...on the National Park Service.
So, the American Family Association sends out an alert to a reader of the Castle I'm not a subscriber to that organization's mailings - hey, you guys gotta pull your weight somehow, right?
So, Bob forwards it to me. An excerpt (the full bit, with the pictures, is available via the link above).
The National Park Service, a branch of the federal government, has joined the Veterans Administration in establishing anti-Christian bigotry as public policy. The NPS has censored “God” from a key display of America 's Christian heritage in Washington .The reference is an engraving of "Laus Deo," which is Latin for "Praise be to God," on the east side of the 100-ounce aluminum cap atop of the Washington Monument .
Since the actual inscription on the cap is unviewable atop the 555-foot stone column, the NPS created a replica which is on display in the white-colored obelisk of marble, granite and sandstone.
Now “God” has been removed from the plaque containing information about the Washington Monument . In 2000 the plaque read:
APEX OF THE MONUMENT Reproduction The builders searched for an appropriate metal for the apex that would not tarnish and would act as a lightning rod. They chose one of the rarest metals of the time, aluminum. The casting was inscribed with the phrase, Laus Deo, (Praise be to God).
The NPS censored the last sentence from the latest plaque, which now reads:
CAP OF THE MONUMENT Reproduction The builders searched for appropriate metal for the cap that would not tarnish and would act as a lightning rod. They chose one of the rarest metals of the time – aluminum.
So, I poke around a bit, and I can't find any truly good reason for this to have been done on purpose, yet, well, there it is.
So, I pop off a note to the NPS with a polite equivalent of "WTHeck, over?"
Shockingly, surprisingly, I've still not had a response today. Hey! Don't they know I'm a.... BLOGGER(!) good golly gee?
And I've chatted with their boss's boss's boss?
Heh. They're bureaucrats, they're not worried about me. Of course, could be their server is down from the volume of slag that was probably wending their way.
So, I pulled up the Rolodex and emailed Doug, Nancy's legislative director, and sent him the alert, with a note.
It was a short note.
How ludicrous do we let it get?
Doug promptly dumped it off to Nancy's Chief of Staff (who probably snagged a wandering intern...)
Anyway, that resulted in this:
We’re pinging NPS. We got a standard press release, but we’ll ping harder.
I replied:
Can I have the press release? Might as well flog them with their own words while you bring the fundament of the government to bear... Oooo. I like that line.
So, Doug dutifully sent along the press release - which shows that they're reacting to the crashing waves of indignation... and blinking in the bright lights.
Subject: National Park Service Explores Methods to Make Replica of Washington Monument Capstone Visible From All Angles
National Park Service News ReleaseRelease Date: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
For Immediate Release
Bill Line, Toni Braxton 202 619-7400; David Barna 202-208-6843National Park Service Explores Methods to Make Replica of Washington Monument Capstone Visible From All Angles
Washington, D.C. – In recent days, it has been brought to the National Park Service’s attention that a replica aluminum capstone representing the top of the Washington Monument that is on display on the Monument’s 490-foot level has not been fully visible to the public.
As a result, the National Park Service is exploring methods to make the replica capstone visually accessible from all angles so that all visitors may be able to see and read both the replica capstone and any related interpretive material in display cases that would be situated near the replica capstone.
Currently, the replica capstone is oriented in a display case on the 490-foot level to mirror the position of the actual aluminum capstone sitting outside and on top of the 555-foot, 1/8-inch obelisk. In its current position, this replica aluminum capstone is visible on three sides, with the fourth side currently not visible to visitors.
Additionally, the National Park Service will provide new interpretive information that will feature all of the capstone inscriptions in full, giving visitors the opportunity to fully understand the display.
“We appreciate this information being brought to our attention and we agree that the public should be able to learn as much as possible about the monument,” said National Mall & Memorial Parks Superintendent Peggy O’Dell. “This was clearly an oversight in this exhibit and we will take measures so all visitors are able to see this exhibit.”
-NPS-
Snerk. Draw your own conclusions. But this, boys and girls, demonstrates the utility of being nice to your local representative, even one not of your particular suasion. That doesn't mean you aren't critical, argue forcefully, etc. But at least in my case, being a *polite* squeaky wheel, who doesn't just carp but also makes policy suggestions from an informed perspective - well, let's just say that good manners accomplishes more than spittle-flecked ranting - at least in this case. And that's resulted in email and phone access with good people trying to do their best - and now and again, managing to influence things more than once every two years.
Just sayin'.
As for the NPS - shift the cap so it's point-on, and put back the original words, and I think you're golden. That or a double mirror.
There ya go, what more exploring d'you need? Even though I'm a consultant by trade - no charge.
