Thank you, Salt Lake Tribune, for printing the venomous catechism of Phil Lyman in the Aug. 16 issue, a recitation of the catalog of rationales he can think of for persecuting the Indigenous Peoples of the Four Corners Area, particularly Navajos, so he and his buddies can harvest “natural resources” from Sacred Lands.

His county may not have invented discrimination against Native Americans, but it surely has approached perfecting it.

Emulating his ideal in today’s White House, nothing is ever Mr. Lyman’s fault, nor the fault of the culture to which he ascribes. Blameless by his own decree, he flits from one stinking act in the catalog of history to another, without considering the compassionate thing to do. That is, do no harm, avoid racially motivated contempt, reach out to offer help, instead of endless condemnation inherent in the invasion of white settlers.

Come to think of it, that’s what we seem to have become, enabled by President Donald Trump: a nation of condemnation.

But regardless of what we call it, people like Lyman are never, ever at fault, in his sanctimonious world.

We know that the tragic death of Navajo activist Leroy Jackson, in the early 1990s, may never be forensically settled, but Leroy will remain as a courageous beacon to those who care, everywhere, always.

By contrast, what a nauseating environment Lyman will leave behind, the product of a sick mind and a toxic heart, all apparently for the sake of monetary gain from the rights and properties of others, and the glee of accusing environmental advocacy organizations of being “politically motivated.”

How about environmentally motivated, because we care more about others than about ourselves? Not even you can escape our compassion.

Article continues below