Guns and Lace Exhibition
The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA has currently on exhibit a very interesting display sponsored by the National Rifle Association. It combines firearms with very special ownership with women's dresses of the period. I have attached examples with cavalry association:
The exhibit has been called "An Affront to Decency":
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... ill_g.html
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... ill_g.html
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I find the people who find it to be an affront to decency to be an affront to history, intelligence and common sense.Philip S wrote:The exhibit has been called "An Affront to Decency":
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... ill_g.html
Some more objects on display:
- Attachments
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- Right - gown worn to Lincoln 1865 Inaugaral Ball.jpg (81.71 KiB) Viewed 9917 times
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- slave dress.jpg (55.97 KiB) Viewed 9917 times
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- S and W Model 2 Army - Lt J W Kincheloe 49 VA CSA.jpg (92.91 KiB) Viewed 9917 times
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- shotgun gift to Seward by Brit PM Gladstone.jpg (97.37 KiB) Viewed 9917 times
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- Engraved Henry - Sec of War Simon Cameron.jpg (103.88 KiB) Viewed 9917 times
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- Henry and Colt set-Sec of War - Simon Cameron.jpg (94.96 KiB) Viewed 9917 times
A problem with an exhibit like this is that it assumes a knowledge of who the guns owners were. I doubt that many casual visitors know much beyond Lincoln, Lee, and (perhaps) Grant. Teaching them who, what, and when is a missed opportunity.
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Todd's new Avatar, by the way, is scaring me.
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Well, that's a kind opinion, but an additional problem is that the history minded people who put this on assume a certain level of intelligent curiosity on the part of the public. Unfortunately, we have a certain class now that is looking for opportunities to be offended. And additionally unfortunately, they're generally coddled.Philip S wrote:A problem with an exhibit like this is that it assumes a knowledge of who the guns owners were. I doubt that many casual visitors know much beyond Lincoln, Lee, and (perhaps) Grant. Teaching them who, what, and when is a missed opportunity.
War is brutal. Wars happen in history. Wars happen now. Showing the instruments of war is not advancing war itself nor is it advancing the cause of any of the combatants. Presumably a display of early Medieval swords wouldn't send people into fits of rage about Saxon aggression or (more likely now days) the poor misunderstood nature of pagan Saxons and the hideous oppression they met by British not misunderstanding their aggression as a suppressed need for a bushel of kittens and an open ear as to their Weltanschauung.
It's a weird thing to realize that in this day and age, when we're involved in a struggle with a force which would just as soon as lop most of our heads off than consider our views, we have in our midst a collection of such delicate flowers that the mere appearance of a long retired weapon of war would send them into such a fit of stupidity.
I've got a friend, a superlative rider and historian, who does an SS Pazer crewman impression. We had a chat one day and I indicated that SS impressions really did give me some "heartburn." The history there is about as ugly as it gets. He agreed, but noted that if you're going to do any sort of historical presentation how can you have "good" without "evil?"
Likewise, if you're going to consider the history of the ACW how can you look at only one side? Isn't that just "one hand clapping?" To have a "pearl clutching moment" over weapons that were obsolete 150 years ago also removes a central part of the story. The ability to make these things would be a major reason for Union success. I'm not a Confederate partisan (I think the Confederacy was a bad idea that fortunately didn't work) but that doesn't mean I wish to "sanitize" the public square of all vestiges of that entity. To do so is dishonest and more "one hand clapping."
Every body has the right to be offended. They don't have the right to never be presented with anything that might offend them.
Likewise, if you're going to consider the history of the ACW how can you look at only one side? Isn't that just "one hand clapping?" To have a "pearl clutching moment" over weapons that were obsolete 150 years ago also removes a central part of the story. The ability to make these things would be a major reason for Union success. I'm not a Confederate partisan (I think the Confederacy was a bad idea that fortunately didn't work) but that doesn't mean I wish to "sanitize" the public square of all vestiges of that entity. To do so is dishonest and more "one hand clapping."
Every body has the right to be offended. They don't have the right to never be presented with anything that might offend them.
Fortunately none of the guns in the special display were stolen:
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... icle_small
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... icle_small
It turns out it was the three guns owned by Samon Cameron which were stolen:
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... icle_small
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... icle_small
No motion sensors?
No window intrusion sensors?
Probably half million dollars of artifacts in unsecured exhibit displays... with no live security on site?
The fact that objects ( some on LOAN no less ) were not secured after hours is scary enough.
And all this on top of the fact that this place is a political hot-potato with local government?
Sounds like it's about time for a game of old style mongol mounted soccer...
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The State of Wyoming had an original Henry stolen from the tiny museum at Ft. Fetterman. The identification of the suspected thief was always strongly suspected but what proved to be interesting is that there are so few original Henrys that holding on to it proved impossible for that person and transferring it likewise was.
Its a museum that is closed all winter and the rifle simply reappeared there.
Its a museum that is closed all winter and the rifle simply reappeared there.
About 25 years ago, an Oklahoma Highway Patrolman was turning in his cruiser at the maintenance building when he saw people moving on the roof of the 45th Inf Div Museum in Oklahoma city at about 2:00AM. He called the cops and about four or five persons were apprehended and arrested. They had plotted the blind spots in the coverage of the alarm system, had come in through the attic on ropes and had loaded up duffel bags full of Nazi weapons, uniforms and the like. They had scouted out Fort Sill’s museums, but had not had time to make their heist. They had emptied the museum at Fort Supply of all its Nazi stuff previously. They were in high school! They had plotted the alarms at Fort Sill on the back of their homework! The ringleader was seventeen years old and was living in a common-law arrangement with a 34-year-old woman. The judge reasoned that since he was living as an adult, he could be tried as an adult. I never found out what their sentences were.
The stolen items have a questionable providence:
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... vil_w.html
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/ha ... vil_w.html