On 20 January, James Delgado inquired:
 
>I am interested in the views of the museum community on the National Air
>and Space Museum's exhibition on the atomic bombing of Japan...
 
* * * * * *
James: !!!Holy mackerel, this should be good!!!
 
First, I better say I speak for myself and not for the institutions I represent.
 
Professionally speaking, my first reaction is to be an activist on the side
of institutional free expression.  If the Enola Gay exhibition was taking
place somewhere other than a "national" museum in the 50th anniversary year
of the event in question, I would have no second thoughts whatsoever about
this issue.
 
However, I have huge second thoughts that are very hard for me to dispel.
Second thoughts because of where the exhibition is being held AND because of
the timing.
 
I think I can handle the heat of any flames that come from asking the
following questions rhetorically.
 
1) Does the Smithsonian's timing obligate it to follow a more "patriotic"
storyline?  The 50th anniversary is the last monumental date that veterans
of WWII have to commemorate the event that defined and transformed their
lives. Doesn't this fact call for retrospection through their eyes, one last
time?
 
2) What public interest is served by a "national" museum presenting cultural
treasures out of historical context to advance the perspective of another
culture?  Isn't their an aura that surrounds the Smithsonian that endows an
exhibition with a specialness that commands respect?  Who should be served
by such a frightfully wonderful and powerful force?  The public good?
 
Now I need to put on my fireproof suit.
 
OK, I'm ready.