Reply #36: LOL! How xenophobic of you.

[Xithras]

First, yes, they are there for international tourists. We had many of our parks named World Heritage Sites by the U.N. for that very reason. International tourism pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the California economy every year.

Second, your assumption that foreign tourists don't come here anymore is so far off base it's laughable. There is a small documented drop in the number of tourists overall, but a visit to Yosemite, Yellowstone, or even DISNEYLAND will demonstrate that a HUGE portion of the visitors are still from outside of the U.S. The last time I was on top of Half Dome, I easily heard 10 different languages spoken. Keep in mind that while the new security restrictions are a problem for some visitors, the declining dollar has made U.S. vacations much cheaper for Europeans and Asians. Their money goes much further here than it does in many other parts of the world.

As to the last bit. There aren't many foreign language majors who are willing to work bottom-rung retail jobs and live in tents and dorms for a summer. There ARE some, but not enough to staff the parks. Here in California, fluent knowledge of a language other than English and Spanish is a golden ticket to any entry level job in most major tourist spots (Everyone speaks English, and Spanish it too common to have any value to employers).