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Reader Participation Day: Has Arizona's Approach To Controlling Illegal Immigrants Led You To Cancel a Grand Canyon Trip?

Apr 29th - 11:16am | Wyldfyre63

Not me. I applaud the Arizona governor for taking the first step. The illegal immigration issue has ben ignored by both parties for too long.

Apr 29th - 08:49am | Anonymous

Some just don't get it. Citizens have long been hauled in by police for vagrancy if they had no money in their pocket or an I.D. This is overlooked by those who cry foul on this immigration enforcement. Yes you do have to have a license to be behind the wheel of a car. If you don't, you should be hauled in. Maybe the next time you would think before you got behind the wheel.

Apr 28th - 19:12pm | y_p_w

Again - a US citizen under this law is not required to carry any form of ID for walking down the street or being a passenger in a vehicle. No federal or state law makes IDs mandatory.

Apr 28th - 16:57pm | Kurt Repanshek

Just for the record, there's no "Ken" in this thread. If you're referring to me, the moderator, I just raised the question for discussion purposes. I haven't stated a position on it.

Apr 28th - 16:42pm | Concerned Taxpayer

Ken, I don't understand why you have a problem. I assume you fly...if so, you have show ID and even get searched. If you travel to Canada you have to show passport to enter. If you go to a bank and cash a check you have to show proof that you are who you say you are.

Apr 28th - 16:23pm | y_p_w

Kurt Repanshek: Beyond that, due to the anonymous nature of most commentors, we couldn't tell you if those expressing what you term "xenophobic paranoia" are regular readers, or passers by latching onto a controversial topic.

Apr 28th - 15:30pm | Anonymous

Nope, with the new law maybe I can go there without thinking about needing a gun

Apr 28th - 14:48pm | Nor-Cal Lady

If you travel anywhere outside of the good ole USA you have to carry your passport. Many people are carrying their passports in the USA when they travel now. I will be happy to travel and support AZ in any way possible.

Apr 28th - 14:45pm | Anonymous

Unreal, The law is written nearly verbatim to the federal immigration law which has been so widely ignored by so many. Truly, this sort of action is long over due. Had it been enacted after the last huge amnesty sell out, we wouldn't be at these cross roads again now. The gimme gimme people of this country have long been selling her out through greed, indifference and apathy.

Apr 28th - 14:08pm | Kurt Repanshek

We have never done a demographic study of the readership. Beyond that, due to the anonymous nature of most commentors, we couldn't tell you if those expressing what you term "xenophobic paranoia" are regular readers, or passers by latching onto a controversial topic.

Apr 28th - 13:35pm | NPSfan

Kurt: What is the general demographic of readers/commenters on this site? Has a survey or study ever been done? I ask because the majority opinion on this matter seems to be filled with xenophobic paranoia about the "other".

Apr 28th - 13:20pm | NPSfan

I think one can easily visit the Grand Canyon while minimizing expenses on local AZ businesses, thereby enjoying your precious national park vacation while supporting a financial boycott of the now blatantly racist state of Arizona.

Apr 28th - 13:13pm | y_p_w

I'm frankly rather curious as to what "suspicion of illegal status" will be given that the law supposedly doesn't allow for "race or national origin" to be the sole factor. What exactly is the grounds for suspicion? Does it require that someone go up to a cop and admit it? Maybe someone else making the claim?

Apr 28th - 12:51pm | Anonymous

The premise of this article is absurd. I support the Arizona law as do 70% of Americans and as do 60% of Hispanics IN ARIZONA, accoding to Rasmussen Reports polling agency. No more politics of division! Stop trying to split America along ethnic lines! Americans, as Ben Franklin said "Unite or die!"

Apr 28th - 12:49pm | y_p_w

MRC - I certainly understand your concerns. Personally I think that this law is going to have its hearing in federal court and many of its provisions are likely to be struck down as with California's Proposition 187. The ruling in that case was that the Federal government was the only entity with the authority to enforce immigration laws as a matter of law.

Apr 28th - 12:49pm | msk

I travelled this February through southern AZ (Yuma to Organ Pipe to Tuscon, through Phoenix and up to Flagstaff and then down through Sedona, Prescott, Congress, Vicksburg and Quartzsite), visiting every national monument and park on the way. The police presence (local, state and federal homeland security) was over-whelming.

Apr 28th - 12:11pm | Anonymous

My grand parents came to to this country the legal way.They learned the language and were proud to be U.S citizens. I expect that this country allow other immigrants the same law full way to enter this country. Our federal government has been lax on this because somebody making big money off this.It's all about the money folks.

