Bears Ears land seizure another broken promise to Utah’s Native tribes

"It began as an agenda item on the Conservation Lands Foundation land takeover list in 2014 and they used financial allies until they had their way. Native people were simply a means to an end. For Utah Natives who fought against the Bears Ears designation, monuments represent broken promises made to a long line of Native people living on broken lands. The Navajo know what it's like to live without electricity or running water."

Dear President Trump,

I pray you will listen to concerns that Utah and other western states have regarding the absconding of land via the Antiquities Act.  When a single president can confiscate 553 Million acres while local citizens in hundreds of rural communities suffer environmental terrorism, there is something wrong with the federal government, something wrong with this 1906 legislation, and something terribly wrong about the power of NGOs who seem to have all the cards.  It’s time that you show them the “Trump” card and rescind those recent designations. 

Senate Hearing in Blanding, San Juan High School July 27, 2016 

If the Bears Ears Monument were initiated by Utah Tribes who live here, that might be a different story, but the Conservation Lands Foundation from Durango, Colorado was the initiator, orchestrater, planner and financial broker in this real estate deal.  They used neighboring tribes to form a pro-monument coalition, offering financial benefits and promising power to “co-manage” the monument.  It began as an agenda item on the CLF land takeover list in 2014 and they used financial allies until they had their way. Native people were simply a means to an end. 

For Utah Natives who fought against the Bears Ears designation, monuments represent broken promises made to a long line of Native people, living on broken lands. The Navajo know what it's like to live without electricity or running water. There are greater needs than locking up land and locking out jobs. But the Environazis don’t care about this, and the Environmental Hunger Games are moving on to capture Cascade-Siskiyou Monument in Oregon, Coastal areas in California, and over 6 million acres in Alaska.  These lands are not being secured for the benefit of the United States or its people. The greed of the ultra-Green is unbelievable and will only benefit the countries to whom we are indebted to the tune of some $20 trillion. We support our Utah congressional leaders and we supported you in the last election.  Please seek to rescind the designations, and to repeal or modify substantially the Antiquities Act.  Yes, it’s time for a change, and time to make America Great Again. 

--Janet Wilcox 

Watch video and read the Sutherland report on:   Collusion of Big Money, Out of State Tribal Leaders, and Environmental Groups

"Advocates also claim that locals seek a designation because of the economic prosperity it would bring. San Juan County residents know better. Major parts of one national park, three national monuments, and a national recreation area already exist in San Juan County. But even with these “protected” lands, the county has the lowest income per person and lowest median family income in the state. It also ranks among the most economically depressed in the entire country. Locals have seen firsthand that locking up multiple-use lands has prevented prosperity, and they expect to suffer even more under the burden of yet another national monument. They understand that a strong economy is a diverse one – relying on a host of activities to drive it – and that a national monument like the Bears Ears will reduce their economic diversity and deepen their financial woes by forcing them to be more dependent on tourism."

Local Ranchers Input: "No Monument for Bears Ears"

Sandy and Gail Johnson are just two of many local families whose livelihood will be impacted by the newly designated Bears Ears Monument. While President Obama, in his press statement, said the monument came “following years of public input,” Johnson and others say much of that input was in the form of “NO.”  The president ignored pleas of ranchers and local tribes to leave the area alone." The following story comes from Free Range Report Jan. 14, 2017

and from Tri-State Livestock News: January 6, 2017

Johnson's entire ranch: deeded pasture, state land, and grazing allotments are on Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service areas. The whole ranch is encompassed by the newly designated Bears Ears Monument (see map above). Sandy says he "doesn’t know what is going to happen."

He, like others in the region, "relies on federal grazing allotments for summer and winter livestock range. Johnson, a Vietnam veteran has got his Utah governor, senators, state lawmakers and county commissioners behind him.

While he supports protection of the 1.35 million acres (about the size of South Dakota’s Shannon County) in and around the Bears Ears, he worries that with the creation of a monument, careless tourists will cause destruction."

“It’s in multiple use now, and that’s how it should have stayed,” said Johnson, explaining that off-roaders, hunters and others were able to responsibly utilize the federal land prior to the designation.

“You put a monument name on it and lots of people come and then they destroy everything.”

And there are more concerns than just an overload of visitors. Without responsible grazing and management, forage becomes a fire hazard and invasive weeds take over."

