The only thing that amazes me more than the arrogance of Rep. Jim Hansen is the continued, willing ignorance of many Utahns when it comes to understanding the meaning of "public land." To listen to Jimmie B. Hughes (Deseret News Readers' Forum, April 8), one would think that federally designated wilderness was set aside only for Utahns.
Mr. Hughes needs to read the law.The 1906 Lands Act, which was the brainchild of Theodore Roosevelt and signed into law by Congress that same year, outlines the rules and procedures for establishing protected wilderness in the United States. Was Roosevelt thinking of limiting access to the people of his native state? Uh, no. In fact the point of the Lands Act was to set in reserve any parcels of land in the United States of particular beauty and interest so that all Americans might experience them.
If proposed wilderness areas were to be debated in New York state, I'd have every right as an American citizen to go there and say my piece -- on their capitol steps. Mr. Hughes, I hate to break this to you, but Utah joined the United States in the 1800s, and ashamed or not, you have to accept that designated wilderness lands (which according to the Lands Act are at the complete and total discretion of the president -- no debate or congressional vote needed) are for "outsiders," too.
If Rep. Hansen insists upon treating us to term after term of his stupid, politically motivated shenanigans, let us at least designate him a protected wilderness area -- his mouth rivals the yawning Grand Canyon, and his abysmal understanding of law is emptier than the Badlands.
Scott Jorgensen
Salt Lake City