(Photos/TMJ4)
This story bothers me. No joke.
The Milwaukee County Board took on a Weekend at Bernie's vibe today.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Samson the gorilla paid a visit to the Milwaukee County Board today, prompting chuckles of delight and then a crush of supervisors eager to have their photo taken with the dearly departed star attraction of the Milwaukee County Zoo.
A restored version of the very beast - normally on display at the Milwaukee Public Museum - served as a PR gimmick for museum officials to underscore their accomplishment in paying off $6 million in county taxpayer guaranteed debt years early.
The final payment was made late last month and museum President Dan Finley said Samson represented the debt - "the monkey on our back" - being lifted.
"I'm not sure how he got through security, but I don't think anyone would stop him," Finley told the board.
After a brief ceremonial speech on retiring the museum debt, supervisors jostled for position around the fearsome simian to have their pictures snapped.
...Samson, a 650-pound male silverback gorilla, entertained generations of patrons at Milwaukee County Zoo, where he resided for more than 30 years. He died in 1981. Samson is on permanent display at the museum and also was featured in the "Samson Remembered" exhibit at the museum from December 2006 to last January.
I don't think Samson should have been a symbol for the museum's debt.
Why associate the beloved gorilla with the museum's screw-ups?
To make matters worse, Samson gets dragged out to the County Board for a celebration.
Yuck!
It can't be a simple thing to transport Samson. I don't think he should be trotted out like that. It sort of besmirches his memory.
There's something disrespectful about it.
I admit I'm somewhat taken aback by my feelings about upholding Samson's dignity, but it is what it is.
I'm troubled that he's being used as a prop. Not cool.
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