As Twitchy reported, President Obama, his family, his advance team, and his security detail arrived at Yosemite National Park Saturday via Air Force One, helicopters, and a massive motorcade so that he could deliver a speech warning of the dangers of climate change.
Pres also urges nation to protect National Parks from ravages of climate change and pollution. Says Earth "the only planet we've got."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 18, 2016
CBS News’ Mark Knoller courteously teed up the photo of the day, showing President Obama, flanked by intimidating park rangers, eliciting shouts of “Go away!” from children assembled to represent the government’s “Every Kid in a Park” initiative.
Photo of the Day: With some kids at @YosemiteNPS, Pres Obama imitated a growling bear as kids shouted to 'go away.' pic.twitter.com/lMuDkIMng0
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 18, 2016
My sentiments exactly.
— Donna Smith (@richard58411935) June 18, 2016
or were the kids yelling go away, so he started acting like a bear?
— Clowns All Around ????? Me (@AllyGeighter) June 18, 2016
smart kids these days telling @POTUS to go away. Don't blame them a bit. Here's to the future generation
— Aaron LePrell? (@CrabLegs_F3) June 18, 2016
All American citizens are shouting "go away" to this assclown
— The Institution (@PodyChris) June 18, 2016
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The president noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and his speech today touched briefly on issues that a coalition called the Centennial Initiative insists he address via a Presidential Memorandum this August, on the exact date of the centennial.
The Centennial Initiative describes itself as “a first-of-its-kind coalition of civil rights, environmental justice, conservation groups and community leaders and activists” whose goal is to “increase inclusion and representation of America’s communities of color in our national parks and other public lands.”
These parks belong to all of us.
This planet belongs to all of us.
It’s the only one we’ve got. #ActOnClimate https://t.co/GEKhf4Pc9V— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) June 18, 2016
Diversity, kids in parks, climate change, #MonumentsForAll. Way to #FindYourVoice for our national parks, @POTUS! https://t.co/Ed3go98Laj
— National Parks Conservation Association (@NPCA) June 18, 2016
The beauty of the National Park System is ‘it belongs to everybody," says Pres Obama, urging Americans to visit.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 18, 2016
Perhaps more Americans would visit if the president would order some much-needed changes, described in detail at links embedded in the Centennial Initiative’s “Public Lands for ALL People” petition at Change.org.
Enjoy #FindYourPark visit @POTUS! Hope it inspires more #MonumentsForAll. https://t.co/Rw32j9laTz pic.twitter.com/JWRfgJh8kf
— HAF (@HispanicAccess) June 17, 2016
Much as public schools are ridding themselves of names that invoke the Confederacy (or attempting to), the coalition asks the president to “review names of sites throughout system for cultural bias,” as “some sites may require comprehensive name changes to reflect a broader and more inclusive history.” The Centennial Initiative also encourages the president to partner with groups such as the NAACP and the National Council of La Raza to expand hiring and recruitment initiatives.
Also among the changes encouraged is a redesign of all national parks to remove intimidating imagery. The Centennial Initiative asks that President Obama “assess the cultural implications of existing agency uniforms, offices, signage, and other facilities.”
For what reason, exactly? “The Park Service law-enforcement vehicles look like those used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,” the coalition explains, “and uniforms have law enforcement connotations, both of which present a significant impediment to engaging all Americans.”
Urge President Obama to ensure our national parks and other public lands are welcoming to … https://t.co/V5VOxG6mLt pic.twitter.com/ybEoKxPSj5
— Voces Verdes (@VocesVerdes) April 28, 2016
The group also asks that the history of LGBT Americans be recognized somehow, although Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced in 2014 a study to identify places and events associated with the story of LGBTQ Americans for inclusion in National Park Service parks and programs. Here’s an hour’s worth of video on the initiative if you have some time on your hands.
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