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John_EightThirtyTwo t1_j9lsjwn wrote

I'm mystified by the people who show up in threads about the SS United States to say it should be destroyed. I imagine they'd say that the Uptown Theater should be torn down, and until a few years ago would say the same thing about the Divine Lorraine or the Met.

It certainly seems unlikely that the Big U will be saved, and if it can, the best place for it would be New York, which was always its home port. For the foreseeable, it's just Philadelphia's biggest abandoned vehicle. But it's historically important, as the fastest ocean liner ever built, and one of the very few that still exist. And it's beautiful.

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Nishamon OP t1_j9lsybp wrote

It also was a ship that the Navy could use. A ship of many talents!

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napsdufroid t1_j9m2ljd wrote

Some people give zero fucks about history. Sad

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conorb619 t1_j9mcn7w wrote

Thank you for appreciating history as well

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reptommel t1_j9n0vht wrote

The USS Olympia is more historically important and hasn't been drydocked in awhile. If any ship in Philly deserves an effort to take care of, it's Gridley's flagship.

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John_EightThirtyTwo t1_j9pm9ns wrote

Yes, if we have to lose one or the other, we should lose the United States.

I think we will lose the United States, and we might eventually lose Olympia and even USS New Jersey as well. Saving the United States is an uphill battle in an environment where other ships that are better preserved struggle to stay afloat. That's why I said in my original message that it seems unlikely the SS United States can be saved.

My point is just that there's a difference between saying "This historic ship will, sadly, probably not be preserved" (which makes you a realist) and saying "I can't wait until the former flagship of the American merchant fleet, the finest ocean liner ever built in the USA, is sunk!", which makes you, in my view, a piece of shit.

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twoweeeeks t1_j9n58zw wrote

You can save some, but you can’t save them all.

(This quote originates from something about decluttering but feels relevant here too.)

Economically and culturally, I think we’re past the point where major refurbishment projects are possible. Focus is going to shift towards maintaining what’s already well preserved.

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iconfuseyou t1_j9pvltl wrote

I mean, there is a pretty big difference between saving an old building and saving an old ship. Seawater is ever consuming and there’s a point of no return for all ships. There’s only so many ships that can be saved and not enough interest for passenger liners. I think it also got screwed by the demise of NCL America which might have put it back to use.

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