Grotstein 1

Margot Grotstein

Ms. Levesque

Communications

26 January 2017

Bears Ears National Monument

Bears Ears National Monument needs to be saved and we are the only people who can do

it. Bears Ears is located in southern Utah and just recently became a national monument. Many

people want to take away Bears Ears status as a national monument for a variety of reasons, none

of which are practical or valid. Bears Ears should remain a national monument because it is a

beautiful and rare place with cultural significance and it conserves much land.

Bears Ears has a plentiful amount of land and with the monument status we can preserve

the land for future generations without the inevitability graffiti and other forms of vandalism,

which could destroy and disrupt the beauty and significance of the land. Some believe that Bears

Ears Monument takes up too much land, but every inch less land Bears Ears has is an inch that

can be destroyed and tainted by humans. For our future generations to see the beauty of Southern

Utah Bears Ears should remain a national monument.

Supporters of changing Bears Ears status and making it public ground include big oil

companies who want to use it to drill into the ground and mine the oil. This will not only destroy

the land but also pollute our environment. The argument could be made for the people of the

neighboring town that big oil in the metaphorical backyards will add to the economy. But I argue

that once the oil is drilled dry, the people of the neighboring town will be left with nothing, no
 Grotstein 2

land for tourists to come and see and no oil for a company use to drill out the ground. The

economy will rise and plummet, which will be bad for everyone in the vicinity of Bears Ears. If

Bears Ears is kept as a National Monument, the people of the neighboring town will have a

steady source of tourism and income to fuel their economy.

Some other reason to support Bears Ears in the fight to keep its national monument status

is the tribal significance it has. Bears Ears has been and currently is home to dozens of tribes

over hundreds of years and the land is sacred ([NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTIONS

]). The idea of creating a national monument for tradition and culture of a small group of people

sounds a little absurd until you realize the benefits in it for everyone. The conservationists will

save miles of land, the neighboring communities will have a steady flow of income, the native

flora and fauna will have a safe place to live and will be perceived, Native Americans can

preserve and live on their land, and tourists can visit a beautiful place to visit.

Opposing viewpoints to the matter of the status of Bears Ears include oil, economy,

farming, land ownership, and space. Each one of these is unsubstantial compared to the plus side

of keeping its status as a national monument. The oil will dry up, the farmers can find other

places to farm, and land will become less important with more stable economy which will come

from the steady flow of tourism. All the problems that can be presented against Bears Ears

National Monument status can be solved with simple compromises.

Finally, The benefits of keeping Bear's Ears a national monument, which include

conservation, culture, income, economy, and beauty, far outweigh the negatives. Bears Ears

should remain a national monument. for the people around Bears Ears, for the animals that live

in Bear's Ears for the oil that will stay under Bears Ears, and for the beauty of Bears Ears. Please
 Grotstein 3

support the movement to keep Bears Ears status as a National Monument by calling or emailing

your representative.

Work cited

"Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition | Support Your New Bears Ears National Monument."

Bears Ears InterTribal Coalition. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

"Proposal Overview." Bears Ears InterTribal Coalition. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

COTTLE, MICHELLE. "Keeping the Presidents Hands Off Utahs Land." The Atlantic.

Atlantic Media Company, 9 Sept. 2016. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

Eilperin, Juliet. "A Major Native American Site Is Being Looted. Will Obama Risk

Armed Confrontation to save It?" The Washington Post. WP Company, 6 June 2016.

Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. "Presidential

Proclamation -- Establishment of the Bears Ears National Monument." National Archives

and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, 28 Dec.

2016. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

Board, Editorial. "Opinion | Bears Ears' Critics Should Take a Deep Breath." The

Washington Post. WP Company, 30 Dec. 2016. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.