Over the past couple weeks, the terror group ISIS has bulldozed its way through many of Iraq and Syria’s ancient artifacts. UNESCO World Heritage sites were completely demolished. Rare manuscripts were burned. Marble statues thousands of years old were smashed to crumbs. Ancient empires were razed. And last year, ISIS destroyed Jonah’s Tomb, a holy site said to be the burial place of the prophet Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale in the Islamic and Judeo-Christian traditions.

Granted, ISIS has carried out far more heinous acts against humans, but nonetheless, the obliteration of so many things historical and beautiful has outraged the world. In addition to its shocking brutality against humans, ISIS now seems hell-bent on eviscerating anything of cultural significance.

Irina Bokova, director general of UNESCO, condemned the acts saying heritage belongs to citizens, and noted destruction of artifacts should be considered a war crime.

“These acts are a deliberate attack against civilians, minorities, heritage sites and traditions. In the minds of terrorists, murder and destruction of culture are inherently linked,” Bokova said.

Which makes me wonder if Bokova will consider sending a nasty email to the Utah state legislature, who, by Bokova’s own standards, is practically filled with war criminals.

You see, state lawmakers recently declared grazing and mineral extraction the “highest and best use” for Cedar Mesa and the San Rafael Swell. In a resolution sailing its way through the legislature, lawmakers have made it clear mining and drilling are preferable to preserving cherished landscapes for future generations.

In short, they’re hell-bent on destroying culturally significant landscapes for their own gain. Now who does that sound like?

Apparently, our state’s legislature grew temporarily bored with refusing access to basic healthcare for poor people, harassing gays and imposing even more ridiculous alcohol laws, so they decided to take up the cause of denying future generations access to archaeological sites and geologic wonders in Southern Utah. After all, we can’t let a silly little thing like the future get the in the way of big-oil campaign contributions.

Senator Stephen Urquhart, a republican from St. George, is sponsoring the resolution — SCR4. He admitted it’s a preemptive move because he believes President Obama plans to designate another national monument in Utah under the Antiquities Act, a conservation tool that allows the president to protect the country’s lands and historical sites by declaring them national monuments.

“There is not a lot a state can do when a president wants to make hay with special interest groups, gobbling up a lot of our public lands and moving it away from multiple use,” he told the House Natural Resources committee on Friday. “Past being prologue, you know it’s coming again with this president.”

So let me get this straight, another national monument in Utah is a bad thing? Because people from all over the world visit Southern Utah to see oil rigs and not the stunning red rock landscape? Is that why so many brochures feature bulldozers and excavators on their covers?

Urquhart believes the Antiquities Act has been abused and should only protect the smallest amount of land needed. Because somehow, by his logic, the more land we protect, the more we hurt our economy. He said: “The objective has seemed to have turned into locking up huge swaths of the West to move it out of multiple use to single use, and that hurts our economy.”

If it’s the economy he’s really worried about, here’s an idea: Put that oil rig on Main Street in St George, right next to a new bar so it can designated as “multiple-use” land. A far better idea than annihilating Southern Utah’s natural beauty.

Amy Roberts is a longtime Park City resident, freelance writer and the proud owner of two ill-behaved rescue dogs, Boston and Stanley.