“I feel that strength and that power that we are going to protect this land and we are going to survive with it”
–Malcolm Lehi, Ute Mountain Ute tribal council member“History on Horseback,” Patagonia, http://bearsears.patagonia.com/culture/history-horseback
Bears Ears has grown far beyond a case of Native sovereignty and sacred site protection, and so sometimes it bears reminding that at its heart, it is an issue of Native American religion in danger. Lots of different groups are involved in the lawsuits, including recognizable names like Patagonia that have given the case high-end publicity. Far more people and companies are pledging their support for the monument than anything else on this website. The case quickly became the poster child of looming environmental destruction and the fight against it. It is also a flash point for environmentalists who vehemently oppose the Trump administration. These groups have their own interests, of course, like preserving the land for recreation and archaeology, but they support the Obama deal that gave control to the 5 Native tribes.