“There will be places they’ve grazed forever where they won’t be able to clean up a reservoir because of restrictions on mechanized equipment or even bring in a chainsaw to fix fence.” Sandy Johnson, rancher

"Jim Keyes, a local rancher who also works as an extension beef specialist for Utah State University, said the newly designated monument borders, but does not take in, his family’s winter range.

He, too, said the action was contrary to the desires of the local residents.

“I’ve sat in on literally dozens of meetings the last two years. The Navajo tribe said ‘We don’t want this. It will restrict what we can do. We won’t be able to gather firewood.’

“We went to meetings,” said Johnson. “The local people here in San Juan County don’t want this monument. The governor was against it and all the senators here were against it.”

But a small group of Navajos joined forces with a group called the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and together, the groups worked to achieve the designation."

"Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz said compromises were being discussed, but ended up being thrown out in the lame duck president’s last minute move.

“After years of painstaking negotiations with a diverse coalition, Utah had a comprehensive bipartisan solution on the table that would have protected the Bears Ears and provided a balanced solution. Instead, the president’s midnight monument cherry picked provisions of the Public Lands Initiative and disregarded the economic development and multi-use provisions necessary for a balanced compromise.

“…the so-called tribal coalition supporting the monument over the objections of their own Utah members will quickly find they have been misled. The president’s promise of co-management between the tribes and the federal government cannot be gained through executive action. Only Congress can authorize such agreements – and the administration made little effort to help facilitate legislation that would have done so,” said Chaffetz in a news release."

Read the complete story

Let Your Voices Be Heard

There is still a need for letter writing as we forge a new direction in our county and in our country.  All of us need to write our concerns and our aspirations to the following elected officials.

(Also take or e-mail (savebearsears@gmail.com)  a duplicate copy of your letter to President Trump to Kara Laws's office before Jan. 18.  

Want your name on the "Trump this Monument"?  Sign it this weekend at San Juan Record. It's headed to Washington D.C. soon.  Thanks, Nikki Safrit.

Pres. Trump https://apply.ptt.gov/yourstory/

Congressman Jason Chaffetz  https://chaffetz.house.gov/contact/

 Senator Mike Lee  https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Navajo Nation webmaster​@navajonsn.gov

 Senator Orrin Hatch  http://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-orrin
==================

Here's my letter:

Dear President Trump,

I pray you will listen to concerns that Utah and other western states have regarding the absconding of land via the Antiquities Act.  When a single president can confiscate 553 Million acres while local citizens in hundreds of rural communities suffer environmental terrorism, there is something wrong with the federal government, something wrong with this 1906 legislation, and something terribly wrong about the power of NGOs who seem to have all the cards.  It’s time that you show them the “Trump” card and rescind those recent designations.

If the Bears Ears Monument were initiated by Utah Tribes who live here, that might be a different story, but the Conservation Lands Foundation from Durango, Colorado was the initiator, orchestrator, planner and financial broker in this real estate deal.  They used neighboring tribes to form a pro-monument coalition, offering financial benefits and promising power to “co-manage” the monument.  It began as an agenda item on the CLF land takeover list in 2014 and they used financial allies until they had their way. Native people were simply a means to an end.

For Utah Natives who fought against this monument, this designation represents broken promises made to a long line of native people who are living on broken reservation lands. The Navajo know what it's like to live without electricity or running water. There are greater needs than locking up land and locking out jobs. But the Enviro-nazis don’t care about reservation life, so now the Environmental Hunger Games are moving on to capture Cascade-Siskiyou Monument in Oregon, Coastal areas in California, and over 6 million acres in Alaska.  These lands are not being secured for the benefit of the United States or its people. The greed of the ultra-Green is unbelievable and will only benefit the countries we are indebted to, $20 Trillion dollars worth. We support our Utah congressional leaders and we supported you in the last election.  Please seek to rescind the designations, and to repeal or modify substantially the antiquities act.   Yes, it’s time for a change, and time to make America Great Again. 

Janet Wilcox

Bear Essentials Jan. 12, 2017

To Do List this week:                       

1.  Write a Letter to President Trump clearly stating your support for overturning the monument designation and why. Deliver to Kara Laws Illuminated Moments (just south of post office -mail slot in door) by Jan 18.  Our goal is 300 letters. Out of towners, e-mail to savebearsears@gmail.com

2.  This is Critical! Take County Survey regarding land resources.  Must be done before Jan. 25.

http://sanjuancountyplan.org/   Send this information to other San Juan County friends and family who haven’t participated.  We must rally the troops and be active citizens in this effort to protect San Juan County lands. All of Utah is responding, and our voices must show strong. 

