A recent op-ed in the Oregonian claims that raising Mount St. Helens to a national park would cheapen the memories of those killed during the 1980 eruption. According to the op-ed Mount St. Helens is a place of "tremendous sorrow and astounding rebirth." Making the volcano a national park would cheapen the area by possibly "loving it death."
By this logic any tomb or place of mass death would be barred from ever becoming part of the national park system. Unfortunately, this would mean national parks such as Grant's tomb, the flight 93 memorial, or the USS Arizona would never have been established. The national park service for nearly 100 years has preserved and appropriately memorialized sites such as these, all while welcoming millions of visitors.
The National Park Service would bring the same level of professionalism to Mount St. Helens.
What are your thoughts on whether designating Mount St. Helens a national park would cheapen the place.
No comments:
Post a Comment