Research Paper Brainstorm


I am studying Bears Ears National Monument.  I would like to know why Bears Ears was approved to be set aside under protection and why it is controversial.  This is a hot issue in the state of Utah between the local and federal governments.  Notable companies got involved, pulling the annual outdoor convention that is usually held in Salt Lake City.  My audience are those who are siding with the governor on rescinding the title of national monument for this area.  Specifically for those are unfamiliar or unaware of the different reasons why we should keep bears ears a national monument.  My audience values most the views of their political party as well as the value of resources that potentially can be harnessed from this area.  They fear losing their recreation and having restrictions placed on a part of Utah that they have been able to roam free.  They would possibly lose hunting privileges as well as free access to the area.  Their arguments would be that the indigenous people do not have the right to this land and that it is not something that is sacred or useful to them.  They would also say that the land area protected is too large and is not necessary.

A few questions that I've pondered which are good questions for anyone looking into this general issue.

This land was federal land even before its designation.  Why are so many up in arms about the federal government 'stealing' land from the states?

Historically, Bears Ears is Native American grounds and holds significant historic sites and meaning.  Why are residents living near to the area so against the intertribal coalition behind this movement?

Many are Mormon.  Do they not remember the stories of our own history of being bullied and pushed off of lands? We too wanted to preserve those sites and purchased them for preservation.

I have a hard time understanding the opposing views and wonder why it is so hard to preserve areas so meaningful to a people with such beautiful culture and history.


Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 20, 2017 at 9:16 PM

    How did your research go? That's a really interesting topic. I am taking an urban design class and it's all about developing the land for users. I agree that national parks make our quality of life better as Americans, however, and not every nice piece of land needs to be owned, gated, and developed.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Living With Two Moms

Image
My husband and I have interesting family situations.  We both have parents who are mostly dependent on their children.  On my side, I am the child who has the firmest foundation under my feet at the moment.  My husband has several siblings who are capable of providing a home for his mom but somehow we have wound up with the blessing of two moms in our home. Many newlyweds would find this their worst nightmare but we find it our greatest blessing.  We have a baby boy who is now six months old, we both work almost full time and both go to school.  It has been such a blessing to be able to not have to find babysitters for our son and to be able to leave him with trusted family members whenever we need to.  Although my goal is to eventually stay home full time, I am grateful for our moms who are here for us while we transition to that period in our lives. We are born into different family situations that ultimately will bring us blessings as long as we d...
Read more

Don't Shelter Yourself: Experience the World As It Is

Image
Moving from Hawaii to Utah when I was seven was a culture shock.  Dealing with non-mormons on a daily basis as a missionary was culture shock plus so much more.  Living outside of Mormon communities was something not familiar to me.  Although as missionaries we were still encased in our own little bubbles, we still had plenty of exposure to outside forces.  It was so hard to talk to people, my first area was in San Francisco and I didn't know people would be so closed off.  People would rush by avoiding eye contact, they didn't want to be sold our product.  As I pondered why these experiences were so hard I found that it was because I was not trying to understand the world that they lived in and did not see things through their eyes. In order to be the most effective people we must have a diverse set of experiences in our lives.  If we have the opportunity to learn of other cultures and ways of life then we should be open to seeing life through ...
Read more

Raising Teenagers Before Raising Babies

Image
My work as a proctor parent has given me experience to parent teenagers before I ever had the experience of parenting my own baby.  Working with 18 to 21 year olds in my home has helped me to see the damaging effects that are warned about in The Family: A Proclamation to the World.   "we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets." This warning seemed extreme to me and I didn't fully understand until I was really able to see the effects of children from broken homes both within my own family and in the kids that I work with.  My own family has been riddle with substance abuse and poor choices, behaviors which I believe directly correlate with family circumstances.  Shockingly similar were the behaviors of kids in proctor care who I work with.  Some were failed adoptions, others mental issues, abuse, addiction and other various problems.  The...
Read more