George Nikas, speaking for the Utah Wilderness Association, criticizes the Deseret News for its Oct. 4 editorial opposing Bruce Babbitt's so-called grazing reform proposals.
Among other things, the editorial criticized the proposal's plan to assert federal ownership over any waters developed on federal government land. While this power grab is clearly a reversal of "states' rights" and the "equal footing doctrine," all environmental groups, including UWA, support it wholeheartedly.Nikas goes on to say that "the public has a right to the water on public lands that is yet unclaimed." What he means by "public right" is "federal government control.'
Nikas and his environmental cronies really want maximum centralized federal control of as much of the nation's water, land, timber and minerals as possible.
As Fisher Ames, the renowned jurist, wrote shortly after the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were signed, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. But the frugal housewife, the thrifty merchant, the laboring blacksmith, the industrious farmer will all be too caught up in their daily endeavors to become involved."
I would hope to see the day when the radical environmental greenies start to practice and live accordingly to what they preach. Abandon their automobiles, destroy their homes that have lumber in them, start wearing breechclouts, running through the cheat grass and buck brush catching mice and crickets for their daily substance.
Paul L. Young
St. George