As stewards of this Earth, this place we call home, we must accept the immense responsibility to protect and conserve all that we have and all that we can. The designation of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase national monuments was the result of respectful and sincere consideration of the land, the people, the resources and the future (“No national monument should be undone by a subsequent president,” April 7).
This issue is clearly one of giving and taking. For all of time the Earth has provided and given her resources while providing a home for her people and all living things. These gifts are not to be taken lightly. They cannot be returned but through conserving and protecting what remains.
It is now time to honor what has been placed in our care and what has come before us. As Americans, it is our duty to respect the sanctity of these places and these landscapes while acknowledging their importance for the many resources they hold.
Our legacy must be more than taking and extracting. The virtues of respect, constraint, humility and empathy need to be included in this contentious discussion as we look beyond ourselves to chart our course forward. This is one journey that cannot be retaken.
Gail Meakins
Huntsville