Since the darkest days of September 2001, America has had a gigantic hostage right here in our harbor. Following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, all of our National Parks were closed for security purposes by the National Parks Service (NPS). Slowly each venue was fortified, inspected, secured and reopened to the public.
But not our Lady of the Harbor.
Only the Statue’s base, pedestal and observation deck were reopened in 2004 but NPS steadfastly kept the crown closed. That decision cost the city millions of dollars in tourist revenues as visitors to Liberty Island dropped by over 40 percent, or roughly 2.24 million people a year.
Not only was the gift from France, designed by sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, a symbol of freedom denied, but the 450,000-pound, 350-piece puzzle remained a blot on our national psyche.
Newly-minted Interior Secretary Ken Salazar made history on Friday morning, May 8, announcing that the Statue will reopen – crown and all – on this country’s Independence Day – July 4.
For safety, approximately 30 people per hour will get to walk up to the top during the next two years for a total of 50,000 visitors per year. Then Salazar said it would shut down again for major repairs that will allow the monument to host 200,000 people per year.
We applaud the efforts of Congressmember Anthony Weiner who has led the fight to reopen the crown. We often editorialized with him for the same result.
Thanks must go to President Barack Obama for picking such an enlightened Interior Secretary.
Now it is up to you – go to the island on or after July 4, and make the trip up to the hallowed space and fill yourself with national pride once again.
Climb the 151-foot-tall statue interior and ascend the circular, single-file, 154-step staircase that leads up to the windows in the crown.
From that vantage point, say a prayer that we remain the freest nation on earth.
