Not
all that long ago we were told that the iconic flying saucer that looked as if
it had crashed into the side of the International UFO Museum and Research
Center in Roswell, New Mexico, had been stolen. It seems that the saucer had
been taken down for cleaning or repair and it was stored behind the museum
until it could be
placed back in its position. Three apparent teenagers (I say
apparent because one has been caught who was a teen but I’m not sure the other
two were) loaded the saucer into their pick-up truck and drove away.
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| Roswell saucer in happier days. Photo copyright by Kevin Randle |
Today
we learn that the saucer has been destroyed. Pieces of the Roswell saucer wreckage
were recovered by the side of a road (and yes, I wrote that line that way on
purpose because I could say that “pieces of the Roswell saucer wreckage had
been recovered.”) I don’t know what would inspire someone to do something like
that. It isn’t actually a harmless prank when you destroy the object. Had they
returned it intact, or told those at the museum where to recover it, then it is
relatively harmless. To destroy it changes the act.
The
mystery, however, has been solved and the juveniles, if not already caught, are
not long away from that. The names are known. These sorts of things sadden me
whether it is tipping over gravestones (which is sort of harmless if they can
be placed back with ease) or the defacing of a national monument because your ideology
happens to differ from that of those who erected it, or just smashing mailboxes
because you can. No real reason for it.
Taking the saucer is sort of funny but
only if returned undamaged. To destroy it makes no sense but then there is a
great deal to the Roswell case that makes no sense.
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| Saucer situated at the corner of the museum. Copyright by Kevin Randle |
(I had thought of all sorts of headlines for this short tale, such as "Pieces of Roswell Saucer Recovered," "Roswell Saucer Found," or "Roswell Saucer Debris Recovered," but it seemed to smack of the sensational and probably would have driven traffic to this blog, but each of those headlines was misleading. I'll leave that sort of thing to AOL News and the Huffington Post.)
10 comments:
This is unfortunate of course. I was at the museum just a few weeks ago and noticed it wasn't attached to the building and nowhere to be seen. I figured perhaps it was just taken down long ago.
I suppose the good news is that insurance will cover the cost of another, or perhaps a private donor.
Worthy to note that in viewing many of the documentaries on Roswell during the 50th anniversary, quite many of the local residents and teenagers weren't even aware of the story or the museum's presence. Sort of hard to believe given the size of the town but my guess would be that today there may be even fewer teenage believers and such a prank is more likely given a decline in interest.
Even so they should face charges for their actions.
We now live in a world where the young are no longer taught such outdated beliefs as responsibility and respect. While they are told that to offend someone is tantamount to a physical attack the same is not true for destruction of physical things.
@Sarge,
Children are products of the culture they grow up in, a culture that's entirely fostered by....their parents and grand parents! Fortunately, we live in a country where we have free speech, and offending someone isn't a crime, and it's not tantamount to a physical attack.
Certainly, vandalism has gotten more destructive than it was when I was a kid, but that was just after the dinosaurs became extinct :)
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You should have used one of your 3 suggested headlines. It would then have become a good April Fools joke, a few hours early.
While this incident is regrettable, I have been informed by Museum principals that they intend to replace the missing saucer with an even better one.
Thank you for writing and for your concern.
Kevin, do you know whether the museum needs funds to replace it? If so, I would be willing to help out by donating a few dollars and I'm sure others would also. Visiting that museum is on my "bucket list."
"While this incident is regrettable, I have been informed by Museum principals that they intend to replace the missing saucer with an even better one."
Perhaps an update to a triangle craft might be in order - flying saucers are so 1947.
Its an unfortunate fact that in society you will always get scum that deserve to be in one place - behind bars - and with the keys thrown away. Recalcitrant unrepentant teenagers, ISIS, Jaime Maussan, these types of critters. :)
..look at the bright side: for once everyone agrees with the comments by Brian Bell....:)...
"I don’t know what would inspire someone to do something like that."
Really? Small city, bored kids, one of them has a pickup, probably some weed and alcohol involved...yeah, they're assholes, but you have to had grown up as a closeted child to be confused by this.
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