Ken Burns National Parks Special is all leftist propaganda.

[AUH2O Repub]

I just got done watching the Ken Burns National Parks special. This is a show by, for and about tree huggers. They must have said five or six times how much better the parks are in Government hands than being run by private enterprise. They made everyone that tried to keep the parks in private hands to be nothing but evil. This even extended to keeping the parks away from the states and in the hands of the feds. Nothing but socialist drivel.

[AUH2O Repub]

What about all of the people that lose their land via eminent domain?

[cripplecreek]

I tend to agree. Granted most land in the US should be in private hands but the states and Feds did a service by preserving some really great places. I’d really hate to see our state and national parks turned into tourist traps with flashy signs and all the trappings.

That said, the feds these days seem to be interested in making access ever more restricted. I suspect there are many like Al Gore who would happily restrict all access to wilderness to authorized biologists and VIPs like themselves.

[Ditter]

We lost a big chunk of our ranch first for a new highway and then more for a county airport, it happens.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Rooted in Teddy “The Progressive Bull Moose” Roosevelt.

[cripplecreek]

I’m pretty much surrounded by state game area here and I couldn’t be happier. Keeps the riff raff at a distance.

[Charles Henrickson]

parks are a little bit different. If our parks were privately owned someone would build condos and golf clubs all over them. I love our state and National Parks and they should remain like they are, open for everyone to enjoy forever. Bash away, I don't care.

I'm with you on this one, Ditter, and we may be in the minority here. I am glad we have the national parks, especially the big scenic ones like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon. These places truly are national treasures and they need to be preserved in some state of wildness.

Tonight's program showed pictures of how, already in the 1800s, these places were being turned into tacky, commercialized tourist traps. The comparison even back then was that they ought not be turned into "another Niagara Falls." Having been to Niagara Falls a couple of years ago and having seen the encroachment of kitsch, I know what they mean.

I have gone backpacking by myself on a couple of trips into the high backcountry of the Sierra Mountains, away from anyone else and anywhere you could get to by car. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen on earth. I know how John Muir felt.

Where I differ from some of the folks on tonight's program is, I do not worship nature. Rather, I praise the Lord God who created all this, and I enjoy his handiwork.

[cripplecreek]

I don’t think you’re in all that small of a minority. I’m really glad we have the big beautiful national forrests and state parks.

[driftdiver]

Go to the Smoky Mountains National Park. Great place.

Throughout the park are empty houses from the people who used to live there but were forced off by our Federal Govt.

In many cases it was done with very little compensation.

[cripplecreek]

Been there. When did this become about eminent domain? This was about existing national parks.

[Charles Henrickson]

Go to the Smoky Mountains National Park. Great place.

I agree. I was there for the first time a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, right outside the park is tacky Gatlinburg and not far from there the even more deplorable Pigeon Forge. Yeccchhh! I hate to think of that kind of crap working its way up the mountain.

[GOPJ]

Not only is all leftist propaganda, but a hefty chunk of it was most likely subsidized with our tax dollars...

[driftdiver]

“Been there. When did this become about eminent domain? This was about existing national parks.”

Just pointing out that eminent domain was how many of these parks were created.

So as you enjoy that beautiful vista, just remember it was stolen from a US Citizen through force.

[kittymyrib]

What do you expect from the government’s propaganda arm, PBS? It should have been kicked off the taxpayer gravy train long ago.

[driftdiver]

Yeah but the cabins are inexpensive in Gatlinburg and you are 20 mins away from some great places.

Stay on the other side of the park where they consider Gatlinburg a big town.

[Yo-Yo]

Ken Burns...PBS...Leftist...

[Ditter]

One of the most interesting things I have ever seen was a volcano tube. You could walk down into the volcano on a winding path until you were deep enough for ice to remain even though it was summer. It was during a long car trip and I am not certain of even which state, Utah, Nevada, somewhere in the west. It was privately owned and operated and the tackiness was appalling. I think the owners thought they were being clever but this natural wonder didn't need all their silly signs.

[wardaddy]

Burns...typical meteroyuppie leftist revisionist......some here revere his WBTS work...yech.

[cripplecreek]

So as you enjoy that beautiful vista, just remember it was stolen from a US Citizen through force.

Yeah thousands of farmers were driven off the land for yellowstone LOL

[Lancey Howard]

Ken Burns was a one-hit wonder (baseball). He’s perfect for PBS, the graveyard of forgotten has-beens and never-weres like Burns and that old drunk-driving guy, Bill Moyers.

[Ge0ffrey]

I know Ken Burns didn’t intend for me to think it, but John Muir came off as a nutburger.