University of Wyoming
Professor of Public Land, Environment, Natural Resource and Native American Law at the University of Wyoming and author of The Western Range Revisited: Removing Livestock from Public Lands to Conserve Native Biodiversity
America's Oldest Question: Who Owns the Land? The current standoff at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon is the latest example of "sagebrush rebellions" that dot the history of the American West. The federal government owns a majority of the land on behalf of all Americans. But local residents become outraged if their interests aren't being protected. In this case, armed outsiders claim the right to take over, even though locals don't agree. But the basic truth of the matter is this: Cattle ranching, mining, oil drilling, recreation and environmental protection often have trouble getting along.
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.