I recently read an article on the Summit Post where some guy from Washington D.C. posted a huge article essentially justifying the fees imposed on visitors to public lands. I wanted to submit a response to the article, but the Summit Post is not approving my account registration for some reason (go figure).
I expend a lot of words in this blog talking about all the ways that so many Americans are using poor judgement or are in the dark about critical issues. What you don’t see behind the scenes is that every single day I try to do something to help outside of this blog. In this particular instance I literally could not believe my eyes at the spin-doctored journalism of this Washington teacher trying to pass himself off as a news reporter. Nowhere in my blog do I claim to be a professional at what I am doing, but this guy should truly be ashamed of himself.
You can read the article on the Summit Post here:
America the Beautiful Pass Ripoff or Reasonable
My response, which the Summit Post will not print:
I think it’s interesting that you can sit in your chair and type up this article essentially explaining how reasonable the National Park entrance fees are, comfortable in the security of your work and life. What I ask you to think about is all of those in America who’s lives have been turned upside down and will never be the same. Those with more education than you, those with more experience than you, those that have tried their entire lives to play the game by the rules and found in the end that it was worth nothing.
Use of our public lands is a right, it’s a privilege of being an American. That right has been stolen for so many people in this country. In the midst of all that so many are suffering right now as they have to adjust to a new understanding of what success and happiness means for themselves and their families, access to federal and state public lands is becoming increasingly difficult as fees have soared during our time of greatest need.
Most Americans are guilty of making the mistake of spending too much for their basic needs such as housing, food, energy, a vehicle. There were times when it seemed the bounty would never end, and since everything was continuously soaring in price and we can’t all fight every battle that comes our way, we submit. Too many Americans lived in overpriced housing, which reset the bar for everyone. Too many Americans bought vehicles that were too luxurious and consumed too much fuel. And then for many of those same people, the tables were suddenly turned. Now they are unable to earn $175,000 per year and are now happy to have a job earning $35,000 per year.
With the price of nearly everything (except LCD TV’s) continuing to skyrocket in the midst of this upheaval, $80.00 becomes an impossible sum to pay for anything that is non-essential. I think it’s interesting that you break it down into a monthly amount and argue that it’s not that much money, but to more and more Americans an $80.00 expenditure that does not pay the rent or put food on the table is simply not possible.
I live a half hour drive from a National Park, 5 minutes from a National Forest, and 10 minutes from a State Park, and most of my neighbors cannot afford to visit ANY of them, now that all 3 are charging fees or requiring an increasingly expensive annual pass. I think it’s very easy to sit in Washington D.C. and ponder what $80.00 means to the average American, but it’s different to actually be here and see firsthand what is happening.
And of course, the very thing that you mentioned in your article about more and more public lands charging fees is exactly what is happening. Once you open your wallet, everyone wants to grab a dollar from it.
Many of these people desparately need to be able to take a day and visit one of these parks with their families, but they cannot. They need the recuperation that the federal and state public lands systems are supposed to provide, but it’s impossible for them.
The bottom line here is that although you may feel that your rights as an American have not been infringed upon by the increasing park fees, to a great many people, the parks have become inaccessible. And I believe that YOUR DAY IS COMING.
