Wyatt over at Support Your Local Gunfighter and Captain America over at First In, tell the story of a piece of our nation's history that may soon be lost to us. The USS Olympic, the last surviving ship from the 1898 Spanish American War, has "been part of Philadelphia’s waterfront for 50 years". A floating museum.
Thousands of visitors have walked its decks, seen and perhaps touched what was cutting edge naval technology in the late nineteenth century. It is a link to our past. A milestone on the road of how we got here. Perhaps an indicator of where we need to go.
Right now, the city of Philadelphia is considering scrapping or sinking the USS Olympia for lack of funds to maintain it. Yeah, and we could probably get a better return on our money by turning the Smithsonian into condos and putting it back on the tax rolls!
The museum can no longer afford the ship’s upkeep, McLane said. At least $20 million is needed to tow, restore, interpret, and endow the deteriorating vessel.
I can't believe that in the city, state and federal budgets, there is nothing of lessor merit to cut than this. The USS Olympia has probably provided more educational moments than the entire output of the bureaucrats of the National Department of Education since its inception. And how much are they spending?
ED currently administers a budget of $63.7 billion in FY 2010 discretionary appropriations (including discretionary Pell Grant funding) and $96.8 billion in discretionary funding provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009—and operates programs that touch on every area and level of education.
Efforts should be made to preserve this bit of history while we still can. It's a small crisis compared to the challenges this country is facing today, but if you have the time and the inclination, consider shooting off a letter or email to the politician of your choice and see if something cannot be done to save this historic ship.
Cross posted at Say Anything
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It just seems history doesn't mean anything to people now days. I can't figure it out. I remember that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
ReplyDeleteIt would be ashame to see the old lady go. Doubt Obama and company would spend one dime to save her. He really doesn't like anything military---he must tolerate, but not appreciate!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we could tell Obama it's the "Love Boat"?
ReplyDelete'Bama's probably still bitter that the Olympia kicked the Spanish Navy in Manila bay.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if we painted "Yes, We Could!" on the stern Obama would be more sympathetic?
ReplyDeleteIs nothing that represents the best of America worth anything to American's now?
ReplyDeleteThis congress can spend trillions on pork that only benefits zero liability voters but can't seem to spend a dime to preserve something that helped buy us our liberty.
I am very sad for my country we have gone from "Can do" to "Who cares".
We spend millions of dollars for rest stops in the middle of nowhere and fancy border crossing stations up north where nearly no one crosses the border.
ReplyDeleteI, like you, believe that our American heritage is worth preserving.
The only thing I can suggest is for everyone interested in saving the Olympia that they should write their congressman. If enough people bring this up on a national level then they can not ignore it. I've written Pete Sessions here in Texas to express my frustation at possibly loosing this ship to poor decision making. I'm a huge TR/Great White Fleet fan so seeing this ship die would be like loosing a family member. So yes, I'm invested at this point with this fight.
ReplyDeleteNow, with a change in the leadership of the House, maybe we have a fighting chance?
ReplyDeleteSave the olympia!!
ReplyDeleteSign the petition
http://www.savetheolympia.org/