"Is Nothing Sacred?" exempts from A.P.'s "Vanishing NY" series

I think you should leave it as it is....that is how to preserve this lovily article in its origninal form.

Rev. Jermano

Thank you but generaldecay I must disagree on placing this article as opinion. It could be placed as an opinion in the case of someone else but having devoted decades of research, travel, documentation, risk, it cannot be summed up as an opinion on my part. 

It is but a small part of a scientific quest not only to preserve manmade structures and their natural surroundings pertaining to historical events but of human social evolution as well. 

I know the Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg would see this as opinion for it would get in the way of him further demolishing more historical buildings in order to build more office towers w/ condos for the upper-upper classes and power elite. After all he is illegally running for Mayor a third term by being able to change the law of two term limits to his advantage.

I also know for a fact that the asiatic triage societies and their foreign born elected local officials would be outraged to think that internal domestic forces would keep them from destroying early european culture in Flushing Queens. After all what concern is it of theirs to preserve a Quaker House or a Christian Church when it is not of their origin to begin with. They have proven this time and time again since the 1980's with the historic R.K.O. Keiths movie theater to name a few.

My research here is not simply some old deteriorating structure or the earth which entombs the remains of those who came before. This topic is about saving history itself regardless whose it is. 

In my 1982 theory the "Silent War" which is now "psych ops" fact it is believed that once you wipe out a people's past there is nothing to say they were here. "Sovereignty does not exists where it does not permit."

Similar tactics were implemented on the indians of the americas as well as other indigenous tribes in Indonesia, Philippines, Africa etc..

Ironically I find myself in the very same position today the natives felt w/ the arrival of the Spaniards or the Roman Legionnaires. No, I must say this is not opinion but fact. I cannot betray history. It is a people's moral obligation to defend it. Any tombstone will tell you that. It has a numbers and letters carved unto it.  It states I was here. This is a documentation within itself not an opinion.

I didn't take it as an offense. My title stated "exempts". The article includes only a tiny paragraph or two from an encyclopedia sized/200,000+ photo manuscript I've been compiling on the subject of historical locations and landmark structures worldwide since the 1970's.

I was making a point that I've been researching and documenting the topic therefore as a social scientist/photographer I cannot give opinions only theories, educated guesses, statistical predictions etc.. no big deal..

I think it's important to look to the past to understand the future as well, even our own personal pasts, and not just a collective past of society.

I hate to see parts of history destroyed as well, whether it's a building or even a really old tree.

Thanks for this piece.

You are welcome Amy..

Thank you for this piece but please mark it as opinion. You can do this by using the edit feature on the story.

Please see the newsroom for more tips on posting. Thank you.

No work is a failure.  The good we do has an effect whether we see the results or not.

Look at the people you touch here who will begin to think and notice sacred spots. 

One would think a good sculpture department in colleges could involve themselves in

projects such as this.  An artist can patch .....ANYTHING. 

I took an old birdbath from our family someone wanted to let go of because it was cracked.

I repaired it with concrete...mastic and mosaic'd it.. She now has it in her house .  it became

a ritual .the process etc.  I hope she donates it to a town art gallery..say something archival

such as they do for 'quilts'

We pitch too quickly something that can be repaired.  I am in the family home and am somoved to find something as cheap as a plastic wastebasket taped where it is cracked withduct tape.  My father would fix anything.  A result of living during the  depression and a quality more people might select.  I have found brooms, lamps...we  siblings joke about  "duct tape it!" but it "aint funny".   It can be repaired and not with duct tape but with a few skills from looking the instructions up now from the computer!

I concur djermano..  

Sometimes a wall such as the Berlin Wall in it's form today strangely enough unites people for what remains of it is nothing now but a reminder. Throughout the years I observed it develop from the days of the Cold War, to it's graffiti, to it's celebration, to a museum piece. When I last returned to Berlin in December 08' it was good to see that some parts of it have been left standing. 

Someday I hope we can say the same about the "Walls of Israel" but sometimes religion is stronger than government and a people's faith is not enough.

You are fortunate to have the time now to see the small things in the world we fail to notice in our younger years.  

Your statement revealed to me something quite important which I overlooked. It made me realize the potential of modern methods such as a computer and the internet in saving what is old and historic. How ironic is that... thank you!!

Thank you QueensHart..your statement is most meaningful and touching to me!!

Thank you djermano I find your wording quite warming..

It's not meant as an offense to mark something as opinion - here are our opinion guidelines from the forum.

Thanks Ace...and to let you know I have had similar requests here at NP to label an article an opinion....when in fact we writers know it to be fact... My article was about having Americans learn TCM.. Traditional Chinese Medicine to help Americans become healthy in concern to the topic of Health Care for all Americans.....

In concern again to your article....it is very interesting because an example I would like to mention is the big Budda Statue that was destroyed in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Religion has a very interesting influence on people...no matter how old an artifact.... It is realized we have mankind that is still present in its beliefs..that date further than artifacts.... People believed in not worshipping Idols, or statues....because in doing so they insult the real faith and worship to God and Allah. God certainly is true, that his words will live forever.

http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/idols.html....

It is also interesting that although Mormons did not destroy an ancient cross, they do forbid the display of the cross in their church.... They think of the cross as the torture device that killed Jesus...as if mankind killed Jesus in an electric chair....would we display the electric chair in the church. Of course I think the cross...is more symbolic than that....meaning vertical intersects the horizontal...and many issues in life such as violence vs. nonviolence are helped through the graces of Jesus's and Allahs teachings. Which I think are to support the aspects of Nonviolence.

This issue is very similar I think to the destruction of the Budda Statues....to fullfill their doctrine in worshipping idols, as Mormons erase the cross in their community churches.

God Bless Ace

Really interesting article here.

Rev. Jermano.

Thank you Ace!  That is wonderful to have that insight!  I know I read so much and think often why don't I get away from this box and do some serious art.  My focus has shifted after I saw the people being lifted from their roof tops(katrina )  I just thought , "who needs this painting  or work!"  It really was a lot of reasons that I lay down my brush for awhile.  My work from now on will be about what I have learned using all the different tools to get to this place of consciousness/ spirit .    I know it is much too complicated to discuss but I have had another shift as I become more and more "individuated".  I can own several tools to continue my being that can affect people I care about.  One day baking works another photographs another repairing a family heirloom...witnessing.  Your work helps who knows how many(?) to witness...to slow down....contemplate.  It is for the one who can listen and feel with the eyes and project  self  into something more interactive  .

My  re-nesting in the childhood home" has allowed me to see the small things"...and for this insight I thank you!  I have been a hoarder since childhood of anything that might be saved. I cannot bear to let my Father's things go..even his clothes...his writing and adding on papers. everything he touched is sacred to me .  Someone brought an old boat troller he used for fishing .  It had his name in his handwriting scrawled with a black marker.  I want to keep so  much and must make decisions .  I am the keeper here..the queen who will dispense and  have to see treasures go to some who may sell or give to a goofball.  The beautiful house my parents built will be sold ; the gardens I planted I walk away from.  It takes years for gardens to get to a beautiful maturity.  So as I am thinking of this I realize my art now must reflect my families history.  It is still archetypal.  It can be seen but I do not have to sell it. Most likely the process anyway will help with the grief process.  We cannot begin to  show ever, ever, deep down what the process does inside our souls. 

We have similar paths...walking thru, yet , we ALL do have to walk thru and  not attach. Artists can provide these sacred scenes for many to see now  no longer in galleries but for the entire world.