Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Irreverin

Home
Progressive Christian
Take Out The Trash: The Fight For A Border Wall Is Killing Our National Parks

Take Out The Trash: The Fight For A Border Wall Is Killing Our National Parks

Last updated on: January 3, 2019 at 3:04 pm by Erin Wathen

Take Out The Trash: The Fight For A Border Wall Is Killing Our National Parks 2019-01-03T15:04:53-07:00 Erin Wathen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Some of my best memories are of time spent in National Parks. When my husband and I moved from Kentucky to Arizona, we hit a lot of the big ones in an epic, 6-week long road trip. Living in the West in our pre-kid years, we were annual pass-holders, and generally made good use of it.

Ken Burns’ documentary–National Parks: America’s Best Idea— is aptly named. When the series came out, I watched every episode. Holding my breath, edge of my seat, ready to go jump in the car and drive… anywhere. Whether to a park I’d been to before, or another one I needed to check off the list. Just seeing the images on the screen had that wanderlust effect on me. These places are awe-some, in the truest sense of the word; they are truly our greatest resources, their protection and stewardship among our greatest shared achievements as a nation.

Enter: a tantrum-throwing president who could care less about destroying the environment, much less the beauty of a natural resource. Doesn’t matter if it’s Yosemite or an inner city greenspace: if he’s not building a tower on it, what’s it even for? Let it burn. You people should just rake your leaves more. Or something.

The recent government shut-down over border wall funding means that many of the parks are not staffed. There’s garbage everywhere. People are getting hurt. Vandals destroy property for fun. Business owners in the tourist industry struggle to keep the lights on. Wildlife faces the many dangers of unmonitored human presence. The toilets overflow…

And that says it all, really. Those overflowing toilets provide a pretty apt metaphor for our whole American leadership situation right now.

Yes, the vandals and polluters are gross. They are vile, careless people and I hope they face consequences. But they are a small part of the problem. What’s truly reprehensible, at a macro level, is the intention with which the administration has endangered the parks and their inhabitants. As long as rangers and other park staff remain on hiatus, it is just common sense that the parks should close. And yet, the order was that they remain open to the public.

Open, but not protected. That’s a recipe for disaster, and it is absolutely on purpose. The chaos is the point. The current administration THRIVES on chaos. Daily operations are fueled by dumpster-fire-high-drama-lowbrow-reality-tv-worthy calamity. That’s where they get their power. So they will keep the chaos rolling until hell (or Joshua Tree) freezes over. Or until they get their wall, whichever.

They will keep the chaos rolling, in primetime, and then they will leverage public outrage to get what they want. Meanwhile, and most conveniently, the clamor of the de-regulation meltdown can continue to deflect from the continued investigation, and/or the next round of indictments.

The greatest irony? The wall is supposed to protect all that is good and beautiful about America. But he’s bartering for it at the expense of what is truly our greatest gift and our best idea. I guess if he can’t “protect” the nation on his own terms, he will just destroy it himself. Something about nose-to-spite-face. King Solomon with a baby and a sword. Pick your metaphor. Reps on both sides of the aisle have been working for compromise: but he has rejected everything short of full funding for the wall. It just goes to show, this wall drama has nothing to do with protecting American lives or interests; and everything to do with racism and power.

To get a sense of what could truly be lost in this madness, watch the Ken Burns thing again. Then remember: the chaos is the point. It’s on purpose. Do not get distracted, and do not disengage. If you live near a park– go pick up some trash maybe? And then, come November–go vote, and take out the trash again.

Meanwhile, wherever you live, call your reps. Thank them for their efforts to reach an agreement; and ask them to advocate for closing the gates during the continued stalemate.

This land is your land… save it.

progressive christianity

spirituality

stewardship

Previous Post

January 2, 2019

Jerry Falwell Jr. and the Toxic Theology of 'Two Kingdoms'

Next Post

January 4, 2019 The Sadness of Mary Poppins

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am a promise made to a childless man that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

God's promise Circumcision The covenant with Abraham The New Covenant