"Warning, full duct tape alert in effect. You are going to need to wrap your head in duct tape because you will not be able to handle this one your head will explode."
According to a new book by Elizabeth Greenspan, the iconic photograph of firefighters raising the American glad in the rubble of the World Trade Center was almost excluded from the National September 11 Memorial Museum for being too "rah-rah America".
"Rah-rah America"…yes, the New York Post is reporting this as the description given by museum creative director Michael Shulan.
According to the book, Battle For Ground Zero:
"Thomas Franklin's iconic photograph of firefighters raising the flag among the World Trade Center rubble was nearly excluded. I really believe the way America will look best, the way we can really do best is not to be American so vigilantly and so vehemently."
"What the hell does that mean," Glenn questioned, reminding listeners that the person making the statements is who has been put in the role of putting the memorial and museum together.
Glenn, who has talked about his disdain for what is being done a the site before, reiterated how the entire situation just makes him angry.
"There's no reason it's not finished," he said. "We finished the Empire State Building in the Great Depression in eleven months. Why is this…why are we even still talking about what's going to be in the museum?"
According to book, a compromise was eventually reached to include Franklin's photograph, but the museum had to include two other images as well that showed the flag from different angles.
The New York Post reports that, according to the book, "several images undercut the myth of 'one iconic memento,' [chief curator Jan Ramirez] said, and suggest instead an even from multiple points of view, like the attacks more broadly."
"I don't even know what that means," Glenn commented in a frustrated tone.
The post article goes on the say that the museum's creative director, who was living in New York City during the 9/11 attacks that his aim was to "not reduce [9/11] down to something that was too simple, and in its simplicity would actually distort the complexity of the event, the meaning of the event."
"It was pretty simple," Pat responded.
"It really was," Glenn agreed. "Here's what it was. A bunch of Muslim extremists get onto an airplane and kill everybody onboard and anybody who couldn't get out of the World Trade Center. I'm remembering that pretty clearly."
"You know what that means? That means we're supposed to consider their motivation when we look back on 9/11," Pat questioned. " That's what this guy wants us to do."
"That's amazing too…what was the quote? They want to look at it from several different angles? One of those can't be the first responder being down there raising the flag in the most iconic moment of the event?" Stu questioned. "Why can't that be one of the moments?"
Well thankfully, since this guy didn't get his way, it can and will be.