Dear Editor:
Once again a controversy about Liberty State Park has erupted. Like a recurrent plague spearheaded by Mayor Bret Schundler and the Park Development Corporation, efforts are being made to destroy a national monument. Their attitude is “if it can be developed, it should be developed!” But this is an inappropriate and barbaric view of their role in this society and the use of this land.
There is a tremendous and inestimable value in having open space, and preservation of that open space, particularly in a heavily urbanized environment as found in Jersey City. Can you imagine if Mayor Bret Schundler had jurisdiction over Yellowstone National Park or Grand Canyon National Park or the Appalachian Trail? He would want to develop those areas too. While that would be a boon to developers, it would destroy the reason people visit there –to enjoy their natural beauty. There is a reason for the phrase “commune with nature.” We are able to immerse ourselves in and surround ourselves with natural areas. Our identity can become lost and distorted when we are unable to do this, and live only in the hard –brick and mortar, metal and glass and synthetic world that we have created. Nature then become something that is viewed as alien to us and with disdain and must be destroyed.
Fortunately, there are those with a more expansive and wiser consciousness than apparently Bret Schundler and the Park Development Corporation have, that realize the innate value in natural and open park land that compels its preservation. We must determine the reason for the failure of Bret Schundler and others to see this with respect to Liberty State Park. There is no need to create any further attractions for the public, because an incredible and unique attraction already exists — the Statue of Liberty — and the surrounding open space land does more to memorialize that national monument than any of the intended mutation or manipulation of the land ever could do. And that should be the only purpose of that land — to memorialize the Statue of Liberty.
What is being done in Liberty State Park affects the nation, indeed the world. Because people come from all over the world to see it. What legacy should Jersey City leave to the world? “The City that destroyed a national monument.” Or “The City that Preserved a national monument.” It must be pointed out that The Park Development Corporation is an advisory — only body. It has no legal force to do anything other than advise. It has a corrupt mission however. But this can be corrected, by either dissolving it, or its name and purpose be changed to the “Park Preservation Corporation.” And what do we do with Bret Schundler? I think you all know the answer to that. And to think he wants to be governor. Indeed, there will likely be no open park land in New Jersey with him at the helm.
On Saturday, January 27, 2001 at 1:30 p.m. a public meeting at Liberty Science Center will be held. It is important that your voice be heard to preserve this national monument, by attending the meeting, contacting Governor Whitman, NJDEP Assistant Commissioner Cari Wild and our legislators.
Marc Liebeskind