3.  Read: Critical Elements for Winning the Western Lands Debate  

4. Read Gail Johnson’s Flushed repost from Range Magazine (on my blog) This shows how agriculture has been harmed in other countries by “government reform.”

5.  These two articles from Range Magazine are also very good. Please read:  Tales from the Wasteland:  ….and Monumental Megabucks

It is important that we help educate all those helping in this effort.  Some people speak out with no real knowledge.  An informed citizenry is our best weapon and there is plenty of truthful ammunition to use.  Keep reading! 

Bearing Good News:

1.     President Trump open to Bears Ears Roll Back?  Thanks to our congressmen, especially Mike Lee, the door has been opened introducing this option.   Lee argued that “what can be done through unilateral executive action can also be undone the same way.” Read more:

  2.  Believe it or not, there is a Navajo Nation Republican Party and many of our issues, are theirs as well.  Follow them on Facebook. 

    Photo editorial credit: Navajo Nation Republican Party

    

    

    Bad News Bears

1.   Obama may designate another 6.5 M acres in Alaska as NM  

2.   EPA policies targeted as cause of economic hardships and cause of suicides on the Navajo Reservation. 

3.   Impact of Obama’s Midnight Monument Crusade: (features local rancher Sandy Johnson) 

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And now for some humor, which we all need once-in-awhile, when the muck of lies gets deep.  A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in Montana when  suddenly a brand-new 2016 BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust. The  driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly  how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"                               

Bud looks at the man, who obviously is a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, why not?"                                

 

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his  Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Apple i phone, and surfs to a NASA  page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on  his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area  in an ultra-high-resolution photo.                                 

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an

image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.                                                           Within seconds, he receives an email on his Apple iPad that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with  email on his Galaxy S5 and, after a few minutes, receives a response.                                                            

 

Finally, he prints out a full-color,150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer, turns to the  cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and

calves."                                                                                           

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says

Bud.                                                            

  

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.                               

Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I  can tell you exactly what your business is,

will you give me back my calf?"                                                             

The young man thinks about it for a second  and then says, "Okay, why not?"                                 

 

"You're from the Environmental Protection Agency", says Bud.                                                            

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, “but how did you guess that?"                                                              

"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know sh*t about how working people

make a living - or about cows, for that matter. This is a herd of sheep.”                                                             

“Now give me back my dog."  

AND THAT, FOLKS, IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.. Thanks Brent and Susan Flavel

Reflections, Results, and Recommendations Regarding Bears Ears

By Nicole Perkins
A Steward of San Juan

It is almost 4 AM as I sit here and try to express the core of my thoughts and heart. So... here goes. Bear with me (no pun intended).

More than 6 months ago we embarked on a courageous endeavor to stand up and speak out and say NO! Doodah! Kach! I have literally cried myself to sleep at night with my heart breaking as I have thought of the many good and decent people, the honorable men and women in this community, whose names and reputations have been disparaged and trampled on; of the very real threat to a simple and good way of life that so many here in our beautiful county have lived; at the utter lies, hatred and greed displayed by those who have abused their power and position to deceive and destroy.

No matter how much money, celebrity, power, and media influence the opposition has on their side they will not obtain that which is of greatest value. You cannot buy honor or respect. No matter how much you lust after what rightfully belongs to another, it will NEVER truly be yours. No matter how often you repeat a lie it will never become the truth. And THAT, my friends, is the key. The opposition has based their entire platform on a lie...everything... and a foundation based on something so precarious as that WILL, sooner or later, crumple. I am predicting sooner...This MONUMENT will FALL and when it does, it will take those who have "bonded" themselves FOR it, crashing down WITH it. We are already seeing signs of it with the "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth". "Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback."

We are not a perfect community, and no one that lives here would ever claim that. BUT, we are a community of good people who love this land but more importantly, we love the Blessings of Liberty and are willing to pay the price to keep them.

As a community, we have transcended religion, race, cultural and political differences. With all the heartache and sleepless nights; the setting up for parades and booths and protests; creating brochures, signs, maps, and t-shirts and decals; letter writing campaign after letter writing campaign; preparing and sending packages to those with the hope that they might use their voices to possibly speak on behalf of our endangered lands and freedoms; having the audacity to plan a FREEDOM FEST in 6 WEEKS!; traveling to parades, setting up booths, tearing down the booths (and sometimes tearing UP the booths) and participating in protests and press conferences to help ensure the TRUTH would at least be SAID, if not heard; the loss of time for self and even harder, with family; and maybe the hardest of all, at least for me, delving into the dark and putrid pits of conversations taking place on social media to defend our community and our quiet way of life and then trying to survive the ugliness that is so pervasive in the tones and words that live there; after ALL of this and more, I can say (and I can only speak for myself) that it has ALL been WORTH it.

