[justybug]

just stumbled across this: Staircase National Monument was strange to read that nearly 70% of Utah is under Federal control... hmmm.

[Slugman]

70% of Utah is under federal control because the feds generously gave 30% of the land stolen from the native Americans to the people of Utah, either through homesteading or upon Utah's gaining statehood. This is the case in many states that gained statehood well after the founding of our country. Since the Federal government bought the land itself, or the Federal army conquered it, the feds owned it. People forget, especially in Alaska, that the feds used to purchase land from other countries that owned it, like the Louisiana Purchase, and the purchase of Alaska from the Russians. In the case of Alaska, if the feds didn't own so much, Alaskans would have none, since the Russians would still own it. Now, we could debate 'till the cows come home the legality of purchasing land from someone who stole it themselves, but that's what happened way back then. I'm sure there were plenty of Native Americans who were somewhat less than enthusiastic about the USA "purchasing" their land from the French, who mainly lived near New Orleans but claimed the entire Mississippi/Missouri valleys.

[Serragon]