Critiques directed against the Trump Administration against censorship in Indiana

• “Censoring the ‘negative’ parts of our history is cowardly and un-American. Hiding the science of how human activity & climate change is expected to affect the Parks in the future is likewise a cowardly form of censorship. As a veteran of the USMC, I am deeply disappointed in this administration, especially regarding their attempts to manipulate the history and science of our public lands in this way.”
• “This QR code to erase history is appalling. Grow up (Interior) Secretary Burgum.”
• “This isn’t patriotism, it’s political theater, and we all see through it. Please return to educating —not editing — history!”
• “This is a message for the Trump administration: Hands off our history,” submitted one commenter at Indiana Dunes National Park. “The rangers at this National Park are doing a great job. They are providing an essential service, protecting our history and beautiful natural landscapes for future generations. Instead of undermining them, you should support them.”
• “This Orwellian attempt to sanitize history is not only insulting to the intelligence of the American people— it’s a grotesque misuse of my taxpayer dollars. Parks are not propaganda zones. They are places of learning, reflection, and truth. …You’re wasting time and resources chasing culture war shadows when park infrastructure, staffing, and preservation desperately need funding. How about spending $45 million on our Parks instead of pacifying the Mango Mussolini.”
• “I’m writing to express my frustration over the absurd QR code initiative asking visitors to report supposedly negative historical facts at national parks. It is a total waste of my taxpayer dollars! If the Trump administration is trying to save money then this stupid idea is not going to do this! Instead Trump should be funding more money into our National Parks which are our national treasure. Please return to educating, not editing our history!”
• “This bull**** idea that we cannot show anything ‘negative about either past or living Americans.’ This is un-American.”
• “Requesting feedback on ‘signs or other information that are negative about either past or living Americans, or that fail to emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes and other natural features?’ THIS sign is about as un-American as the thing you see in the mirror. Respectfully, GO F*** YOURSELVES.” Rangers, have a lovely day. You are appreciated.”
• “I do not appreciate the portrayal of America that this very feedback sign connotes. That our federal government can’t tolerate any semblance of ‘negative’ aspects of our history so that we can grow and learn from the mistakes of our past concerns me greatly. Our very ability to be responsive and adaptive is an example of the moral beauty of our country and this sign is the opposite of that which the moral fabric of our country should be.”
• “I don’t know why the government is wasting time looking at this. History is sometimes negative. Not all people, just because they were born in the US, are good people. Continue to be honest in signage. History is history, it is not based on what people want it to be.”
• “Signs asking me to snitch on other signs as sources of historical knowledge that are inconvenient for the illusion of a squeaky clean national history are negative about past and living Americans who deserve acknowledgement, and those signs should be removed.”

What park visitors in Indiana said about the subject of history

• “These national parks are a treasure and so are the people working them. Our story (and I am a white Republican female) is the story of all. Diminishing voices simply because they don’t jive with Trump’s narrative is truly insane: it’s the opposite of the claim ‘restoring sanity…’. Our history isn’t perfect, but if we keep telling it to include the good and bad, as well as the stories of all, we will continue to grow.”
• “Let’s recognize our history, including our shortcomings and our failures. Let’s learn and grow from our mistakes instead of pretending they never happened.”
• “We are strong enough to learn that sometimes in history, America has been evil and that LGBTQ people and Black people exist.”
• “We like our history interesting, exciting, and EXACTLY how it happened. The government has no business whitewashing history to fit some ‘reality’ that never happened. The national parks belong to the American people, not an administration bent on a ‘pretend’ past. Believe me, the American people see through that every time.”
• “I’m very concerned that there are discussions within the new administration of whitewashing historical information on the country. Our national parks should tell the full story of our country’s history, including the chapters that we are not proud of, but that we can learn from so as not to repeat them.”
• “Honest storytelling matters for all visitors — our parks must reflect our full history and include all our stories. Discouraging ‘any signs or other information that are negative about past or living Americans’ is erasing a very real history that people come to these parks to learn about. All of our parks were sacred spaces for indigenous people that past (and living) Americans have committed atrocities against. To pretend that didn’t happen disrespects the legacy and memory of these places.”

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John Tufts covers trending and breaking news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at John.Tufts@IndyStar.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.