“HOW GREAT THOU ART”

Perhaps it is the aging process (yes indubitably getting older) and major health

challenges. I am reunited with my enduring interest in history, both in the broad

overview global as well as local and personal. I am struck by the consistent parallels of

125 years ago and today’s headlines. The corporate energy oligarchies aligned with

political consorts are again seeking to be permitted to develop new oil exploration in our

national parks. This is astounding, our national park system provides “we the people”

ownership, access, and stewardship. As I have often written I am not opposed to

prudent management development of our natural gas resources in the Marcellus

crescent in the Allegheny River Valley area. However, our national park system should

be treated as almost sacred. Currently I have been viewing of several videos produced

by Ken Burns and have been absolutely astounded by their beauty and the information

presentation and the on going struggle to protect the American peoples ownership and

access. (As you the reader may have done with your family) I have traveled with my

sons to places such as the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Four Corners, and walked

among the Sequoia and Redwoods Trees in California and the wilds of the Allegheny

Forest here in Pennsylvania.

Now to hear again the current administration is cutting funding, staffing and protection of

these awesome natural God created areas in the past thousands perhaps millions of

years old seems asinine. Turning over the American Peoples Parks to the current band

of Merry men and women, lobbyists and attorneys seem extremely foolish. We the

people need to demand a go-slow approach and the attitude “don’t tread on us” and

leave our parks outside development. We spend almost a trillion dollars on defense

“now war”, one would think we can fund the Park System adequately. In Europe most

wild areas are controlled or owned by the rich and those with noble lineage. We have a

President who has said he sees himself as King, how great thou art? He also contends

we are entering the Golden Age. We should note we have been here before’ it was

called the Gilded Age.

From Wikipedia: The Gilded Age, period of gross materialism and blatant political

corruption in U.S. history from the late1870s to about 1900. Characterized by rapid

economic growth, industrialization and vast wealth of a few, but with extreme inequality,

political corruption and social problems including poverty and labor exploitation. It was

presided over by a collection of colorful and energetic entrepreneurs who became

known alternatively as “captains of industry” and “robber barons.” They grew rich

through the monopolies they created in the steel, petroleum, and transportation

industries.

Or maybe it is again the time of the Wizard of Oz and soon we will see behind the

curtain. Even more distressing it the tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes. From Wikipedia

The tale concerns an emperor who has an obsession with fancy new clothes, and

spends lavishly on them, at the expense of state matters. One day, two con-men visit

the emperor. Posing as weavers, they offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that

are invisible to those who are either incompetent or stupid. The gullible emperor hires

them, and they set up looms and pretend to go to work. A succession of officials,

starting with the emperor's wise and competent minister, and then ending with the

emperor himself, visit them to check their progress. Each sees that the looms are empty

but pretends otherwise to avoid being thought a fool.

Finally, the "weavers" report that the emperor's suit is finished. They mime dressing him

and he sets off in a procession before the whole city. The townsfolk uncomfortably go

along with the pretense, not wanting to appear inept or stupid, until a child blurts out that

the emperor is wearing nothing at all.

We the people are not stupid, what was Abraham Lincoln attributed to saying: “you can

fool some of the people all of the time, and all the people some of the time but you

cannot fool all of the people all of the time”.

When one stands on a high point in our glorious, wild wilderness and is enthralled by

natures grandeur one can truly say to the heavens “How Great Thou Art”.