Many Maine residents feel threatened by the prospect of Roxanne Quimby giving her land, and land that doesn’t belong to her, to the Federal Government for the purpose of a proposed national park. One of the biggest concerns that Maine residents have is they do not want the Federal Government having more power over lands and regulations in the Pine Tree State. Most of these same residents, while justifiably fearful of a central government, don’t fully understand the structure and history of a corrupt government – in this case the National Park Service/Foundation.

Before I provide links to information where readers can determine for themselves how concerned they really should be, let me first remind readers that Roxanne Quimby is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Park Foundation – appointed by Barack Obama.

Several years ago, I wrote, “The Crippling and Destructive Power of the Endangered Species Act.” In that piece, I wrote of the World Heritage Convention (WHC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Their written goals are: “By adopting the Global Strategy, the World Heritage Committee wanted to broaden the definition of World Heritage to better reflect the full spectrum of our world’s cultural and natural treasures and to provide a comprehensive framework and operational methodology for implementing the World Heritage Convention. This new vision goes beyond the narrow definitions of heritage and strives to recognize and protect sites that are outstanding demonstrations of human coexistence with the land as well as human interactions, cultural coexistence, spirituality and creative expression. Crucial to the Global Strategy are efforts to encourage countries to become States Parties to the Convention, to prepare Tentative Lists and to prepare nominations of properties from categories and regions currently not well-represented on the World Heritage List.”[emboldening added]

In addition I wrote: “Because the U.S. is a signed member of WHC/UNESCO, we are obligated through this convention to designate and/or establish “World Heritage sites”, i.e. Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall, Yellowstone National Park, the Everglades, etc. This convention also demands the protection of habitat for listed threatened or endangered species. Ceding control of these public properties is troubling enough, but the Convention becomes even more far reaching. WHC/UNESCO is granted power through this treaty, signed by the U.S. to take “buffer zones” around “World Heritage properties” if they so deem it necessary for the protection of “their” property. These “buffer zones” can be as wide as 5 miles, or whatever is necessary to “preserve” world heritage. It just could be your land and your property.”

Must I remind readers that according to the U.S. Constitution, all Treaties are the Supreme Law of the Land?

The United States Government, the Department of State and the National Park Service/Foundation, work with the United Nations through the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to nominate places for protection.

Readers and Maine residents should bear in mind that the WHC has stated that they are looking to protect and preserve any lands, private or public, that, if disturbed in any way would disrupt or in any way negatively effect “endangered or threatened” species – flora or fauna.

Maine residents recently learned of a lawsuit to stop the state from cutting timber on public land that might pose a danger to the endangered Atlantic salmon. The person who is bringing the lawsuit has been instrumental in getting the Atlantic salmon federally protected. Is it a mere coincidence that this public land sits adjacent to property owned by Roxanne Quimby; land she intends to be either a national park or a national monument and attempts are underway to stop the harvesting of trees? I’ll let you decide.

In addition to the Quimby park and/or monument proposal, Maine residents shouldn’t forget about efforts that are still ongoing to turn a million or more acres of the Great North Woods into national park wilderness.

While readers chew on the fact that Quimby sits on the board of the Park Foundation, and by that position is eligible to work with to discover and nominate lands, both private and public, for protection under the World Heritage Convention, are we to still consider her proposal as only a mere gesture of kindness? Don’t forget, she also has been quoted publicly as saying that Americans should not have the right to own land – even though she does herself, utilizing a capitalist system to earn millions of dollars in order to own that land.

But there is more to the Federal Government threat to Maine people than whether of not Roxanne Quimby is suspect in getting her land turned over the Feds or the United Nations. The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation have a terrible history of caring for the property they take or inherit as well as using deceitful tactics and outright corruption and criminal acts to destroy lands designated as parks and monuments as they so please, in order to fulfill political and environmental agendas.

Consider what the National Park Service did to the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Vails Ranch on Santa Rosa Island. Where once the Point Reyes National Seashore was established, legally and with full support, as a means of protecting a portion of the California seacoast by protecting the ranching community. The protected ranching community was a way of ensuring that urban sprawl and development wouldn’t take over the land.

Because Environmentalism is against ranching, farming, growing crops, etc., they have destroyed the original foundations of the National Seashore, in order to rid the land of ranching. One has to ask what protections are there in designating any land as a park or a monument if stuff like this can happen. Readers should also not get hung up on whether they agree with doing away with ranching or any other environmental-activist cause. They should be aware that government corruption will do just as it damn well pleases. This time it happened to have been the destruction of ranching. What will it be next time?

We know from history that an overreaching government “takes” lands adjacent to parks and monuments in the name of protection. The U.N. Treaty with WHC demands that “buffers” be taken around “sites” for further protection. If the Quimby parcel is designated as a “monument” by Barack Obama before he leaves office, what assurances do Maine residents have that any of that land will actually be protected from anyone or anything? In addition, because Maine owns land adjacent to Quimby, public lands and Baxter State Park, do we have any sense of honesty and decency that our Federal Government will honor its pledges? Can we assume that the U.S. Government will automatically, according to treaty, take more land as a buffer? Or will all access, all industry and all recreation be banned due to government regulation and Environmentalism?

There is one more thing that Mainers should consider. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the National Park Service. We also know that the National Park Service is some $11.9 billion dollars behind in maintenance and upkeep. In short, like with most Federal lands, government is eager to “take” the land but not too eager to take care of it.

In consideration of the 100-year birthday and lack of money, members of Congress have proposed a bill as a part of the 100-year celebration to find better ways to fund the National Park Foundation. One of those is to appropriate $25,000,000.00 a year, from 2017-2023 (inclusive)($1.75 billion) to be used to match funds from “private” donations. What could possibly go wrong?

Anyone with eyes willing to see, realizes that money is the root of all corruption. We witness year after year big money buying political favors only to be answered with huge payoffs after certain parties win office. It matters not which party. The only limitation of the corruption that will prevail once the Department of Interior and the National Park Service begin taking bribes from so-called private donations, is in one’s mind.

If Maine residents think they have their hands full of trying to work with Ms. Quimby to keep her land open for recreational access, go ahead and invite the most corrupt U.S. Government, through the National Park Foundation, World Heritage Convention and the United Nations to take ownership of a big chunk of land right next to Baxter State Park.

For those who don’t have or are quickly losing faith and trust in a central government, consider that changes proposed within the above mentioned bill, include changing the appointment of the Chairman of the Board of the National Park Foundation, from a position voted on by the Board, to a paid position (Level V) appointed by the sitting president.

These reasons I have laid out for you, are reason enough to fight to make sure the Feds don’t get an invitation. If they want the land, they will take the land whether we want them to or not. But, let’s not give them a damned invitation.