What road would the Asian people have to take? The question from the Chinese visitor took me aback. Rangers are supposed to know the answers, right? I wasnt quite sure what to say, but then I recognized that (as always) being forthright and honest is always the best way to proceed. Her question came after a long pause on the City of Homestead National Parks Trolley last Sunday afternoon. I had just finished telling the story of how Convoy Point, site of Biscayne National Parks Visitor Center, was once a beach reserved only for black and Hispanic people. The white people went to Homestead Bayfront Park where the facilities were nicer and more elaborate. Access to either park was gained by roads on the opposite sides of North Canal, and the decision of which park you were going to had to be made some 6 miles away from the current entrances to the parks. Black people on the white road were subject to harassment and arrest. Hispanic folks met a similar fate. The three Chinese students were appalled at the story, but seemed to appreciate the fact that it was being told. We had a rather frank discussion of race relations in our respective countries, and recognized that we had more in common than either of us had initially thought. National parks are a gift. They allow us to celebrate grandeur and solitude. They allow us to revel vicariously in the glow of inventors and authors and humanitarians. But the idea of national parks is to tell ALL the stories...including the ones we may not be so proud of, but that help us become better people in the end. Today is Christmas Eve, a day when many people feel just a little more tolerant of those around them. In a week, we begin a brand new year, a time when many people resolve to make the world around them just a little bit better. For me, though, the new year began on the trolley last Sunday, when four people made the world just a little bit smaller. Peace on earth; goodwill to all. (GAB) #NPTrolley
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:54:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015