Durham man expelled from Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit

Raleigh, N.C. — A Durham man wearing a shirt criticizing Israel and instructing people not to buy tickets to see the Dead Sea Scrolls was expelled from the exhibit and asked to leave the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, museum spokeswoman Emelia Cowans said.

D.J. Register, who is a volunteer escort for the elderly, brought a holocaust survivor to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the museum on Friday, Cowans said.

When Register started walking around the museum, employees asked him to either turn his shirt inside out or zip up his jacket. When Register refused he was asked to leave the museum because he did not have a permit to protest in a state government building.

Both Register and the woman he was escorting were refunded the money for the exhibit tickets.

The exhibit began June 28 at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and ended Sunday. The exhibit originally was supposed to end Dec. 28 but was extended.

The scrolls contain the oldest known copy of the Hebrew Bible. They date back more than 2,000 years and are considered one of the most important archaeological finds ever.

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ridgerunner: "And to read that some are so misguided as to think Bush and Chaney have any real control over what Israel does."

If we yank military aid (in the billions) from Israel, they'll listen. They are using our tax dollars for their never ending war.

cvdurham
January 5, 2009 7:56 p.m.

And to read that some are so misguided as to think Bush and Chaney have any real control over what Israel does.

ridgerunner
January 5, 2009 7:33 p.m.

People make statements all the time after paying hefty prices that "people shouldn't buy these tickets," they should "boycott" this place, etc, as this person did. Not reported by the Museum was that before this person was expelled he submitted an OPEN RECORDS LAW REQUEST to Angela Baker James, (919) 733-7450, ext. 351, for release of financial data surrounding the exhibit. The Capitol Police left the man wearing the sign upon the sidewalk saying that his actions didn't constitute a protest without a permit, but they had to follow the orders of Museum management. Sadly, it was the holocaust survivor and her escort who had their Museum experience spoiled by re-living something that would have also happened in Nazi Germany.

diogenes
January 5, 2009 7:31 p.m.

ratherbnnc thought "Well Justin! at least we got your money! THANKS!!"

Guess again - free passes for the wife and me to see the "postage stamps". Justin T.

ZING! lol

deadhead
January 5, 2009 7:17 p.m.

law is the law, a t-shirt (the kind being worn) is a form of protest therefore the man was breaking the rules... this isn't a freedom of expression issue. had he been walking down the street that'd be a different story. he was in a public building... with rules.