"Now Is The Time To Stand Up": Armed Activists, Militiamen Seize Federal Wildlife Refuge Office In Oregon
On Saturday, militants seized a remote government outpost following a protest by hundreds of angry citizens.
That could very easily be the opening line for a story about a Mid-East country beset by civil war. Instead, it’s a description of what happened in Oregon yesterday.
It all started back in 2001 when Dwight Hammond and his son Steven set fire to leased government land in what they said was an effort to beat back invasive plant species and - ironically - prevent wildfires. They set more fires in 2006 and were later convicted of arson.
(the elder Hammond)
Both men served time in prison but a judge eventually determined that their sentences were too light and ordered them back to jail.
Some folks were displeased with the ruling and staged a protest that saw some 300 people march through Burns, a city of around 3,000. The procession made a stop by the Hammond residence and proceeded to make an appearance at the local sheriff's office as well.
"As marchers reached the courthouse, they tossed hundreds of pennies at the locked door. Their message: civilians were buying back their government," AP recounts. "A few blocks away, Hammond and his wife, Susan, greeted marchers, who planted flower bouquets in the snow [after which they] sang some songs, Hammond said a few words, and the protesters marched back to their cars."
Enter Ammon Bundy.
Ammon is the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy who famously clashed with the government last year after his cattle were kidnapped by the Feds. Around 400 of Cliven's cows were busy grazing on land Bundy said he owned when the Bureau of Land Managment began to round them up and ship them off to a bovine internment camp at Bunkerville.
The government says the cattle were grazing on public rangeland, which is legal as long as the owner pays a fee. Bundy allegedly racked up some $1 million in such fees and so, the government decided to seize the cows, which the Nevada Bureau of Land Management accused of "trespassing."
Evenutally, the cavalry arrived (literally) as cowboys rode in and broke the cows out of jail. No, really.
Fast forward to November and Bundy's son Ammon was busy trying to come up with a way to keep Dwight Hammond and his son from going back to jail. "Ammon Bundy met with Dwight Hammond and his wife in November, seeking a way to keep the elderly rancher from having to surrender for prison," The Oregonian writes, adding that "the Hammonds professed through their attorneys that they had no interest in ignoring the order to report for prison."
But while the Hammonds have apparently come to terms with their fate, Bundy hasn't and in a brazen move, he and an unspecified number of "outside militants" seized control of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge headquarters, which is a short drive from Burns (where the protest took place).
The federal outpost fell to the militants without a fight presumably because it was deserted for the holidays. Here's more from the Oregonian:
"The facility has been the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds," Ammon Bundy said.
"We're planning on staying here for years, absolutely," he added. "This is not a decision we've made at the last minute."
"The best possible outcome is that the ranchers that have been kicked out of the area, then they will come back and reclaim their land, and the wildlife refuge will be shut down forever and the federal government will relinquish such control," he said. "What we're doing is not rebellious. What we're doing is in accordance with the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land."
"After the peaceful rally was completed today, a group of outside militants drove to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, where they seized and occupied the refuge headquarters. A collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution. For the time being please stay away from that area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please maintain a peaceful and united front and allow us to work through this situation," Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward said, in a statement. The elder Bundy weighed in as well, noting that the occuption isn't “exactly what [he] thought should happen." "But I didn’t know what to do,” he added. “You know, if the Hammonds wouldn’t stand, if the sheriff didn’t stand, then, you know, the people had to do something. And I guess this is what they did decide to do. I wasn’t in on that.”
Ammon Bundy explained the rationale for the occupation as follows:
Got that? This wildlife refuge office will become "a base place where patriots from all over the country will live and be housed." Although from the looks of it, space is limited so reserve your spots now:
The Guardian apparently stopped by the refuge for a visit:
The occupation appears to have begun at about 2pm. Two hours later, the Guardian approached the refuge, which lies about 60 miles south of the town of Burns and is only accessible via a lakeside road slick with ice and banked with snow.
There were no law enforcement agents visible in the area around the refuge. A man with a goatee beard and wraparound sunglasses stood guard, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, and refused entry to the federally owned facility.
He declined to give his name or affiliation, citing “operational security”. He did confirm, however, that the men – several of whom were openly carrying assault weapons – would be camping on the site. “This public land belongs to ‘we the people’,” he said. “We’ll be here enjoying the snow and the scenery.”
This is as close as I was allowed to get to the armed militia occupying the Malheur Wildlife Refuge HQ. #burnsoregon pic.twitter.com/DPztu0VsVU
— Jason Wilson (@jason_a_w) January 3, 2016
The Guardian was allowed to take a few photographs, and then it was strongly advised to leave the scene. Within hours, police had descended on the remote corner of Harney county, blocking roads and urging members of the public to stay away.
