Statue of Liberty's Crown to Stay Closed

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060809/D8JD4KO00.html

Statue of Liberty's Crown to Stay Closed

Statue of Liberty's Crown to Stay Closed
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Aug 9, 4:49 PM (ET)

By DEVLIN BARRETT

WASHINGTON (AP) - Tourists won't be climbing back up to the Statue of Liberty's crown. That's the word from the National Park Service to lawmakers, some of whom have been fighting to reopen the crown following the 2001 terror attacks.

The crown has been closed out of concerns that fire and terrorism hazards for the cramped spiral staircase could not be overcome.


This 1986 file photo shows the crown of the Statue of Liberty. National Park Service lawmakers on Wednesday said the crown will remained closed to tourists. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan, FILE)


"For the better part of three years now, they've been dancing around this issue," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., who has sought to force the National Park Service to reopen the crown.

"This is the first time they've said they're not moving forward, they're essentially done looking at it," said Weiner. He called the decision "the final victory of the terrorists on Sept. 11."

[Kutjara]

1. Nicely ironic...

...Liberty is off limits to the People. Yep, that about sums it up.

[Richard Steele]

7. Nicely put. nm

[Milspec]

8. Have you been in the crown?

I sort of half to agree with this statment. "The crown has been closed out of concerns that fire and terrorism hazards for the cramped spiral staircase could not be overcome."
IMO

[LostinVA]

14. I am so petrified with heights that the very thought of being in the crown

terrifies me. Seriously.

*shudder*

[saigon68]

17. FUCK THOSE JERKS---THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS AGAIN

TERRORISM MY ASS

[ixion]

2. So the 'terrorists' win

Murika: Land of the Enslaved, Home of the Terrified. :-(

I weep for our once Great Republic. :cry:

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Yes they have won

:(

[Roland99]

4. One Nation Under Surveillance With Wiretaps & a closed Statue of Liberty

[karlrschneider]

5. They hate us for our statue.

:grr:

[HockeyMom]

6. In my Mom's Day

you could actually climb up the arm, into the torch, and go outside. My kids and I have been to the crown many times.

At this rate, you won't be able to go inside the statue at all.

[Robb]

9. I understand they closed the torch

...for fear it might break the heck right off with some hapless tourist inside. :shrug:

Given the way budget priorities work, I can't imagine the rest of the statue is kept up particularly well either.

[Up2Late]

12. They just did a full renovation of the statue in 1986...

...it should be in good shape.

But the arm is another story.

The official story is that it's structurally unsound, but really, I think it's a liability issue, you have to climb, hand over hand up a straight ladder, and with as Fat as we are getting these days, can you imagine the Fat Family exceeding the maximum occupancy capacity? Or getting stuck inside the arm? :puke: :evilgrin:

[LostinVA]

15. My Mom did that in 1963 -- she was a Senior in HS

[Protagoras]

10. That's ok we haven't payed attention to her message for a few years

anyway.

Just visited her recently and felt very sad how many people seemed to be more interested in baseball and tourist pictures than what she had to say.

[Up2Late]

11. What a bunch of paranoid sissies. Back in the 1970's...

...and 1980's, etc., they never worried that we would slip and fall on those tiny little stairs. What a bunch of cowards they are. :banghead:

Plus, I don't think they realize how much smaller a target the Statue of Liberty is, compared to those giant buildings, it would probably take a Maverick Missile or a laser guided bomb to hit that thing directly. Anyone trying to fly a Jet into it would miss 99 out of 100 times.

And, won't our new "operational" Missile Defense System keep us safe?!? :shrug: :sarcasm:

[Milspec]

13. How about a bomb vest

sort of funny the crown violates the ADA.

[Up2Late]

16. Hey, that's what they need ACME Stairlift Home Elevators!

It would probably speed up the line some too.



<http://www.acmehomeelevator.com/faq_stai.html>

<>

<http://www.acmehomeelevator.com/prod_stai.html>

[anotherdrew]

18. FIRE? what the hell's to burn? We're lead by a class of worthless asses

it's pathetic

[saigon68]

19. It's the old be afraid pitch to the sheep.

[Sacajawea]

20. June, 1974...I stood in the crown arm-in-arm with the Love of My Life.....

Ahhhh...what a memory to treasure!

[Just Me]

21. *LOL* n/t