Save Spiral Jetty | The Salt Lake Tribune

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Re: "New foundation wants to take over the Spiral Jetty" (Tribune, July 9):

Who should have a lease for the Spiral Jetty? It's a world-famous work of art, and it should be protected in perpetuity with sufficient acreage so that no development can infringe on its austere beauty.

Since it's on state land, I'd say make it a Utah state park, but considering that other state parks are currently being closed by a Legislature that sees them as a luxury, that's not such a good idea. So why doesn't the state sign over the land to the federal government and have President Obama declare it a national monument?

Or is protecting our national treasures something Utah's tea partyers think should not be the responsibility of a national government? Shoot, the way Utah runs its state parks is a good argument for a strong national government — the states just don't do it right.

Hey, I sound like James Madison arguing for a national government. Some things never change.

André Barclay

Salt Lake City