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Veteran and author Braxton McCoy went viral in late February on X for saying that “your grandma should not pay the same fee to see Old Faithful a guy from Shenyang does.”
In layman’s terms, McCoy was saying that U.S. citizens — who pay taxes that contribute to the protection of our State and National Parks — should not have to pay the same amount as someone from another country in order to enter and explore those parks. McCoy’s account is fairly modest by most social media standards, boasting only 83,000 followers at the time of writing.
His post received more than 5,000 likes and counting, along with some 300+ reposts and more than 200 comments. While most people agreed with him, a few folks tried to argue against his statement.
How Did People React?
Screenshot/x/braxton_mccoy
“I would love to see any info on visitor information and revenue from each group type. Can’t wait to see the reactions when you have to remind the normies to thank hunters, fishermen and firearm sport enthusiasts for paying extra which provides much of the funding for our great outdoors (Pittman-Robertson) and through our state licensing fees,” one person said in the replies.
“I do not mind user fees. Or hunting and fishing licenses. Everything takes money, and our natural spaces are absolute diamonds in our crown. If the money goes to that, I’m fine with it,” said another. (POPULAR POLL: Are You a fan of President Trump’s Cabinet?)
For the most part, it seemed like Americans agreed with McCoy, begging the question: why do citizens have to pay to see the most majestic, protected, and magical places this country has to offer?
How Do You Feel?
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