The last great cash cow In Colorado we have 24 million acres of public lands, including 4.2 million roadless acres encompassing some of the best elk habitat on the continent. However, since the days of Theodore Roosevelt, people driven by myopic greed have endeavored to remove public lands from p ublic hands. Earlier this year they tried to sell off over 3 million acres. “The motivations haven’t changed. This is the last great cash cow for people who don’t produce anything,” explained Hal Herring, a Field Stream contributing editor and host of Backcountry Hunters Anglers’ (BHA) Podcast Blast. “They don’t produce anything, but they know if they can get ahold of this, they can make a fortune. They’re simply taking from the American people.” Fortunately, Americans across the political spectrum united in opposition and killed the selloff. But as things turned out, the threat to our public lands wasn’t over. Now, industry-friendly politicians are trying to open up some of our best elk habitat to indiscriminate logging, drilling, and mining by rescinding the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. During the recent 21-day Roadless Rule public comment period 600,000 Americans spoke: 99% in favor of retaining the Rule. “I think Teddy Roosevelt must be tired from rolling over in his grave,” U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich said recently, about the Trump administration’s efforts to open protected public lands to resource extraction. “When Elon Musk steps on to a piece of public land, he and I are equals. And that’s what they can’t stand,” emphasized Greg Bafundo, former lead wilderness ranger for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. “They have everything, except public lands.”As Hal, Martin, and Greg know well, public lands are not a left or right issue; they’re an American issue. This is our national heritage—once it’s gone, it is gone forever. David A. Lien Colorado Springs Using hurtful language In a Scrabble game with your spouse, the point count of a word can determine who does dishes the next day. On a more serious note, Ludwig Wittgenstein illustrated how words change meaning through his concept of “language games.” For example, the word “Water!” can have three different meanings: a command, a warning, or a statement of thirst. Sadly enough, the word “garbage” can be a derogatory word to classify certain immigrants in this country as stated by President Donald Trump. How can individuals who claim to be educated and possess moral convictions rationalize the use of deliberately hurtful language to offend others seemingly bypassing the process of critical thought? In recent months questions regarding Trump’s physical health have made the news, accentuating the words MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). How about his mental and spiritual health? Clearly even the layperson knows that it is wrong to use vitriolic diatribe to offend your fellow human beings. People in this country as well as the rest of the world know that Trump excels in the use of superlatives, especially if they apply to him. Yes, he is the president of the greatest country in the world; unfortunately he is capable of showing the lowest degree of sensitivity toward others, such as news reporters who ask him the wrong questions. Besides some badly needed spiritual guidance for our president, how about a grammarian to show him how to use superlatives properly, so they are congruent with what he attempts to describe? Marcela Gaumer Colorado Springs An act of violence Kathleen Parker’s editorial concerning pregnancy resource centers was spot on. Using logic and common sense, she gutted the pro-choice/pro-abortion/pro-death specious reasoning for their narrow-mindedness and bigotry. Science proves that the unborn are human; therefore, to kill a child in utero is totally immoral and wrong. Yet Colorado allows abortion up until the moment of birth! Consider this. Schools are being closed because of falling enrollment. One salient reason is that we are killing almost a million children a year nationwide. Also, seniors concerned about possible diminished social security need to understand that the lower birth rate contributes to less revenue for benefits. Our birth rate of around 1.7; not nearly enough to sustain our nation. We are committing a slow-moving suicide. Abortion is an act of violence that kills a child. To be pro-choice is to be anti-science. Thank you, Ms. Parker, for your well-reasoned column. A warning: The left will be attacking you with their usual illogic and hysteria. Bill Crow Larkspur ...read more read less