This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated.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 follow about half a dozen environmental organizations and I'm surprised that I didn't see any physical presence from any of them to resist local yahoos and their alliance with armed militia from out-of-state for this latest publicity stunt in Recapture Canyon.
It was wise for the BLM to back down in order to avoid a shoot-out, but what's the point in fighting for more wilderness areas if we'll let anyone with an ATV, like San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman, use them for a political prop, no matter what damage they do?
I will gladly meet them at the trailhead the next time this happens. If nobody stands in front of them, how do we argue that the American people as a whole deserve to be stewards of these lands, not just the ones who carry guns?
Manny Mellor
Lehi