It’s been more than a dozen years since the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley was raised from the floor of Charleston harbor.
Since then tens of millions of South Carolina tax dollars have been spent on this sub – a massive investment which continues today via Clemson University’s so-called “Restoration Institute.”
Why would South Carolinians pay such exorbitant sums on a Confederate Submarine? That’s easy: One of the Palmetto State’s most powerful politicians – former Senate President and current Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell is obsessed with the Hunley (and the Confederacy in general).
He’s pushed the funding – and subservient “Republicans” in the S.C. General Assembly and pliable “higher educrats” have gone along for the ride.
The latest chapter in the Hunley’s ongoing guzzling of tax dollars? A big reveal about the “spar” at the front of the vessel which is supposed to shed new light on the submarine’s sinking.
In case our headline wasn’t abundantly clear, we’re going to say this once more (with feeling): We don’t give a flying fuck what caused the Hunley to sink.
Not only that, as far as we’re concerned the rust bucket ought to be dumped back in Charleston Harbor from whence it never should have been removed.
In no universe is the preservation and research of a nineteenth century Confederate submarine a core function of government – and the taxpayers of South Carolina shouldn’t spend another dime on this notorious boondoggle (or the future aspirations of its six-figure bureaucrats).
Seriously … enough with the damn Hunley already!
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36 comments
Should Fort Sumter be preserved? Should Fort Moultrie be preserved? What about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington? How much is spent on various massive monuments in DC? What does the Smithsonian cost the taxpayer? SC taxpayers by virtue of being federal taxpayers pay for those.
The short answer is Sic Willie has a hard on (pun intended) for McConnell so that is the real source of Sic Willie’s angst.
Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it.
Yes, Sumter and Moultrie should be preserved as well as the Tomb, the Smithsonian… but Will does have a point Bubbles (I know, I know, it doesn’t happen very often).
There is a point where public dollars need to be conserved rather than spent on “every worthwhile project under the sun”. The Hunley has a unique place in history that crosses several areas of interest and thus deserves a little extra consideration. Should the money be spent without oversight – oh hell no. Should there be a finite amount of money spent – oh yes.
Have we reached the finite amount yet? Unfortunately, probably not, but we do need to decide how much is enough. When the hull is stable, I think we reached “enough” for now. That said, the FOTH will never have the finances to take over the project completely and the Hunley is worth the expense as a historical turning point.
The discovery that a piece of the “torpedo” was still attached to the spar refutes “eyewitness” accounts and is contrary to the design’s intent. The findings are far from conclusive though.
Those are things that are easy to preserve and did not require multi millions to raise from the sea floor. At some point, you have to consider a cost/benefit analysis, and benefit of raising and preserving the Hunley is not worth the cost.
CNSYD. Please dispense with your slippery slope “counterpoints.” Your knee-jerk defense of all things Clemson has gotten old.
face, you are dumber than dirt. The article is about a historical artifact and not Clemson.
Actually, the Clemson restoration institute, such as it is, is responsible for this exhausted artifact.
I am so happy someone agrees with me on this money pit! And CNSYD if the Hunley is such a national treasure, why doesn’t uncle sam pay as much for it as the Smithsonian? Come the fuck on. Get my tax dollars OUT of Glen’s pet project.
The Hunley was raised from the deep in a very different financial climate. We were booming then. We had money for this fantastically nostalgic bullshittery then.
Everything is different now – Now we have to stop the bleeding. Hell we can’t even afford to pave or maintain our roads, and we have sinecurial symbols like Abraham Turner financing himsef a massive mansion door while footmen pull out his chair.
And if it were up to me, for a while anyway all of those artsie fartsie monuments to our pompousness would run on a shoestring for the next decade whle we dig ourselves out of this HOLE.
… you guys just have to make me look up words!…but I can’t find “sinecurial” – dammit!
Very good write up once again Interested.
The thing is, the slippery slope is well defined by Will’s constant complaining about what constitutes “a core function of government”.
It is a meaningless statement. It is the very argument about everything having to do with gov’t. Some people believe EVERYTHING is a core function, a la the General Welfare clause….others claim it’s only the military, police, & education. Literally, you could get a different answer to the question “what should gov’t be doing?” from each person you ask.
The one answer you’ll rarely get is “nothing”. So these fights will go on forever.
In no universe is the preservation and research of a nineteenth century Confederate submarine a core function of government
because it needed to be said again!
please enlighten us oh learned one. what are the core functions of government?
