In response to Chris Benson’s Letter to the Editor, published Oct. 3
I disagree with Chris Benson’s response to Kelly Green.
Benson said, “BENM was a truly Native American Monument. Its inception by the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition consisting of Hopi, Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute, Uintah and Ouray Ute, and Navajo nations was a long-overdue and essential step towards preserving irreplaceable cultural resources and beginning a long journey of intercultural and intergenerational healing.”
In reality, BENM was orchestrated by one of the nation’s strongest environmental lobby groups, The Conservation Lands Foundation. All quotes below come from the Conservation Lands Foundation Minutes held San Francisco, CA on October 24, 2014.
The Conservation Lands Foundation intended to control the dialogue and efforts of all players in the drama. The illusion they perpetuated was that this was a “bottom-up” effort driven by indigenous people.
In reality, native leaders were targeted by CLF organizers. This was a top-down masterplan and they were carefully watching all players from Secretary Jewel on down to each tribe as illustrated in their Oct. 2014 board meeting minutes.
“Struggles with Secretary Jewell, she is not being a strong advocate for the Antiquities Act, but continues to show gradual improvement. With strong leadership from the White House this has become less of a roadblock.”
Another Conservation Lands Foundation member admits to relying on the Navajo Nation, but asks, “What happens if we separate from them or disagree with them? Without their support the White House probably would not act.”
They were using coalition leaders as kings in a grand-scale game of chess, and tribal members as pawns.
For more information go to https://beyondthebears.blogspot.com/2016/11/big-money-environmentalists-and-bears.html
Janet Wilcox, Blanding
