Though I did not vote for her, I am trying to like Arkansas’s new Governor, Ms. Sara Huckabee Sanders, but sometimes it is hard to understand her decisions. Stay with me as I explain myself.
In the early 20th century, Arkansas was called The Wonder State because of its bountiful resources and natural beauty (we are the only state with diamonds and our Ouachita Mountain range runs East to West, unlike most). In 1954, our slogan was changed to The Land of Opportunity and changed again in 1995 to what I think is the most fitting, The Natural State. All this I mention because I wonder if our current Governor adheres to the meaning of our slogan.
For Instance …
I proudly belong to the world’s 6th largest Rotary Club, Club 99, in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is called Club 99 because, out of thousands of clubs in over two-hundred countries, it is the ninety-ninth oldest. Those are some impressive stats.
On Tuesday of each week, Club 99 meets at the Clinton Library for lunch and to hear a guest speaker. On this day it was a panel discussion with the First Gentleman of Arkansas, Mr. Bryan Sanders and Alice Walton’s nephew, Mr. Steuart Walton who has done an admirable job of spearheading, funding, and mapping bike trails across the state of Arkansas.
The two young men began their discussion by giving a shout out and nod to Arkansas’ current leading industry, agriculture, then moved on to what they came to promote. They would like to see the second, runner-up industry be tourism.
Together the presenters listed all the wonderful beauty of our “Natural State” which was all true. I felt proud as they spoke. Then they began to talk about developing tourism, the money, and the number of visitors it would bring to our Natural State. This is when I felt apprehension. Do we want more people on our lakes, rivers, and campgrounds?
Tourism = Prostitution
When I think of tourism, I think of New Orleans and Miami, places I don’t mind visiting, but wouldn’t want to live full time. As a newcomer and part-timer in Miami, my flagpole installer in Florida loves to tell me stories of old Miami. He laments about the good ole days before the overcrowding, before all the ocean fronts, waterways, and beautiful places were ruined by developers promoting tourism. And how the locals have been priced out and pushed inland by the vacationing visitors who don’t care about their city.
Is that what we want in Arkansas? To prostitute ourselves for developers to make money from people who will use us and don’t care about us? Does Governor Sarah’s dad, past Governor Mike Huckabee, an outdoors man, know what his daughter and son-n-law are up to?
America’s First National River
It has been 50+ years since the Ozark Society was formed and lobbied Governor Faubus who had the foresight to sign into legislation and save the Buffalo National River from Big Business. This took courage.
To repeat Faubus’s quote posted in the Dem-Gaz last week, he said, of the 20th century man’s needs, “frogs of every size and kind join with the unnumbered katydids to make the summer night musical for the tired camper seeking rest from social and political problems and the revered marketplace.”
The age of information, for which we now live, seems to have made Faubus’ words ring even truer and amplified our need for nature.
Lil Maumelle River
This past weekend, my husband and I launched our Jon Boat into Little Maumelle River for a 2 hour sunset drive. We put in at 2 Rivers Bridges, just a few miles up the road and within the city limit. It was hassle free, no crowds, easy parking, and easy put in. Within minutes of launching, we were up the creek and surrounded by the sights and music of nature. The silence was centering.
It reminded me of the first time I floated the Buffalo River in the 70’s. I was shocked at the beauty and serenity of it back then. On our 2-day float trip, we camped on the shoreline and saw maybe 5 other canoers.
Today all of Arkansas’s rivers and streams are burgeoning with visitors trying to get out of the city, for the same reason Faubus spoke of above.
Will those citizens be the ones to suffer or prosper from tourism?
I think you know the answer.
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