This Outdoor Clothing Company Is Protecting Public Land From Trump & Twitter Is On Board
Patagonia items are a hot commodity during the holiday season; they're warm and cozy, chic, and the perfect accessory for winter hiking trips. However, the meaning behind the clothing has become increasingly important, especially considering recent political moves. Tweets about Patagonia protecting Bears Ears prove people are standing in unity with the sustainable company and its reaction toward President Donald Trump's latest actions.
Those who signed onto the clothing website on Tuesday, Dec. 5 weren't greeted with holiday coupons, oversized vests, and festive photographs. Instead, Patagonia's homepage was blacked out and had a simple message. It read,
In an illegal move, the president just reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. This is the largest elimination of protected land in American history.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had suggested to the president that area in Utah could promote fossil fuel drilling, according to Quartz. With that in mind, the president shrank the area by 85 percent and cut Grand Staircase-Escalante to about half its current size, according to The New York Times.
People — including reps at Patagonia — were completely floored when they learned of this news. But the brand didn't just make a statement, it also offered to take a stand. When users clicked the "Take Action" button at the bottom of the site, it brought them to a new page which allows customers to voice their concerns via Twitter. Another statement from Patagonia read,
The fate of our national monuments is in the hands of the Trump administration. Public lands — from Maine to Hawai’i — provide enormous cultural, ecological and recreational value, and they are at risk. Removing protections for these wild places to open them up for development will not make us energy independent, and history shows that when states control these lands, they are sold to the highest bidder. This is not a chance we are willing to take.
People flocked to Twitter to show their support for Patagonia's stance.
#ThePresidentStoleYourLand quickly began to make the rounds on social media.
Twitter statements are one thing, but Patagonia is taking things up a notch... with legal action, according to CNN.
The hashtag #ThePresidentStoleYourLand is certainly a powerful message, as is the one from the company's president and CEO, Rose Marcario. She isn't taking the president's moves lightly. According to a statement, which ran in Ad Age among other sources, Marcario said,
Americans have overwhelmingly spoken out against the Trump Administration's unprecedented attempt to shut down our national monuments. We've fought to protect these places since we were founded and now we'll continue that fight in the courts.
There are people, however, who have responded with very different thoughts than Patagonia and its supporters.
The land comprised of red rock canyons that has made headlines within the past several days spans more than a million acres and is home to archeological sites that Native Americans consider to be sacred, according to Quartz. Up to 100,000 sites of archaeological importance are in danger because of this, according to The Times. This move was not only something that upset citizens, but Democrats as well, as it reversed President Trump's predecessors' protections. Add this to the list of many arguments that both parties have debated this year. It's certainly a controversial issue, and one that appears to have only just begun.
Want to take a stand against the president and his administration? Visit Patagonia's website to learn how you can get involved. BearsEars.Patagonia.com also provides information and ways people can make a difference.
Time will tell how everything plays out. Here's to protecting our land everything it represents.
