My brothers and I, in or youth, were busy working on our family farm and in many important pursuits, but we also took time to hike into the Uinta Mountains wilderness, near our home in the Uinta Basin.
We traversed the landscape, comparing the mountains, valleys and streams around us to the markings on topographical maps, to determine our location and choose our direction of travel.
We were allowed to wander wherever we wished to in this magnificent landscape, because it is public land, owned by We, The People of Our Nation of United States, cared for by our national agencies.
If these lands were in private ownership, as some wish to place them, we would never have been allowed upon them, or if so, it would have been at a high cost or only for those of a particular cast, each determined by the owners.
If these lands had been in state ownership, they would likely have been parceled up long ago and sold by local politicians to the highest bidder or closest buddy.
Each summer, my family undertook a family trip to a National Park or we rode our horses into the Uinta Mountains wilderness.
All of these were places we could go because they were public lands, owned by we The People of our nation of United States.
Our home and farm were owned by our family. We could determine what we did there as long as our Peaceable Pursuit of Happiness didn’t impede impair someone else’s.
It is paramount to the Peaceable Pursuit of Happiness of We, The People of Our Nation of United States, that we can personally own an adequate home, sufficient farm or plausible place of business.
It is also paramount to the Peaceable Pursuit of Happiness of We The People of Our Nation of United Sates, that we have public ownership of all places not in such private ownership.
Laird
