Ban Private Beaches
There are few summertime activities more essential than trips to the beach. But huge swaths of waterfront throughout the country are private property, off-limits to the public. This is a crime: all beaches should be public.
Bathers enjoy Guanabo Beach in Cuba, where beach access is constitutionally guaranteed. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
In 2017, then-governor Chris Christie ordered public beaches across New Jersey closed as part of a budget standoff. When pictures emerged of Christie and his family enjoying the beach all by themselves, a wave of revulsion spread across the state and the country.
The governor wasn’t doing anything illegal. The Christie family was staying in a special gubernatorial beach house that wasn’t covered by the general shutdown. Even so, we were all disgusted by the sight of a privileged person using his power to enjoy the many pleasures of a beautiful beach that he’d stopped everyone else from using. The Christie family got to saunter around watching the sun glinting on the sand. The Christie family got to walk into the cool water and swim. Everyone else got to sweat and grimace at the pictures.
We were all right to be disgusted at Christie’s actions — but this is exactly what private-beach owners do every day.
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