Dear Editor,
In “Debating the Monument” (April 24, 2013) Brooke Williams surely presented a one-sided debate. He claims that he doesn’t understand opposition to the 1906 Antiquities Act. No wonder, with inspired logic like: ‘if things had turned out differently, they might not be the same’. (paraphrase of his second paragraph)
The Antiquities Act was all about issuing permits to excavate archeological sites on Federal Land.
The government of the USA does not own that land. Certainly no President, nor his administration, owns any of it. The PEOPLE are the owners, if anyone. If the President wants to tie up a parcel of public land for a special use, he should get the permission of the owners, through their representatives in Congress. That’s all. Simple.
Respectfully,
Randy Evans