Just a few of the many people we've walked the talk with.

I wouldn't trade any of it for the people and the bond and the friendships that have come into my life because of this struggle... I have formed such a deep Respect and Kinship with those that I have had the honor and privilege of working side by side that it really has become a part of who I am now. I have watched as so many have sacrificed over and over again with their offerings of time, talents, resources, and knowledge. Everyone of you that I have marched side by side with, conversed, planned, rode to and from events with, hash tagged, "liked" and "loved", been "angry" and "sad" with, has touched my life for good. And Grandma Betty Jones, you are the ALL-TIME MVP, ROCKSTAR!!! I truly love and respect you. I truly love and respect all of you.

Sooooooo with all of that said, we are on the home stretch ladies and gentlefolk! NOW is NOT the time to give up or to slow down! (Ok, we ALL need that Pepsi and pony break so we don't break down...but after that...)

Right now, after all that's been said and done, we need to ...you guessed it....write letters! To President-Elect Donald Trump and to the 115th congress. (See the "Save the Bears Ears" website and face book page for more info...) We also, and I believe this with ALL of my HEART, need to keep praying and I am convinced that a community-wide non-denominational fast is KEY to finishing this the right way and with victory.

Whatever God you worship or whatever your higher power is (as long as it's not a tree-ehhh, couldn't resist that one) I sincerely believe we need to petition in humility, for His blessings to be poured out on this community. EVERY TIME that we fasted as a community in the past 6 months for this cause, we were blessed with moisture. To me, and I know too many others, this was a sign that God was aware of us and was pleased with our efforts. We have seen MIRACLES. Not one of us can deny the storm that was calmed the night of the Freedom Fest. There wasn't anything we could have done to stop the wind and the rain from coming, BUT HE could and HE did. All we could do is exercise some faith, and we did.

For those of you that are leaders in this community, I am asking you to join me and invite others to do the same. If you would all please let me know your thoughts, I would like to see our community set aside a day of fasting and prayer, beginning the 19th around 6:00 pm and ending on the 20th around that same time, concluding with a prayer and gathering as a community.

I have no doubt that we are going to WIN this BATTLE!!!

What Can Africa Teach us about Land Regulations?

Gail Dalton Johnson shared this article from Range Magazine Winter 2017. (This would be a great magazine to subscribe to: http://www.rangemagazine.com/ This particular quote from p. 2 is especially disconcerting:  "The ultimate goal is to eliminate private land ownership and property rights and replace state authority with federal/tribal jurisdiction across wide swaths of our western states. The effort is already underway, having been quietly developed by multiple agencies for several decades. The current administration has lit a fast burning fuse."

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Bear Essentials January 9, 2017

Bear Essentials January 9, 2017

I've been a bit under the weather so news is short this week.  I fell and cracked my ribs, the day of the NM designation...so it was a no good, very bad day.  But I'm getting back on track.  My blog is just about caught up with articles from last week.  Stay informed.  If any of you are not on the Save the Bears Ears Private site, let me know and I'll add you in.​

Get involved in SJ County Land Planning

Take this survey: http://sanjuancountyplan.org/

Reminder: Tomorrow Jan. 10  is the county resource management planning open house. It is about land use. Not specifically about the monument, but the monument will have a huge influence on the decisions made. There is a survey that is VERY IMPORTANT for everyone to fill out, which closes on the 25th. Friends of Cedar Mesa are spreading the word, so we need to make sure that the majority of the respondents to this survey are from SJC. It's only 8 questions, super easy and takes just a couple of minutes. Take the survey and share with friends and family. Here's the survey link http://sanjuancountyplan.org/

The Next Battle Field in Congress

--Jason Chaffetz  Outlines what’s wrong about Bears Ears.  

Bad News Bears—We’re in good company even when the news is bad

--Progressive Elites seek to destroy Rural America

--Obama moves to lockup 6.5 million acres of resource-rich Alaska lands

--Zions Park STILL Overrun by Tourists even in Winter  (Jan 1)--