The "Alt National Park Service," a movement and social media account that was created in 2017 after Trump got elected for his first term, is back in action following Trump's recent re-election. On their Facebook page, they describe themselves as "the official 'resistance' team of U.S. National Park Service," and state that their mission is "to stand up for the National Park Service to help protect and preserve the environment for present and future generations."
In a longer "about us" post, they state that the Alt National Park Service coalition was "created by a group of National Park Service employees, alongside counterparts from a number of aligned agencies (state and local parks, US Forest Service, EPA, USDA, NOAA, BLM, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and environmental scientists) tasked with working to protect our natural world."
Since the November 5 election, Alt National Park Service has been sharing old posts from the first time around, and creating new posts focused on what their advocacy will look like for the next four years. In a post last week, they explain how they are planning to "shed light on every policy, decision, and action" that threatens the country's parks. They also ask the public for their help and their voices, urging us all to "write letters, make calls, [and] submit public comments" about the importance of preserving our national parks. They also state that they are currently building coalitions, creating "secure communication channels," and facilitating information networks.
Their latest post is an "Open Letter to the advisory committee of the DOGE, Elon Musk, and Vivek Ramaswamy." In the letter, which you can read here, they describe that their mission of stewardship—to protect parks, wildlife, and natural heritage—is rooted in the Organic Act of 1916. They then take Musk and Ramaswamy to task for advocating for "mass federal headcount reductions and scaling back regulations," stating that while these tasks are in line with Musk and Ramaswamy's "industrial logic," they are directly at odds with the stewardship of public lands. Alt National Park Service continues:
Any attack on our parks, environment, or wildlife will be met with unyielding resistance from our coalition and the millions of Americans who treasure these spaces . . .
Our national parks stand on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and reducing federal regulations won't solve these challenges—it will exacerbate them. Regulations exist to protect what cannot protect itself: fragile ecosystems, endangered wildlife, and irreplaceable cultural heritage . . .
We will not allow these public lands to be sacrificed for your so-called "efficiency." If you attack the mission of the National Park Service and the protections that preserve our natural and historic treasures, know this: our coalition will rise against you.
Read the rest of the open letter here. And follow them on Facebook or Instagram to learn more.
Previously:
• How Vivek Ramaswamy cashed in while shareholders lost millions
• Vivek Ramaswamy reminds me of Hollywood snake oil salespeople
• Far-right billionaire presidential hopeful Ramaswamy proposes stripping young people's voting rights
• Ramaswamy's nomination papers signed by dead people
