Since I was asked to post an e-mail about the outcome of the fate of
the WTC flag, I am writing this as it is (apparently) being burned.  I
am very grateful for all the help offered in response to my initial
query as to how to find an institution that might be interested in
preserving it as an artifact of the tragedy.
   As may be gathered from the numerous posts related to the issue,
there were several questions that arose because of this -- and for which
we do not yet have answers and may never have.
   Although I readily admit that I am sorry to see this flag forever
lost to us, I did not feel that the eventual outcome was the real issue
as much as the process of getting there.  I am not clear as to how it
came to this small NJ American Legion Post, but no matter how it did,
one of the questions I have is who really "owned" the flag -- or any
item found in the debris.  My gut feeling was that we all have an
interest in things related to the tragedy, because they are part of our
cultural legacy now.  I also feel that just the responses that the issue
elicited, on this list alone, was in itself a clear indication that the
flag may have had vested in it some additional symbolism that warranted
it being looked at from the perspective of whether it had sufficient
merit to consider preserving it.
   I think I can say that I fully acknowledge and understand (but don't
necessarily agree with) what this symbolized to the gentlemen of the
American Legion, but I feel that the flag may have a very different
historical significance to me and to a number of others.  Whether or not
it was eventually deemed worthy of preservation, I am concerned that
there was no opportunity to accord consideration to other viewpoints.
The flag was, I feel, a part of the history of all of us and we had no
opportunity to present that perspective.  Before the flag was
irretrievably lost, we merely wanted some of those (museum)
professionals, who make decisions about collecting, conserving and
caring for such things, to be able to evaluate it and have an
opportunity to be a part of the final decision as to its fate.
   Thanks to the help from this list, a curator was apparently able to
talk to the American Legion, but I am not sure that the issue of
"retirement" could have been influenced one way or the other, as the
Legion was apparently quite firm in their resolve that this was the only
proper thing to do.
   There are, I have since learned, additional factors that needed to be
considered here, too, such as whether the flag had suffered so much
damage (as from fire or smoke) as to make conservation/preservation
prohibitive or pointless.
   In addition, as has been pointed out many times on this list, there
is also the issue of exactly what artifacts we want to see preserved for
future generations.  This issue has led me to give considerable thought
to the selection process, the issue of 'ownership' in tragic events such
as this, conservation, ethics, and much more.  I wonder if there are, or
can ever be, any semblance of guidelines for this and/or other
significant historical events (tragic or otherwise) that can be used to
help bring even some small degree of direction, organization and balance
to the process of collecting artifacts that will eventually enable the
public to look back at those events in a discerning way.
   Finally, I have been intrigued by the statements and emotions (my own
included) that have been elicited by what is essentially just a
machine-woven textile:  "...one more victim of the bombing..."; "...that
flag has gone through quite enough..."; "...putting that poor flag to
rest...".  As I said way back in the beginning of this post, I find
those to be reasons enough to justify asking to allow a museum to
evaluate the fate of the flag.  At the same time, I am intrigued by the
lock-step insistence of the American Legion on following the letter of
the "law" in handling this symbol of our country and patriotism.  I am a
little worried that an inflexibility about  how to treat such symbols
may lead to extremes of viewpoint or actions and my hope is that the
addition of a museum perspective would balance that with more
objectivity.   No hard and fast rules can apply to any situation --
especially with extreme instances such as this.
  Thank you all for your viewpoints, stimulating posts and your offers
of help in this matter.
Lynne

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