New Mexico Wildlife Federation (NMWF) held a public meeting at the Tays Center on Saturday evening billed as an Economics Forum. Only one of the panel, Robert Curran, a sportsman, was local. Although NMWF refused to take a position on Otero Mesa becoming a National Monument with the stroke of the presidential pen, NMWF did admit that it supports Wilderness designation for the Organ Mountains.

Since we have pristine grasslands worthy of consideration for National Monument status, how did the grasslands survive under BLM and ranchers' care and now need another level of bureaucracy, the NPS, for protection? This defies even basic common sense.

I could go on and cite a number of facts that could not be rebutted at the meeting, such as nearly 45 years of decline in visitation at White Sands National Monument, something that even ecotourists can not cure.

But, I would rather refer you to a very interesting article by Walter E. Williams entitled "Profit vs. Nonprofit": http://patriotpost.us/opinion/walter-e-williams/2010/09/22/profit-versus-nonprofit/

Also, a favorite tool of mine to find out where organizations get their money is Quidestar where you can read their IRS 990's - always enlightening. http://www2.guidestar.org/

Also, Activest Cash is good for making the connections between large and small nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). http://activistcash.com/index_foundations.cfm

We here in Otero County have a much greater interest in preserving Otero Mesa than anyone else. It is our home. All the promises in the world of money and ecotourists falling from the sky will not change the facts. Let's deal with reality.