This letter is in response to the Tribune’s commentary on House Bill 136, where all public speakers had to be sworn in under threat of law. At a time when all of our focus is on the corporate takeover of the Trump administration, it is vital to remember that the same land grabs are happening at the state legislative level, too. Moreover, HB136 is yet another attack on science.
Whereas some of the brightest minds come together in universities and learn about the importance of preserving land to mitigate the impacts of climate change and maintain a healthy standard of living, HB136 would gag the voice of the university. Yet it doesn’t end there. Simultaneously, Rep. Mike Noel is trying to move 350,000 taxpayer dollars to his land grab. In other words, Noel is trying to make Utahns pay for the privatization of public lands in Utah.
Alec Quick, Holladay