The steam whistle, the calliope music, the splashing sound of the paddle wheel - all this will disappear for ever if the Delta Queen is being decomissioned now. We don't want to see this happen. People all along America's rivers have been growing up with these sounds, hearing the deep mellow sound of the steam whistle, listening to the calliope when the boat leaves after a joyful stay in town.

Even Barack Obama, along with many other Senators and Representatives, is on the list of active supporters of a renewed exemption for the Delta Queen to allow her staying on the rivers as an overnight passenger vessel. She's the only one left! She's an important piece of America's history. We want to keep her for our enjoyment as well as for the education of our children who should be able to experience history not only from books, but from a live experience.

And, not that this matters much in the whole picture, I dearly love this boat. I've loved it from the first moment I saw her. She's just unique, nothing can replace her. She's not just a boat. She's something living, almost like a family member. Don't let her die, just for some labor disputes or what ever the real reason may be for some politicians refusing to let her live on. It's not about safety, as they claim. That's for sure, because she's safer than most homes, safer than many other boats that are plying our rivers.

Let's save the Delta Queen!