Apr 28th - 12:06pm | MRC

I just tried to read the law and wonder if a somewhat important point is missing. How about aliens that are temporarily and legally in the United States? Let's take a British or German tourist visiting Grand Canyon National Park. He would have neither a Arizona driver license, nor any of the other documents listed in the law.

Apr 28th - 11:02am | y_p_w

Anonymous: I don't know about anyone else, but I don't usually travel around my country with my passport in hand, much less my certified birth certificate. I was told years ago when I was visiting Canada, that a driver's license does not constitute proof of citizenship.

Apr 28th - 11:00am | SaltSage236

I disagree with the new law, but it's ridiculous to cancel travel plans to Arizona because of it. I'm from South Carolina, and before I moved to Colorado nearly a decade ago, the NAACP launched a boycott of the state mostly because of the Legislature's insistence on flying the Confederate battle flag prominently on the Statehouse grounds.

Apr 28th - 10:52am | Dave O

Heck no. I definitely will feel a lot safer once Arizona implements their new law. I may even be able to leave my sidearm at home. We are now planning to make a trip there this fall unless the economy keeps its death slide going or the courts overturn the law. Lots of things we have missed on our past trips there.

Report: ConocoPhillips Releases Oil And Gas Leases Near Glacier National Park

Apr 29th - 11:10am | Anonymous

Actually, only the west half of the dark purple on the map is where leases were held. The right half is in Glacier NP.

Apr 28th - 16:17pm | RLMiller

Excellent news! Now, if only Senators Baucus and Tester would take a strong stand on a climate bill to help deal with Glacier's bigger issue....

Legislation Calls For Casa Grande Ruins National Monument to Grow by 415 Acres

Apr 29th - 10:10am | Anonymous

An expansion of Casa Grande has been studied for several years now. Here's hoping Congress gets around to passing legislation this session.

National Park Mystery Photo 22 Revealed: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Apr 29th - 09:48am | Kurt Repanshek

Bob, I almost used a shot of the caves in winter for the Mystery Photo, but figured it'd be too easy. I've got APIS on my to-do list....sounds like a great escape!

Apr 29th - 09:37am | Bob Mackreth

Thanks for posting this picture. As a former district ranger at Apostle Islands, I have fond memories of the sea caves.

Hiker Falls to Her Death In Zion National Park

Apr 29th - 08:48am | RangerLady

Zion really hasn't had that many fatalities compared to other large parks. This makes only the 7th or 8th death from Angel's landing (or near it) in 101 years. When it comes to NPS units, the parkways usually lead in the number of deaths due to all the vehicle accidents. In National Parks I'm pretty sure Grand Canyon leads the pack with Yosemite not that far behind.

Apr 29th - 05:15am | Volpe

Don't know if statistics are kept on the park with the most visitor deaths but Zion has to be up there.

Apr 28th - 21:22pm | Scaredy cat

Amazing. They're dropping like flies in that park these days...

Supreme Court Hears Arguments Over Cross at Mojave National Preserve

Apr 29th - 08:38am | Kurt Repanshek

Anonymous, if you consider court documents "editorial comment," then I guess I'm guilty. Here's the second sentence of the case syllabus filed with the U.S. Supreme Court:

Apr 28th - 20:58pm | Anonymous

"... in 2001 Mr. Buono filed a lawsuit, supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, to have the cross removed because it offended him. "

Updated: Drilling Rig Disaster Could Send Oil Spill Into Gulf Islands National Seashore

Apr 29th - 06:44am | Steve MacIwain

Is Obama Republican? No! I'm not blaming anyone but fox news for blowing this out of proportion. If Bill Oreilly hadn't jumped on this so fast the oil spill probably wouldn't be as big as it is now, who knows? I think the real enemy here is plastics. Once all the oils gone how are we going to charge anything with no credit cards?

Apr 28th - 20:01pm | Anonymous

I live right in the center of the target area this is so hard for everyone to see the impact on the enviroment. Sea Birds are nesting right now thousands of them and most of them will be lost. The local sea food industry will be devistated and will not recover for years if not decades.

Apr 28th - 17:54pm | Anonymous

One of the first things Saint Ronnie Reagan did upon assuming office was remove the solar panels from the W.H. and eliminate the programs that helped fund solar energy research as well as the subsidies for people to install solar panels. It is the Repubs who are joined at the hip to Exxon and have backed their campaign to deny the science behind global warming.

