I see that you two have decided to stoop to grade school antics by introducing retaliatory legislation in response to Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin’s introduction of the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act.
You justify your childish behavior by claiming, it seems, some special right of ownership of public lands that happen to be within Utah’s borders.
Public lands belong equally to each American. Sen. Durbin has the same rights of ownership as you do. If he believes these public lands are threatened, he has every right, and responsibility to act to protect them. Since you and the rest of Utah’s representation will not act to protect them, there is not a single principle of ownership that I can conjure up that suggests he or anyone else needs to sit on his or her hands and do nothing simply because those lands don’t fall within the boundaries of his or her state. That is a wholly preposterous and completely indefensible assumption on your parts.
And in truth, gentlemen, Sen. Durbin represents me, a lifelong Utah resident, much more effectively than either of you with regards to the management of public lands. For our government to truly represent all Americans, legislators from other states have to carry the water for those of us who don’t enjoy the luxury of having our elected legislators represent our points of view. Were it not for Sen. Durbin I would have no voice in this matter.
Do not play silly, juvenile political games because you believe your behavior will be championed or celebrated by all of your constituents. I’m sure they look great to your biggest donors, energy and mining companies and the like, but to me, an equal co-owner of these lands, you do not, in any way, speak for me. Sen. Durbin does. Your juvenile game of tit for tat is way beneath both of you, and merely adds to the evidence that today’s GOP struggles mightily to elect mature adults to public office.
David Tippetts, Mapleton
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible