The decision not to raise the flamingo pole is a good one. As a non-native artist who has worked with northwest coast native, master carvers, I know firsthand something of the thorny issues involved in practicing in this artistic tradition. To the peoples of the coast whose identity is reflected by story poles, these artistic idioms are sacred. In trying to explain to fellow non-natives just why this flamingo pole was so offensive and painful, I might compare it to flag burning or perhaps some public desecration of the Bible. I might also compare the issues of cultural appropriation to a copyright dispute. Sometimes, artistic expression, even when well-intentioned, can cause real injury. I can empathize very well with the pain and frustration of the flamingo carvers since, as an artist, I live with all kinds of limitations in regard to what I can do in the northwest coast artistic idiom. However, the pain the raising of this pole would cause far outweighs any benefits to its creators.