Critics Say Park Service Is Letting Religion & Politics Affect Policies

[kskiska]

Critics Say the Park Service Is Letting Religion and Politics Affect Its Policies

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 — To halt the removal of a cross placed in the Mojave National Preserve almost 70 years ago to commemorate World War I veterans, a Republican lawmaker from California has proposed swapping the land it sits on with a private group.

The National Park Service recently ordered the return of plaques bearing biblical verses that had hung in Grand Canyon National Park for more than 30 years before they were taken down last summer. The Park Service also approved selling a book at the Grand Canyon that suggests the canyon was created in six days several thousand years ago.

And here at the Lincoln Memorial, an eight-minute film that shows historical events at the memorial, including demonstrations for civil rights, abortion rights and gay rights, is being revised by the Park Service to add four minutes of more politically neutral events.

While the Park Service says these are unrelated incidents, reflecting no overarching political policy, a national alliance of public environmental workers says the efforts are evidence of a new program of "faith-based parks" promoted by the Bush administration with the strong support of conservative groups.

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http://nytimes.com/2004/01/18/politics/18PARK.html

[Bertha Venation]

1. Flap over the Currituck Beach (NC) light house

involved a deputy sec'y at NPS/DOI citing a bible verse (!) in an email to someone concerned about transfer of the lighthouse to a private non-profit. It also involved NC Congressman Walter Jones trying something rather underhanded -- something far outside his authority, if not outright illegal -- to keep the lighthouse from going to the non-profit. One of the owners of the non-profit is gay.*

I have absolutely no doubt about what goes on in the Bush administration when it comes to religion. They believe they have the right to impose their religion on every aspect of life in this country. We have to stop them.

(* The lighthouse & keeper's house were falling apart and the grounds were a disaster. The non-profit had leased it from the gov't and spent twenty years loving the place, restoring it and turning it into a jewel on the Outer Banks. Last year, they and Currituck County submitted bids to DOI. The non-profit's bid scored near 100%; the county's, in the 30s. Still, DOI dragged its feet. Then Jones got involved, in a way in which he had no right to be involved. He also had prayer meetings about it, leaned on people, etc. Finally, title has been transferred, and the non-profit has the lighthouse.)

[pfitz59]

2. Grand Canyon NP book store...

had a book describing GC as evidence of "Noah's Flood". Book was removed after scientists complained. Fundies are sick and devious.

[Bertha Venation]

3. Fundies are devoted, blinded by faith, and committed.

"Sick" and "devious," while undoubtedly describing some fundies, aren't words I'd use of all of them.

Rep. Walter Jones (NC) -- definitely devious. Seen him in action on this very issue.

[zonmoy]

4. Devoted is not a word I would use

deluded is a much better term.

[Bertha Venation]

5. One man's ceiling, zonmoy. EOM

[DavidMS]

6. The article addresses a large number of seperate issues.

A memorial to World War I veterans, from the early 1930s is vastly diffrent from selling a book that implies goverment endrcement of psudeoscience. Thats like a gift shop at NIH selling a book recomending prayer and the purging of "evil humors" from the body to treat any known desease.

The teaching of psuedo science is much worse than a war memorial. Though the memorial may need a plaque explaining the historical context.