This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I was aghast when I read the article "Westerners fear Obama preparing for monuments land grab," (Tribune, May 3). The article reports on a Navajo national monument proposal to protect their cultural and sacred sites.
San Juan County Commissioner Bruce Adams is quoted in the article saying the national monument would be "more federal intrusion into the lives of the people who came here to pioneer a part of the country no one wanted."
Adams' statement is ignorant and dismissive of the history and interests of the Navajo people, and of other tribes that trace their history to the region. A public apology is warranted.
Brian O'Donnell
Executive Director, Conservation Lands Foundation
Durango, CO