OPINION: Why Americans Are So Upset Over the Defunding of National Parks
By: Maya Tinajero, Skyline Desk Chief
ALPINE – On Feb. 14 the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency defunded over 400 national parks, a testament to America’s history, sense of community, and our dedication to preserve our world for future generations.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation, 5% of national parks service staff, around 1,000 workers, have been fired. Despite disguising these mass terminations as a way of cutting expenses, there has been an outbreak of national public outrage. Protests, including the one held on Feb. 26, just outside our own Big Bend National Park, have been organized to object to the firings.
The uproar was so intense that the Trump Administration has since restored 50 jobs and plans to hire nearly 3,000 seasonal workers. All positions have been affected by the cuts, meaning matters such as maintenance, visitors’ safety, research and conservation efforts, are now at risk of neglect.
While some of these jobs have been restored, there is still no staffing plan and with the spring and summer months coming up, chaos is likely to ensue.
President Trump is in a position meant to uplift, unite, and advocate for the country, yet so far, his seemingly haphazard policies have done everything but that.
The parks bring in billions of dollars, attract tourists, and hold a priceless sentimental value to our country. Simply restoring jobs to park services is like an attempt to cover a bullet wound with a band-aid.
A number of laid-off employees worked for the park’s human resources and would have been involved in hiring and training.
While President Trump and his unelected pal Elon Musk sit in the White House, making rushed decisions with apparently no real understanding of their impact, Americans are suffering. The workers who this current administration has fired or tried to buy out, are people who genuinely care for our country, our citizens, and our land. Rather than siding with real Americans, President Trump has yet again, aligned himself with America’s wealthiest citizens, the 1%.