Apr 28th - 15:56pm | Rich Watts

"I'm so tired of everyone blaming each other. Blaming Mccain, Blaming republicans, blaming Sara, Blaming conservatives, Blaming everyone but themselves. We are all GUILTY!"

Sections of Pacific Crest Trail Poached by Mountain Bikers; Could Problems Arise in National Parks?

Apr 28th - 23:32pm | Get a life

Janet (7/30/09) In my opinion, the majority of the posts from the "mountainbike people" make a lot of sense and bring to light "your people's" ignorance. Your elitist statement of "go get your own trail" just makes me laugh. I would go on and on about how your post makes no "sense", but frankly you bore me.

More Controversy Tied to Religion and Wind Energy Likely To Surface Around the National Park System

Apr 28th - 22:26pm | JimB

Jess - Well said.

Apr 28th - 17:12pm | jessstryker

Its good to see the courts taking a more balanced view on the religious symbols issues. There are no doubt examples of inappropriate religious symbols that need to be removed, but the situation becomes much more complex and more tolerance needs to be exercised when the symbol is cultural or historical or both.

Apr 28th - 16:26pm | Kurt Repanshek

Just to be clear, the location is not physically in any unit of the National Park System.

Apr 28th - 16:24pm | Concerned Taxpayer

Here we go again. This is one time I hope the "greenies" get their way and stop the political insanity. Windmills are an eyesore in a pristine environment, and should not be permitted in any public park. They don't produce much energy per mill and cost a lot to build and maintain. This is all politics and has nothing to do with economics.

Fatal Fall from Angels Landing in Zion National Park

Apr 28th - 21:56pm | MDD

I just returned from my first visit to Zion. It was a free admission weekend in the park and the trails were very busy. 100's of people were on the last .5 mile part, including young children and even parents carrying young babies.

National Park Mystery Photo 22: Where Do You Need To Travel For This Shot?

Apr 28th - 21:20pm | Zingly

I know the answer has been given already, but I'm going to guess "Big Bend National Park" in Texas. Hyuck, Hyuck, Hyuck...

Apr 28th - 19:40pm | Jonathan Parker

Cathedral in the Desert, Glen Canyon NRA.

Apr 28th - 19:00pm | Anonymous

Looks like Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore line a few miles east of Munising, Michigan. Hope I'm right because I'm a Yooper!

Fall near Buffalo National River Claims Life of Former Football Star

Apr 28th - 18:13pm | Dave Russell

Peace to all who knew him. What a sad story. My sympathy and love to all. dave

Glacier National Park Taking Comments On Bear Management Plan Revisions

Apr 28th - 17:11pm | Emily

I can understand their concerns with having photographers taking pictures/video's of their bear management practices. First, a nearby photographer might be disttracting to the bear, and this might take away from the management of the bear's behavior.

Pruning the Parks: North Dakota’s Sullys Hill National Park (1904-1931)

Apr 28th - 16:11pm | Bob Janiskee

It's great to hear from you, Tom, and thanks for the kind words. I'm afraid that I may not be be able to help you a lot with historical records, but I'll give you a call and we can compare notes. I'll be glad to help any way I can. BTW, I'd dearly love to visit Sullys Hill NGP, not least because I need to add North Dakota to my life list.

Apr 28th - 12:16pm | Tom Ibsen

Thank you for recognizing the anniversary of Sullys Hill National Game Preserve. As the new manager of this unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System, I have been doing my research into the 'storied' history and you appear to be spot on. I am compiling a more-detailed history of the site so we can more effectively share this information with the public.

Search for Human-Habituated Grizzlies in Glacier National Park Ends With Two Dead Bears

Apr 28th - 12:22pm | Anonymous

All "problem bears" are a result of humans behaving badly. Unfortunately, it only takes one incident of a bear obtaining human food. Of course, what could have been done to spare the bears' lives was probably not considered by the NPS, which would have been to close the area to humans for an exteded period of time (5-10 years).

Two Climbers Lucky To Survive Ordeal On Mount Rainier

Apr 28th - 11:35am | tahoma

These folks were very lucky! The deceptively easy lower slopes of 'The Mountain' can quickly turn serious in whiteouts and hurricane winds. Hats off to the many rescuers who responded so efficiently! Cell signals are not reliable on the south side, with Success Cleaver blocking most of the Puget lowland stations; they probably were heard in Yakima or eastern WA.

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