During the opening weeks of the Trump administration, the president issued an executive order vowing to restore “truth and sanity to American history.”
Trump sought to undo what he contended was the Biden administration’s “revisionist movement” that “fosters a sense of national shame” and casts “founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.” Critics panned the controversial decree as an effort to whitewash and turn a blind eye to the lesson-worthy realities of American history, like slavery, segregation and the conquest of Indigenous people and land.
The U.S. Department of the Interior complied two months later, with Secretary Doug Burgum putting out his own more specific order. He directed the agencies he oversees to: “ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties within the Department’s jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living … and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”
Burgum required the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and other agencies to post signage with QR codes allowing the public to assist in “compliance with this Order.”
Some of the responses have recently been revealed. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the Sierra Club acquired public comments submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management. The environmental group posted those remarks online. (BuRec comments here; BLM comments here.)
A review of submissions disclosed so far shows that no comments submitted in Wyoming aimed to help Trump and Burgum. Instead, they used the opportunity to bash the administration’s efforts.
More than one response to a Bureau of Reclamation placard came to the defense of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, which memorializes the camp outside of Cody where Japanese Americans were interned against their will during World War II.
How awful that our own federal administration is so sensitive to be afraid of truth.”
Public comment
“The center does a remarkable job of upkeeping the grounds and providing accurate information,” one respondent to a Wyoming sign wrote. “The only thing embarrassing are these signs you keep putting up. How awful that our own federal administration is so sensitive to be afraid of truth.”
Another passerby, who came across a Heart Mountain placard, took time to air similar grievances.
“The Interpretive Center is excellent; it stands as a memorial to those wronged, and as a reminder to the damage that hate and discrimination can cause,” the commenter wrote. “This sign and form, however, are an embarrassment.”
The commenter questioned the motivation behind the effort.
“Are you so insecure that you can’t admit that wrongs have been committed?” the commenter continued. “The US is far from a perfect country, and trying to sweep our wrongdoings under the rug and deny they happened is a disservice to every citizen. You should be ashamed.”
At Pilot Butte Reservoir, near the site of a recent history-rich tribal land dispute, a commenter made a more mundane observation: “Someone stuffed trash into the grill at the picnic table.”
The only other comment submitted at a Bureau of Reclamation site also concerned upkeep and amenities at the federally owned, but Wyoming-administered Keyhole State Park: “This park needs a dedicated kayak/paddle board launching area,” the remark stated. “And a better maintained and cleaned beach area.”
At Wyoming’s Bureau of Land Management sites, the public wasn’t any more accommodating of the Trump administration’s desires to purge ignoble portrayals of American history.
Another respondent took time to weigh in using a QR code posted at the BLM’s Poison Creek area and suggested the administration ought to cut it out: “All signs in Wyoming recreation sites should stay historically accurate and the BLM deserves the funding and resources to maintain all sites,” the person wrote.
At Warren Bridge, near the Green River headwaters, a seemingly glib comment urged the Trump administration to better fund crippled federal agencies at a time when the government was doing the opposite and laying off scores of federal workers.
“ITS INCREDIBLE!” the commenter wrote. “Everything is positive about past and living Americans but they need more money here for upkeep and conservation. More money!!!”
Only one other person took the time to share thoughts via the QR codes posted on BLM land in Wyoming. The submission came at Boulder Lake, along the west slope of the Wind River Range, and praised how nature and industry coexist.
“We’ve seen lots of different wild animals, along with horses and cattle,” the commenter wrote. “I think this is what makes America great … that small farmers and ranchers can prosper while partnering with the BLM and NFS and preserve nature and recreation for all Americans!!”
Statewide, no comments released so far suggested respondents agreed with the Trump administration’s approach to “restoring truth and sanity to American history.” The remarks submitted in the Equality State largely aligned with those the Interior Department received nationwide, according to a Sierra Club statement.
“These responses show that Americans overwhelmingly reject the Trump administration’s attempt to sanitize history on public lands,” said Gerry James, deputy director for the organization’s Outdoors For All campaign. “Public lands belong to all of us, and the stories they tell must reflect the full story of our shared past.”
The Sierra Club is still awaiting public records from the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those Freedom of Information Act requests were submitted in July, according to Deputy Press Secretary Ginny Roscamp.
History deleted is due to be repeated.
To my knowledge, the only public memorials or markers that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” are the ones President Trump recently hung in the White House “Presidential Walk of Fame” disparaging former Presidents Biden, Obama, and Bush.
Recently, I found Burgham’s decree and directive laminated and posted on the entrances to the men’s and women’s outhouses at the BLM’s Split Rock Rest Area between Muddy Gap and Jeffery City. On a subsequent stop at that rest area, I found that both notices had mysteriously disappeared. Perhaps they ended up in the trash where they belong.
Isn’t it nice to throw out anti-Trump propaganda. And because some individuals littered and there is not a paddleboard dock, lets blame Trump! “Ya, his fault!” Some people disagree with signage posted without more sensitive material! Go to a public school library or a county library. Yes, you will see the same thing on the shelves. Trump’s fault! Why is this article ran?
Do you get tired of making excuses for your idol and his stupidity?
Got to love the malicious compliance of the people taking the time to comment.
Though I do have to say it does seem like a good idea to have these QR codes in some areas so that people can inform those in charge of upkeep and maintenance that something needs to be fixed. If the codes can be reworked so responses go directly to the right people, might not be a bad idea to keep those signs around….with better wording of course.
”Fosters a sense of national shame,” well, that would be destroying the East Wing to build a garish ballroom that strokes his monstrous ego! Can the U.S. survive three more years of this?
If I thought for one moment that Secretary Doug Burgum was actually a serious man, I would encourage him to consider starting with the premier property of the National Park System at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. The third rate character actors that were hired last January to portray the POTUS and the FLOTUS are just not cut out for their roles and should be replaced immediately. And the vandalism done to the Rose Garden and the East Wing earlier this year is totally unacceptable; The individuals responsible should be held accountable for their actions and should be punished to the full extent of the law. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER–A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES
This particular cultural stitch is a really silly hill for either side to waste time and effort on. History is often very much self correcting. If one questions that just compare an 8th grade textbook on American history from 1900 to one from 1980.
When we colonized and settled this land, we took it by force, population and growth. The methods used are wrong by today’s standards but not by those of the time. Societal norms and values change.
One of the things that makes me laugh is listening to some young white bleeding silver spoon lamenting on the wrongs of the past. It makes the friends I have on the reservation I grew up on laugh too.
Don’t forget that the internment of Japanese-Americans was done under the leadership of “progressive” president Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
You can’t trust any politician.
True, well stated.
Everyone in this country should be embarrassed by these morons. A bunch of dolts.
what a clown show at the federal level, burgum is a puppet!