April 04, 2004

Woulda, Coulda, but Still Shouldn't

After September 11, 2001, for reasons of public safety and the protection of a national treasure, Liberty Island was closed to the public. The only way a tourist or native New Yorker could see the old lady was from shore or from the deck of a ferry or tour boat in the harbor.

And this was both necessary and good policy in the immediate aftermath of the terrorism that had taken down the two tallest buildings in NYC, damaged the symbol of the American military, and caused another jet to be brought down impotently in a farm field in Pennsylvania, albiet not without a horrible loss of life.

Eventually, the island was reopened, and tourists could walk about below the base of Lady Liberty. With increased security, it was determined that a limit number of persons could have access, and people began visiting her again.

We do not know how many people would have tried to destroy her, to desecrate a national symbol. We need not know. But we have to at least acknowledge that there have very probably been plans and plots to do so, and that restricting access to her contributed to her safety.

But is seems that this is not a good thing. There are complaints, via the Associate Press and the New York Times, that somehow because the Statue of Liberty could have been made open and available before now, it should have been.

They also complain that because the nonprofit foundation which supports and maintains the island and statue had a sizeable general fund and an endowment in the many millions of dollars, they should have spent it now to expidite her opening instead of setting it aside for the many more years she will stand and require maintenance and upkeep.

Yes, spend every nickel you have, throw open the entire island, and open a monument, irreplaceable, to the very real threat of terror for no other reason than you think it should be, and it possibly could have been.

How arrogant is that? For some editorialist at the oh so reputable New York Times to demand the opening of a monument that belongs not to New York City, but to all Americans, purely because their personal timetable says it could be is nothing short of egotism.

The children and grandchildren and even great-grandchildren of the millions of school children who saved their pennies and collected them together by classroom and school to build the massive base on which she stands are the people you insult with your vain and pandering drivel, not the United States Parks Service or the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation who maintain it for us. And to think you have any voice in this matter is ludicrous.

Posted by Mamamontezz at April 4, 2004 01:22 AM
Comments

Congrats Mamma, on the New Beginning! :-)

I know from new beginnings, at MY own place, after a 7 month hiatus. :-)

And judging by this entry you have come out swinging. :-)

The Great Gray Lady can not stand Aganst thee!

heh, heh :-)

Posted by: Kiril, The Cycling Dude at April 5, 2004 06:03 AM

poker me up

Posted by: poker me up at December 30, 2004 02:11 PM

Below is all monet works.

Woman In A Green Dress painting

Winter At Giverny painting

View Over The Seas painting

Vetheuil In Summer painting

Vase Of Flowers painting

Train In The Country painting

The women in the Garden painting

The Valley Of Falaise painting

The Turkeys painting

The Thames And The Houses Of Parliament painting

The Studio Boat painting

The Shoot painting

The Seine Estuary At Honfleur painting

The Seine Below Rouen painting

The Seine At Rouen painting

The Seine At Lavacourt painting

The Seine At Bougival painting

The Seine At Argenteuil painting

The Seine At Argenteuil I painting

The Sea At Fecamp painting

The Road To Chailly painting

The Red Cape (Madame Monet) painting

The Red Boats painting

The Picnic painting

The Marina At Argenteuil painting

The Luncheon painting

The Ice-Floes painting

The Garden of the Princess painting

The Church Of Vernon In The Mist painting

The Church At Vetheuil painting

The Boats Regatta At Argenteuil painting

The Beach At Sainte-Adresse painting

Terrace at St Adresse painting

Sunset painting

Sunflowers painting

Sun Setting Over The Seine At Lavacourt painting

Still Life With Melon painting

Snow Effect With Setting Sun painting

Sailing At Sainte-Adresse painting

Sailing At Argenteuil painting

Rue Montargueil with Flags painting

Rough Sea At Etretat painting

Promenade Near Argenteuil painting

Poppy Field In A Hollow Near Giverny painting

Poplars painting

Pond at Montgeron painting

Palazzo da Mula at Venice painting

Monet_Self_Portrait_In_His_Atelier painting

London Houses of Parliament at Sunset painting

La Porte D Amount Etretat painting

La Japonaise painting

La Grenouillere painting

In The Woods At Giverny painting

Impression Sunrise painting

Hyde Park London painting

Haystacks at Giverny the evening sun painting

Haystacks At Chailly painting

Haystack snow effect painting

General View Of Rouen From St Catherine s Bank painting

Garden In Flower At Sainte-Adresse painting

Floating Ice Near Vetheuil painting

Cliffs Near Dieppe painting

Boulevard Des Capucines I painting

Beach at Honlfeux painting

Argenteuil painting

A Windmill at Zaandam painting

A Corner of the Studio painting

A Corner of the Apartment painting

Monet Spring Flowers painting

View At Rouelles, Le Havre painting

Camille At The Window painting

Landscape With Thunderstorm painting

Monet Purple Poppies painting

The Red Boats, Argenteuil painting

Regatta At Argenteuil painting

A Woman Reading painting

Wild Poppies, Near Argenteuil painting

Monet The Luncheon painting

Still Life Apples And Grapes painting

Springtime At Giverny painting

Apple Trees In Blossom painting

Tulip Fields With The Rijnsburg Windmill painting

Haystack at Giverny painting

Haystack At Giverny painting

In The Woods At Giverny painting

Girls In A Boat painting

Boating On The River Epte painting

In The Rowing Boat painting

The Seine At Port-Villez painting

Poplars on the Epte painting

Monet Water Lillies I painting

Monet The Waterlily Pond painting

Woman with a Parasol painting

Camille Monet in Japanese Costume painting

The garden in flower painting

The Artist Garden at Vetheuil painting

Jeanne-Marguerite Lecadre in the Garden painting

Boulevard des Capucines painting

Posted by: handmade painting at May 27, 2008 01:03 AM
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