Statue of Liberty crown to reopen July 4

Source: AP

Statue of Liberty crown to reopen July 4
The Associated Press

NEW YORK – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says the crown of the Statue of Liberty will reopen July 4.

Salazar, speaking from inside the statue's crown, made the announcement Friday morning on NBC's "Today."

The statue was closed to the public after 9/11 because of security concerns. The base, pedestal and lower observation deck have since been reopened.

Salazar says about 30 visitors an hour, chosen by lottery, will be allowed inside the crown. He says that number eventually will increase.

Improvements to the crown will be made before and after the reopening.

Salazar also is visiting New York's Ellis Island to discuss stimulus funding for the historic immigration center.

Read more: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/nation/Statue-of-Liberty-crown-to-reopen-July-4-44583612.html

I was there a couple of years ago and was disappointed that I could not go all the way up.

30 people an hour chosen by lottery? How many hundreds of people are on that site at any given time?

I fail to see why it's being limited like this.

Randomness is not a valid security measure. Sounds like a policy dreamed up by the TSA.

I went with my wife & kids last year and was forced to wait in line over 2 hours. There weren't even that many people - it's just that the security was worse than at an airport.

No one got hurt. No one is going to blow up the fucking statue of liberty.

We need to just get real and stop all of this intrusive security crap in the name of "safety".

In particular national parks need to stop this shit. Those are places held in trust for the people and the people should not be treated as enemies.

President Obama is expressing confidence in the security we have, and basically telling the American people: "You can stop being as afraid as Bush and Cheney wanted you to be."

This is a good move on the part of his administration.

I went there once before 2001. The crown was open to the public, but even then it was limited. I think they stopped letting people up there at around Noon.