Minorities’ Use of National Parks

“Opening Parks to All of America” (Nov. 25), on the national park system and its lack of minority visitors, reinforced what I had been thinking about for several years now. I have visited many national parks, monuments, sites, etc., throughout the country.

And although I’m not a race-conscious person, I often notice that I am the only non-Anglo American on a trail, beach or at a historical site. The non-Anglos are usually tourists from East Asia or Latin America. The fact that one-quarter of blacks and Latinos are poor is one reason one does not see these groups. But what about the large black and Hispanic middle class, who have the money and the time to visit national parks?

People can’t overlook the cultural aspect to this. From personal experience and observation, I know that for black and Latino families, vacation time is used to visit aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings. It isn’t the time to go off to the great outdoors. Visiting national parks is only the side trip, if the family being visited lives near one. The idea of spending one’s vacation time with the extended family is much stronger than the urge of going off with only the nuclear family on a quiet stroll through the woods or desert. This is something that cannot be easily changed, nor should it.

Many Anglo-American nuclear families or couples, however, do not spend their vacation time with their extended families, choosing instead rather solitary communions with nature.

DANIEL G. RODRIGUEZ

Claremont

It appears The Times delights in stirring up trouble. The parks are now and have always been open to any and everyone, just like attending a movie or any recreation of your choice. To infer any unfairness or problem, as your paper does, is pathetic. Next you’ll want government-sponsored buses to bring certain groups to parks.

The bottom line is, all Americans choose daily their lives, jobs, priorities and what to spend their time and/or money on. This ridiculous article could be applied to any area in our life, and is not only obvious but definitely not in need of any change. Let the public be responsible for their own choices and actions, and quit whining all the time.

BOB BLANCHARD

Newport Beach

Anyone who thinks we need to “draw more minorities” to our national parks has never visited the Yosemite Valley on Labor Day or the July 4th. Spanish is the predominant language being spoken and the only items found in greater number than blaring boom boxes are empty beer cans.

Other than those guests staying at the Awahnee Hotel, the remainder of park visitors are far from being “white elitist.” They are Generation X pseudo-hippies and yokels using their food stamps to buy supplies in the market.

All in all, our national parks are a delightful cross-section of America. Let’s not alter this delicate balance with more social engineering.

LARRY G. SNYDER

Garden Grove