“like”
On December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma was moored outboard the battleship USS Maryland and rapidly received seven to nine torpedo hits on the port (left) side. Capsizing roughly in 20 minutes after the attack began, over 400 men were trapped inside, of which only 32 were rescued by frantic civilian shipyard crews trying to cut through the keel (bottom) of the ship with pneumatic hammers and torches. Resting in the main channel of the harbor, a major salvage operation began in March of 1943.
A California salvage company bought the ship for scrap and began towing the USS Oklahoma to Oakland in the spring of 1947. On May 17, the ship began listing to port and the tow lines had to be cut. The USS Oklahoma sank approximately 540 miles northeast of the Hawaiian Islands. The spirits of 429 lost souls may have silently cheered when this tribute to the loss of the Oklahoma was written:
“Good for you Oklahoma!
Go down at sea in deep water,
as you should, under the stars.
No razor blades for you! They
can make ‘em from the ships and
Planes that did you in.
So long, Oklahoma!
You were a good ship!”
One day the H.L.Hunley will go on display in a Museum Perhaps a nine year old will sneak a small bat into the Museum. While walking around the Hunley he will take his small bat and tap the hull of the Hunley. Within seconds the Hunley will begin to disintegrate and end up one large pile of rust particles.
The H.L. Hunley was the watery Tomb for a few brave men. Their
Tomb and their remains have been desecrated.
“you don’t tug on Superman’s cape,
you don’t spit into the wind,
you don’t pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger”
and
You leave the dead alone.
Nicely said Mr. Lewis
“LIKE”
Glenn Pedro Beauregard Pinckney McConnell III, dreams of giant steel phallic symbols rising from the deep to be encased and preserved by him forever. Or until the swelling subsides.
….WRONG! McConnell dreams of—–
Standing erect on the Hunley as it leaves Charleston Harbor sailing into the rays of the morning sun that reflects off of his shining brass and steel and the reflective black polish of his leathers as he gazes into the sky with his decoratively plumed headdress held high pointing to the heavens as he squints and yells – “There is a God and He has allowed me to fulfill my Destiny!”
Goodbye, Glen and “happy sailing! — and don’t forget to batten down the hatch!”
will there be room for his little toy cannon?
Maybe we can invent a time machine for McConnel so he can go back and lead the Hunley on its last, doomed voyage.
…. Bonner – sorry, but no – his ego will take up too much space.
…. Original – sorry, but no – it would make a terrific story and do you think Nikki would fund the Arts Commission to film it?
Our Funding Editor volunteered to serve on the Hunley’s fateful mission, but she was turned down because the boat did not have female restroom facilities.
But, she is a big supporter of the research and restoration.
She says, “sic(k) willie is such a m@r@n.”
If federal, state and local governments paid any attention to his childish rants about the Hunley they would….
Close the Smithsonian:
http://www.si.edu/
Clear cut the Smokey Mountains Park and sell it:
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
Clear cut, sell the timber and sell our state parks:
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/
And just look at all the property counties could sell:
http://richlandcountyrecreation.com/
http://www.lcrac.com/
http://www.icrc.net/
And, don’t forget this “waste” of taxpayer money.
http://www.riverbanks.org/
FitsNews is a real idiot!!! The Restoration Institute does so much more for SC than you will ever admit. Get your facts straight!!!!
You know, the best part of you and your friends in the statehouse? The brown stain on your mum’s mattress.
….. many excellent points made above
So you see McConnell’s penis obsession (Hunley) is never-ending.
It’s one big, expensive circle-jerk, with Bill Schachte and Clemson’s board all stroking in unison.
We taxpayers are taking it up the ass.
those guys were really small;get over it,glen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE5Ve0y0m1Y
McConnell, like Bobby Harrell, is a skilled psychopath in sheeps clothing. Keen minds see right through their bs smoke blowing.
Queen Jean has General Glenn’s back and vice versa. No lawsuits will ever disrupt the General’s hobby. You fitsnews folks have no clue how much influence these two have in running SC on a day to day basis.
My dog can do better research for articles than FitsNews. uSC Journalism School at its best. FitsNews is just another prime example of why this state is so backwards!. Thanks uSC!
The War Between the States was SCs last accomplishment. What’s a few dollars to remember the Lost Cause?
I hell of a lot rather spend money on the Hunley than on these government schools.At least the Hunley was successful in it’s mission.
“Accomplishment”??
BWWAAA HAAA HAAAA
More like the in-breds’ first in a string of follies continuing to present day with Miss McConnell leading the charge of the light loafers.
wif all day munny spent, ah hopes dey preserved day “re-elect strom thurmond” sticker whut wuz on de back….
…..WHAT! —- Strom’s not dead?