Colorado’s Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, designated by President Clinton in 2000, is home to the highest known density of archaeological sites in the U.S. Protection of this land provides a valuable window into Native American life as it was 1000 years ago. It’s a living museum of cultural heritage preserved for our children and for generations to come.
But now our new Administration has put Canyons of the Ancients and many other national monuments, up for a “review.” On Wednesday, April 26, President Trump issued an executive order to review national monument designations established since 1996 under the Antiquities Act. This unprecedented and unnecessary move ignores the overwhelming public support in Colorado and across the country for public lands and in particular national monuments.
President Trump often talks about making America great. Greatness, however, can only be achieved by uniting together under shared concerns. And what better way to unite and more fully understand another’s point of view than to metaphorically and spiritually walk a mile in their shoes.
So, instead of picking up a pen, it would have been better for President Trump to put on his walking shoes. He could then accompany folks as they speak to policy makers, as I did this past March when black church leaders met with their state representatives in Washington, D.C., to talk about national monuments and their role in telling the pivotal stories of the African-American journey.
These religious leaders were from Maryland, South Carolina, and Alabama – states that were recently blessed with monument designations highlighting the civil rights struggle. The faith leaders highlighted the need to protect these historically significant sites so that their own cultural stories were not lost for current and future generations. These new monuments join other recently designated national monuments that honor our country’s diverse national mosaic and proud heritage. They tell of the sacrifices made to achieve civil rights in America or they embody spiritual strength and Native American culture as does Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.
In the halls of Congress, the religious leaders continually spoke of the need to preserve the stories of other peoples. For example, Bears Ears National Monument, which protects land imbued with spiritual meaning sacred to Native American culture, was mentioned by the black church leaders in every meeting with policymakers. It was a reminder that national monuments help tell all of our stories.
From the César E. Chávez National Monument commemorating the important Latino leader and the farm workers he championed, to Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument celebrating the trailblazing American women who fought for women’s equality, to Bears Ears, our national monuments faithfully tell our stories, and when put together, these stories comprise a unified accounting of America’s cultural and historical development.
The leaders that gathered in DC in March are not the only faith leaders to speak out in support of the Antiquities Act, and the places, people and events that this remarkable tool has conserved. Religious organizations and leaders from across the faith spectrum both nationally and in Colorado are speaking passionately and convincingly about the need to preserve public lands and protect the Antiquities Act. They understand that whether we use the Antiquities Act to conserve ecologically important places or to preserve our history and culture, honoring these places will inform future generations and it is our shared responsibility to care for these special places of God’s creation. Together we must respectfully preserve the full spectrum of America’s cultural heritage and care for creation.
To do this, we will most certainly need the help of our elected leaders to stand up to the apparent disregard displayed by the Trump administration for the core meaning of places like Canyons of the Ancients and Bears Ears. Colorado’s U.S. Sen. Bennet has come out against this unnecessary executive order, and we will need Sen. Gardner to follow his example to stay in touch with the majority of Coloradans who want to protect our nation’s monuments.
Instead of his demanding an unprecedented review of former designations, America would benefit much more if President Trump sees the wisdom in protecting more of our natural and cultural treasures. From the local parks that serve as backyard playgrounds to iconic national forests where we host memorable family vacations, our nation’s parks and public lands are beloved embodiments of God’s power and love and are the very heart of America’s story.
Cassandra Carmichael is Executive Director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment based in Washington, D.C. Visit www.nrpe.org or contact her directly at Cassandra@nrpe.org or (443) 822-3720 for more information.
