The safety of travel on the Delta Queen was never a question for my husband and me.  We're both blind, had heard of the boat, and just wanted a relaxing vacation.  That's why we traveled from St. Paul to St. Louis, for the first of four trips, in 1997.  We were not disappointed!

Our most recent trip was a ten day cruise, this past September, from Pittsburgh to Nashville.  Each trip on this captivating boat is somehow better than the previous.

To think that it's all slipping away, because a politician considers his own personal financial interests greater than those of thousands, or millions, of people along the rivers.  Mr. Oberstar and his colleagues seem disinterested in history, preserving something which cannot be duplicated or replaced, and give little or no thought to the lives they are impacting with their unwillingness to listen to reason.

In these times of great financial concern, Mr. Oberstar is single-handedly removing a source of income to the small businesses all along the Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers.  He says it's in the name of safety.  But, this has been proven to be untrue.  In fact, it's due to the contributions he receives from certain unions.  So, politics and personal financial gain have once again trumped what is best for the country.

No, we haven't been able to "see the beauty of the boat's woodwork or cut glass lighting.  But, we have most definitely been infected by her charm.  We have listened to her calliope, as its tones echo off the shores.  We have heard the majestic tones of the steam whistle as it heralds the approach of this elegant lady.  No, we don't want to lose her, and we will do what we can to get her back, so we can, once again, traverse this country's rivers on the historic decks of our beloved Delta Queen.