The Pearson Air Museum was a healthy, viable community asset that was doing more to teach history and train for the future than the National Park Service has been able to do. The private sector built something successful, and because the government could never duplicate those efforts, it decided to conduct a snatch-and-grab and evicted the museum in a most cowardly fashion.
The worst part is the despicable thought process captured in a Feb. 7 Columbian story, “Pearson Air Museum, OVER AND OUT,” when it was reported that the Trust had moved all of its aircraft and artifacts out of the museum, historic site Superintendent Tracy Fortmann said,”We were surprised and personally saddened and unaware that the trust had determined to remove all the property. We assumed that would remain in that space.” Really? You are surprised? Why would anyone donate antique aircraft, historic artifact, or even a pencil to the government? We are aware of the NPS’ mentality of “what is yours is ours and some day we might let you look at it again” and that is why the museum was left empty.
If this is how our “public servants” are going to treat us, if they get away with this, where does it end?
Richard Kennington
Vancouver
