Analysis: National Parks Are Not America's Best Idea

National Parks Are Not America's Best Idea. National parks definitely have a big significance in American history that is not even a question. What is questioned is just how important national parks are. People like Wallace Stegner, or Ken Burns believe that national parks are America’s best idea; however, people like Clay Jenkinson, director of The Dakota Institute, or Alan Spears, of High County News, would agree that National parks are indeed not the greatest idea of America. Clay Jenkinson directly said, “National parks are not America’s best idea” (The National Parks; America’s Best Idea). Obviously it is a split issue on just how important the National Parks really are but clearly National Parks is not America’s greatest ide. Firstly, national parks are developed by racism of the
Native Americans. National parks were just special land before Europeans overtook the land from Native Americans. There were many tribes of Natives living in the area who were either killed or forcibly removed from the land. What makes this worse is we pretended like we discovered this land but in reality natives had not only named the land but they had settled there. The Native Americans, treated all land with respect and that is why before Europeans came to America, the locations for National Parks were in pristine condition. It is sad that we have to prevent people from destroying such majestic locations due to our greediness for resources. Secondly, compared to other American ideas national parks just do not compare. There are countless American ideas some not as great as others but when we get stuff right we really get stuff right. For instance the American Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Ford GT, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil Rights act, and so many more. Frankly, it is extremely naive to call National Parks the best American idea. Lastly, national parks are not treated like the best idea.
No matter what national park visitors go to there is one thing in common; littering, graffiti, destruction, and the proof of human existence. The whole idea behind of the national parks is to preserve the parks from human destruction but clearly that hasn’t worked. Even in regular parks when there is enough human activity there will be destruction of nature. The approach of the national parks is too lax. Unless there is to be an increased budget or other advances the national parks are just going to continue to decay. So many people have a negative attitude towards preserving the parks. Education is also something vital that just implemented. Today common knowledge is not that common. Take for instance the dad and son that took a baby bison in their car because they thought that it was cold and lost. That should have been easily avoidable. Clearly the attempts to preserve the national parks while letting so much freedom in the parks is a futile struggle. Even when education is pushed such as trying to stop forest fires. The Smokey the bear campaign without a doubt helped but even today wildfires are still very
common. National parks are not by any which means a bad idea. They are crucial to American history and culture. They play a large part in tourism as well as they provide a look at the wonders of America. They provide unique experiences to every visitor of national parks. They may be strong defining features states and they provide jobs. There are so many things that make national parks great. National parks’ importance is without a doubt a very debatable issue. Many people will say they are the most important idea and there are many people who would agree that National parks are not the best American idea. Each side has a complete outlook on the matter and different points to prove their points. It is however, evident that overall National parks have not only played a huge part in the United States but they still currently play a major part in the United States but they are without a doubt not America’s best idea.