Although we embrace public participation as part of the democratic ideals, sometimes even that system can get muffled by special interest groups. There has been a lot of heartfelt commitment for the protection of the Organ Mountains and other special natural areas as wilderness. We need to use that as our indicator of where the real public sentiment lies.
At the Nov. 4 public meeting, more than 400 wilderness supporters spoke up about the need to protect some of our most special wild places for our children and grandchildren. Twenty- three organizations, including six local hunting and sportsmen organizations, agreed to compromise wilderness boundaries. More than 180 businesses announced their support for wilderness. These and many other moments show how important this plan is to our community's future.
There have been many individuals who have sincerely participated in a community coalition that has worked for more than a year to bridge differences and protect land. Our interest is in the quality of life for our community which includes protecting special places like the Organs and Broad Canyon. If you want to honor the processes that support dialogue and consensus building to support wilderness, encourage U.S. Sens. Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman to listen to our voice.
LISA LaROCQUE
