Citizen Soldier Museum, Galesburg, IL

 
While it is everywhere called the “Citizen Soldier Museum,” the sign outside says, “National Guard Museum.” It traces the role of the National Guard though many wars, from Colonial Days to Iraq. One of the highlights for me was “The Capture of Santa Ana’s Wax Leg.” The display includes not only the fake leg, but a plastic roasted chicken on a plate and a box of gold coins straight out of a child’s pirate fantasy. Chatting with several of the guardsmen manning the museum, they unanimously agreed that the Heller decision under Justice Scalia ignored the first part of the Second Amendment, that only a “well-regulated militia,” i.e., the National Guard, could own assault rifles.