(Photo courtesy of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty) Robert Soto, a Texas pastor and leader of the Lipan Apache Tribe, is seeking to extend eagle feather-possession rights to "sincere" practitioners of Native American religion, whether or not they are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. Utah's Ute Indian Tribe supports easing restrictions on Native Americans' access to eagle feathers, which are carefully regulated by the federal government, but the tribe's leaders contend Soto's petition could undermine tribal interests and cheapen eagle feathers' spiritual and cultural values.
Brian Maffly has worked for The Tribune off and on since 1994. Maffly roams Utah, covering public land and environment.