Reading Response 2

Celebrate Bears Ears

Celebrate Bears Ears

Starting off reading this article, something that really caught my eye was the intriguing title and its wording. I quickly assumed actual bears but then learned it was about another interesting topic about the: Hopi Tribe,  Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni and the Ute Indian Tribes who had lived on these lands before. The piece then explained how these five tribes continuously fought for years for their need to be heard, as they were located in present South Utah. After years their fight then was heard which was led to a higher authority. On December 28, 2016, President Obama issued his power under the ‘Antiquities Act’ to establish their homeland, Bears Ears National Monument. This meaning that the five tribes and their 1.3m acres will be protected with the greatest sensitivity and be preserved through collaborative management of the government and themselves. Being a great step toward preserving the planet and protecting a tribe’s identity as, Obama seen it as a great idea. Another key thing was that this was the first time that tribal sovereign nations allied to petition the president for a national monument, but would be revoked just over a year later. After Obama’s term a whopping 85% of their land was revoked by President Trump leaving them 2 much smaller ‘units’ of land, having me really confused. Our goal has always been to preserve the people and our planet but that just seemed opposite of the American motto. The tribe would later then sue Trump explaining that the revocation was illegal, and still going on today.