Letters to the Editor: Thoughts on the Public Land Initiative

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Editor:
That PLI website is a slick piece of work. I’m a sucker for photos of beautiful landscapes and maps of all sorts, and Reps. Bishop and Chaffetz utilized both brilliantly in a user-friendly interface. Credit must be given where credit is due. I must admit, I would be sold had this been my first exposure to the issue at hand. The language paints a pretty picture, using big acreage numbers and auspicious claims; but a close read between the lines reveals a not-so-promising inevitability for those of us not directly benefiting from the dollars flowing out of the ground or the two-tracks being laid across the desert. An objective view of the Initiative finds it wanting for responsible stewardship, lacking in a collective vision, and regressing back to a volatile, fossil-fuel-driven local economy. Even a partisan perspective doesn’t negate an informed opinion. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”- Aristotle. I urge those who have not taken a closer look to do so. Inform yourselves so you need not rely on pretty pictures and clever turns-of-phrase.
Josh Boling
Logan