A few weeks ago, I found this article and was a little shocked at what I read. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, is currently reviewing 27 national monuments across the country. After he reviews these parks, he and president Trump are said to downsize them. I personally do not agree with this because it is said that Trump will auction off the land that is no longer part of the monuments to private businesses for development purposes. These parks are home to many different types of animals and are meant to preserve what little nature we have left. I highly recommend looking at the list because a good portion of the parks are in our home state. What are your thoughts?
8 comments:
This summer I visited Yosemite National Park for the first time, and I was amazed by the beauty and majesty of its natural scenery. I seriously oppose reducing the size of natural preserves when we should actually be focusing on increasing the space of public preserve. Cutting away public preserve in the interest of giving more development space for big businesses and corporations will only accelerate global warming and the decline of natural resources made available to ourselves and future generations. Environmentalist groups ought to unite in a concerted effort to oppose this action of President Trump.
With global warming becoming an increasingly large problem both caused and faced by the United States, selling off the land to private businesses for "development purposes" will only cause more issues. Thus, it is important that the government do everything in its power to prevent these spaces from being sold to businesses that may have no interest in protecting the environment.
Moreover, these national monuments remain a large part of American identity. Our efforts to preserve and conserve these national monuments help Americans grow connected to Earth's natural beauty, which is something that we should be trying to protect in a time where greed is threatening the environment.
Not only does the reduction or elimination of national monuments endanger the wildlife protected within them, but it also sets a bad precedent for the future of public reserves. I see our national monuments as traditional and characteristic part of American culture, and diminishing them removes this cherished aspect, especially considering the historic backgrounds of many of the monuments under review. In addition, if Trump does decide to remove any national monuments, his action will clash with Roosevelt's Antiquities Act, which does not mention anything about revoking public reserves that former presidents wanted to protect.
It is alarming to hear that President Trump is considering downsizing these national monuments, especially in the context of today, when climate change and global warming are no joke. I believe that we have already destroyed the Earth enough, by tearing down forests, polluting the air, and destroying wildlife for our selfish purposes (industrializing, making room for businesses and houses). I would urge President Trump and any others who are in accordance with his decision to downsize some monuments, to realize that destroying the little nature that we have left, will not only accelerate the destruction of our planet, but will also make it uninhabitable for humans.
I agree with everyone above. Global warming and climate change is an active issue of today and by downsizing national monuments, the issue will only grow. Instead, the government(and the people) should focus on taking care of Earth rather than economical benefits. National monuments also act as an escape from the technology we are all surrounded by. Though I support technological advancements, I believe National Monuments ought to stay as an historical symbol because everyone needs a break from technology once in a while.
Trump’s intention to downsize these national monuments for the benefit of businesses should definitely not be followed through on. The government should preserve some of the few places in the United States that remain untouched by business and development for the benefit of future generations of Americans, if nothing else. Other than the dire effects eliminating natural landscapes would have on the environment, the process of establishing national monuments via the Antiquities Act is central to America’s history and culture; taking away these national monuments would be equivalent to a diminishment of the historical significance of these monuments, as well as of the presidents who sought to preserve these landscapes.
I love these national parks, and have backpacked through many of them . I find them to be the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and I hope that their beauty will remain as it is for many many generations to experience. I wouldn't like to see the parks downsized, and I don't think that their is any real reason to do so.
I disagree with the attempt to downsize the national parks. I see this as akin to the deregulation of lead bullets used by hunters. This clearly will damage the environment, with no clear benefit. Here, Republicans feign being opposed to big government, when the real reason to do this is to annoy their opposition. There are things big government has done that has actually harmed people that they don't feel inclined to get rid of. One example is the ability for billionaires to take people's property with eminent domain, like what Trump has done to the people who were in the way of his casino's parking lot.
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