A year ago, the Obama administration took the extraordinary and long-awaited step to designate Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. Indigenous people have been caring for Bears Ears for countless generations, but formal protections under American law for the entirety of the area were made permanent only with the creation of Bears Ears National Monument. Never before has a U.S. president tried to reduce a national monument to such a degree for so little reason. In a remarkable display of tribal unity, the five tribes joined together to protect Bears Ears National Monument. Bears Ears signaled progress in preserving and perpetuating our thriving indigenous cultures, and advancing tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

Source: Huffington Post December 04, 2017 21:56 UTC