>>>>From: Carol Ely [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
I'm kind of shocked that any museum professionals would argue that this flag
SHOULDN'T be preserved as an artifact of the disaster at the WTC.  We don't
know what meanings may ultimately be attached to this flag in the future,
but if we don't have it, then no meaning can possibly be drawn from it. <<<<

By that reasoning, we need to preserve *all* the debris from the towers, a
ridiculous and hopeless task.  What's been argued on this list is whether
that flag has *more* meaning (as a potential museum artifact) than all the
other bits of debris, such that it, and not other things, be preserved.  We
can't keep it all, so which bits do we preserve?  The flag has another noble
option available, retiring with due ceremony by an appropriate group of
people.  This ceremony will have importance to people attending it.  Is the
flag so much more (potentially, to future generations) important than
anything else in the rubble that we need to prevent this ceremony in order
to preserve it *instead* of something else?

Robin K Panza                         [log in to unmask]
Collection Manager, Section of Birds          ph:  412-622-3255
Carnegie Museum of Natural History       fax: 412-622-8837
4400 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh  PA  15213-4008  USA

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