Friday, December 02, 2005

Surreal world

Straight out of a novel or sick satirical skit on a late-night comedy show comes the latest news on our government's willingness to sell anything, anything at all to the highest bidder: corporate sponsorship of park projects and facilities. And the donors get naming rights for trails or other facilities, and use of National Park symbols AND personnel in advertising.
The plan, something that Interior Secretary Gale Norton calls "exciting", would put pressure on park superintendents to please donors, or avoid policies that displease them—at least, if they want to keep the park going. The administration doesn't want to pay for our parks' operation, so why not sell it off to the hucksters? This is just one step on the way to privatization of parks, which may seem like a good idea to some, but guess what? WE OWN THEM IN TRUST. Selling them off to some company, in whole or incrementally, as above, is selling our legacy to our children for chump change, baubles.
Welcome to the Surreal World of Corporatocracy.

No comments: