This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Hualapai Indian Tribe plans a $30 million Grand Canyon skywalk, an engineering wonder. Meanwhile, for more than three years the National Park Service sells a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's Flood. Also, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, NPS is not permitted to give the scientific estimation of the Grand Canyon's age. PEER executive director Jeff Ruch says it is to avoid offending religious fundamentalists.
No equal concern is given to the Hualapai Indian tribe's beliefs. Scientific knowledge bows in censorship to be "politically correct" for Christian fundamentalists, but not for the beliefs of the Hualapai Indians.
If political correctness is more important than science, we should attribute the creation story of the Grand Canyon to Native Americans. After all, Native Americans lived near the Grand Canyon long before any fundamental Christians started coming in tourist buses. And seniority should count for something.
Stewart N. Thorpe
Salt Lake City
