Last Born In The Wilderness

[Intro: 11:36 | Book Pre-sale: http://bit.ly/ORBITgr] In this episode, I speak with historian and conservationist Betsy Gaines Quammen, author of ‘American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God and Public Lands in the West.’  This discussion with Betsy begins with an examination of the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and how the theological underpinnings of this religious organization has played an important and instrumental role in the settler-colonialist expansion in the American West since the followers of this faith settled in the region over a century ago. This is especially relevant when we examine how these historical processes have led to the present day crises of land use in the region — conflicts between the federal government (e.g. the Bureau of Land Management) and the political extremism of various cattle ranchers and the militia movement, particularly the Bundy family (Cliven and his son Ammon). The Bundy's numerous high-profile confrontations with federal authorities in recent y