Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Today the Statue of Liberty reopened. Visitors who don't have a reservation can only walk around the island. Those who have a reservation can go inside the base and can look up through a glass to see the inside of the statue.
I have been to the Statue of Liberty without a reservation. And I have climbed the stairs inside the statue up to the crown and looked out over the New York harbor.
I have also climbed to the top of Sunset Crater in Arizona, been inside the chapel at the Houses of Parliament in London, and, also there, walked right up to the door of No. 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives.
Ordinary people cannot do any of those things now.
I understand the reasons.
Sunset Crater is a volcanic cone. To climb it, you take two steps and slide back one because the lava particles are small. If the number of people who visit there now were to climb it, the Crater would suffer great environmental damage.
All the other examples are now impossible because of terrorism and crime.
I don't know how to change things but I know we have lost some of our freedoms.
I have been to the Statue of Liberty without a reservation. And I have climbed the stairs inside the statue up to the crown and looked out over the New York harbor.
I have also climbed to the top of Sunset Crater in Arizona, been inside the chapel at the Houses of Parliament in London, and, also there, walked right up to the door of No. 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives.
Ordinary people cannot do any of those things now.
I understand the reasons.
Sunset Crater is a volcanic cone. To climb it, you take two steps and slide back one because the lava particles are small. If the number of people who visit there now were to climb it, the Crater would suffer great environmental damage.
All the other examples are now impossible because of terrorism and crime.
I don't know how to change things but I know we have lost some of our freedoms.
