Give me Liberty or Give me a Fence

An editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer, An affront to our history, has the latest update on the Park Service's Plan to to erect a 7-foot-high security fence through Independence Square

Independence National Historical Park officials still haven't dropped their bad, knee-jerk proposal to give the spot where the Declaration of Independence had its first public reading the feel of a minimum-security prison yard.

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Ever since 9/11, the trouble with Independence Hall security has been its heavy-handed intrusiveness. From its inception, the screening and corralling of visitors has stood as a glaring contradiction to the courageous stand for liberty that took place in 1776 at the site.

In its comment on the plan, the city's Design Advocacy Group - design professionals who rally around good ideas for the urban landscape - nicely captured the incongruity. As the group's Alan Greenberger wrote, "The sad irony of having to cage the place where American freedom was invented is more than we should all be willing to tolerate."

And the suspicion remains that the plan is mostly about show and cost; less heavy-handed, but more expensive steps could provide equal security (understanding that no site like this in the middle of bustling, major city will ever be totally secure from threat).

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If the Park Service insists on screening visitors to the buildings, it should do so without the stockade-like cordon. As much as possible, visitors once again should be able to walk up to the old brick buildings, stroll through the archway of Independence Hall and ponder the beauty of Independence Square.

It's long past time for the security measures at Independence Hall to be trimmed back - tailored both to the actual threat, and in keeping with the values enshrined in this city.

Tell the Park Service and Bush administration that the home of the brave doesn't need to erect such fences around its birthplace.

The public comment period on the park's security plan is Sept. 1. Before then, send your views about this bad idea to Park Service officials via e-mail:

claire_rozdilski@nps.gov

See more details about this at Chain of Fools and What Price Freedom?

Photo via Moocatmoocat.

Tags: Commentary, Philadelphia, Philly, Independence Square