoint anyone as an "architect" if they feel their conduct deserves our title.  Over the past few years, I have noted many of these gratuitous appointments, and it turns out that we architects are in very famous, and in the mind of the media.... infamous... company. 

Adolph Hitler, "architect" of the Holocaust

Heinrich Himmler, "architect" of the Holocaust

Adolph Eichmann, "architect" of the "Final Solution

 Erich Honecher, "architect" of the Berlin Wall

Osama bin Laden, "architect" of the bombings of the African embassies and the U.S.S.Cole .

"architect" of 9/11, Lexington Herald-Leader, Editorial, 3/30/03

G.Gordon Liddy, "architect" of Watergate

Oliver North, "architect" of the Iran-Contra affair.

Little Richard, "architect" of Rock and Roll

Admiral Yamamoto, "architect" of Pearl Harbor.

Prince Charles, "architect" of his own problems.

Desmond Tutu, "architect" of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

Other media appointments.......

• Ramzi Yousef, "architect" of the World Trade Center bombing in 1993.   

• Colin Powell, "architect" of the Gulf War victory.

• William Fulbright, "architect" of the Vietnam withdrawal.

• Arleigh Burke, "architect" of the modern Navy.

• Palmer Williams, "architect" of "60 Minutes".

• Bill Clinton, "architect" of the Kosovo War.

• Hillary Clinton, "architect" of the Health Care proposal fiasco.

• Slobodan Milosevic, "architect" of the Balkan Wars.

• Mohammed Attah, "architect" of the World Trade Center attack......Sad to say, Attah really was an architect by profession)

•  Phil Spector, "architect" of Rock and Roll .

The list continues.....with documentation.

• General Ali Hasan al Majid, "architect" of the 1998 nerve gas campaign against Iraqi Kurds.  Warren P. Strobel, Knight Ridder News, 3/22/03

• Alan Greenspan, renowned "architect" of U.S. financial policy... Lexington Herald-Leader, "Burgoo, something to stew over", 2/13/03

• Henry Kissinger, "architect of the Vietnam Peace Plan... Alan Colmes, Fox News, 4/3/03

• The Apostle Paul, "architect" of the Christian church..."The Unknown Jesus", Biography, A&E, 4/13/03

• Newt Gingrich, "architect" of the "Contract for America"....Sean Hannity, Fox News, May 2003

Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, "architect of violence". Lexington Herald-Leader

Anna Niclole Smith, "architect" of her own destiny. 
Greta Van Susteren, Fox News, April 2007

With 50 years of practice, I am proud to be an architect.  Few other professions can equal  the satisfaction that comes with the creation and building of our physical environment.  The title, "architect", is legally defined in every state.  I cannot call myself an "architect" unless I am registered and have met the legal requirements. It does not deserve to be applied capriciously to terrorists, tyrants, murderers, thieves and bimbos.

It is evident that the media does not understand what an architect does in our society, or perhaps it lacks the imagination to describe these "architects" in more accurate terms.."murderers", "tyrants", "terrorists", "generals", "philanderers", "creators', "designers", "celebrities", etc.  The motives and agenda of the media are not always transparent.

I'd like to know how other architects feel about this "branding" of our profession by the media.

Helm Roberts, Architect/Planner   hr@helmr.com