Park Service Inanity: They Won't Tell Us How Old the Grand Canyon Is
According to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) in a report released this week [PDF],
Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official
estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure
from Bush administration appointees. Furthermore, a book approved
by the Service claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood
,rather than by geologic forces, is on sale in the park for more than
three years, even though a review was promised to Congress and the press. A Freedom of Information request [PDF] reveals that no review has ever been requested, nor taken place. "In
order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park
Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology," stated PEER
Executive Director Jeff Ruch. "It is disconcerting that the official
position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon
is 'no comment.'" PEER urged [PDF]
the new Director of the National Park Service (NPS), Mary Bomar, to end
the stalling tactics, remove the book from sale at the park and allow
park interpretive rangers to honestly answer questions from the public
about the geologic age of the Grand Canyon.
While even selling the aforementioned book in the park bookstore is bogus, we should be clear that this is an administrative decision coming down from above, not the position of the dedicated, experienced, and well educated park rangers. We all know by now that the Bushnicks have been trying to cram wing-nut christianity down our throats, or, perhaps to appease these same wing-nuts, as some would say, and this seems par for the course.
The National Park Service website clearly states that the formation of the canyon took place at least 1.6 billion years ago, and that the Earth itself is also at least 4.6 billion years old, clearly refuting the poppycock in the creationist book. No mention of any biblical fables are included. The bookstore may sell that book - but the park service is hiding nothing. See for yourself at www.nps.gov/grca/
Again, the park Service is one of the better-run, highly skilled, and most dedicated government agencies there is, and it's a shame when even one of our national treasures is used to forward a minority religious agenda. jg
9:47:30 PM 
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