U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and the National Parks Conservation Association spoke out against President Donald Trump’s latest Presidential Executive Order on the Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act, which could include a review of the Stonewall National Monument located in New York City’s West Village – the  first ever national monument recognizing the historic struggle for LGBT equality and civil rights.

“The Stonewall National Monument is a testament to the power individuals have to change the course of history, and to the progress made in the struggle for equality for all Americans,” said Congressman Nadler. “President Trump has made no secret of the fact that the review he has ordered is intended to threaten the status and protections of national parks around the country. Attacking national monuments by allowing the Secretary of the Interior to second-guess the thorough and deliberate processes undertaken by past administrations is unprecedented and will allow this administration to arbitrarily erode our national park system. We will fight to ensure that this monument to LGBT history endures not just through this administration, but all future administrations as well so that future generations remember, understand, and appreciate the significance of what this monument represents.  The history of the LGBT civil rights movement launched at Stonewall deserves this recognition, and it is shameful that the Trump Administration would threaten it.”

“The Stonewall Inn National Monument tells the incredible story of America’s LGBT community, and I will strongly oppose any attempts to remove its designation and dishonor the sacrifices that so many LGBT Americans have made,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We must continue to do everything we can to fight for equal rights for our LGBT community, and that includes making sure their voices and their stories are never silenced.”

“There are places in America so powerful, they helped shape our nation’s history and culture and thanks to the century-old conservation law, many of these places are national park sites,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association. “Stonewall, and the area surrounding this historic site, is protected today due to strong support in the community, nationally and in Congress with great leadership from Congressman Nadler and Senator Gillibrand. To call into question the validity of these protections jeopardizes the preservation of this site and all of our cultural, historic and iconic landscapes for generations to come.”

Background:

President Trump’s Executive Order aimed at the Antiquities Act specifically instructs the Department of the Interior to revive sites designated since January 1, 1996 that are more than 100,000 acres or where Interior Secretary Zinke determines the designation or expansion was made without “adequate public outreach and coordination with relevant stakeholders.”

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