Ammon Bundy, whose father became a folk hero among rightwing constitutionalists after his previous confrontation with federal authorities in Nevada, appeared to be a key figure.
He called for other likeminded US citizens to travel to the refuge in solidarity and to support what he said would be a symbolic showdown between impoverished farmers and overzealous federal authorities.
“We’re out here because the people have been abused long enough,” he said in a video interview posted on his Facebook page on Saturday night.
It isn't entirely clear how these "patriots" plan to last "years" in the small building without supplies but that's probably irrelevant because it's difficult to imagine the oppressors in Washington will let this go on for very long. On that note, we'll close with two quotes, one from The Oregonian and one from US Army veteran Ryan Payne who is among the occupiers.
From The Oregonian: "In phone interviews from inside the occupied building Saturday night, Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, said they are not looking to hurt anyone. But they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them, they said."
From Payne: "When local and federal authorities arrive whatever else is going to happen will happen”.
(51 votes)
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Unfortunately, Wow72, there are not enough people like you.
Alot has changed since then. This is no longer 1996--the internet has come into maturity. People know more now than before. This will not be covered purely by State controlled media. It's been nearly 20 years, and there has been alot of discontent over Federal overreach. We are also in economic doldrums, and that kind of situtation creates situations where people feel like they have less to lose, and maybe even look for someone to blame. I wouldn't be hasty to write this off.
And all of Sonny Bono's tears didn't make a difference. Then he skied into a tree.
Was this originally written by the Huffington post? Horrible.
I laugh when I read folks saying this won't turn out well for them, do you think they care at this stage? If thry did they wouldn't be there!!! Stop with the brain washing foolishness otherwise the government has already won!
Why now? Who benefits?
Me smells a stage-managed psyop/crisis to further an agenda.
http://americandictators.blogspot.com/2016/01/oregon-standoff-terrible-p...
http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2016/01/perfect-timing-for-re...
http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=53601
Folks are neg-repping you because they really need to believe that this is genuine. Tell you what, until these folks de-program HOW they think (Which is STILL a belief-based mental construct) then we, who are truly awake and not in merely a different dream, will remain screwed.
Many of these people are STILL programmed. Sure they now have different macros playing in their brainwashed cerebrums, but the fact of the matter is that they are STILL CONTROLLED.
Why? Because they emote and believe, rather than THINK and REASON. Because of the former they can still very easily be manipulated, and that makes them both dangerous, and lesser men.
Unfuck yourselves and strive to attain an open mind for god's sake. There is hope for them though. I too was once a Tard, but through hard work, self-examination, and some pretty nasty self criticism I learned to open my mind, use my God given intelligence, and weigh all possibilities.
They can too, but the first step in healing is admitting the existence of a problem.
I live in the northeast. This is not on the news. Anywhere. Any channel. At all. How in the fuck is this not front page news?
How can a country decide how they feel about things they aren't even being informed about? Really, RT is the only one covering this?
Disgraceful.
RT is the most uncensored news station out there today. Al-Jazeera not bad, either.
There's a reason why MSM wants you to think RT & Al-Jazeera are "biased propaganda bullhorns". They need you to only watch their coverage, so you will never have a clue what's really going on.
The revolution will not be televised.. figured you knew that.
Time and time again ZH forces the MSM to print. I love it. Worse comes to worse it'll be "televised" on cell phone videos et al., but no doubt MSM advertisers will pony up for those eyeballs first.
Try reading Yahoo news, its all over the internet. Meanwhile cops kill a blackman holding a concealed cellphone in his hands in Las Vegas. I don't see armed black militia occupying Fed Buildings although they have more of a case than those ranchers.
Both have a case; there's a common thread here. And more at stake than meets the eye.
Well they would be better served to do so instead of burning down shops in their neighborhood. They would find they have many more allies as well.
No, they don't.
Read this. http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/01/03/full-story-on-whats-going...
2:15 PM EST, CNN just picked this up as a Developing Story. Interviewed a former SEAL, Jonathan Gilliam, who very appropriately said that this is a failure of dialog that needs to be worked out between the courts / government and the people before this comes to a head.
He did indicate that he believed this was a case of double jeapordy and seemed to want the occupiers to clarify their message as to what they want in return for their time protesting / occupying the area they now occupy.
If they are smart the protestors will remain non-violent and clarify their grievances. That said, with things the way they are right now in the US, if the government is smart they will also remain non-violent. Just go to the RT YouTube page with this story and read the comments. People are fucking pissed and they're starting to show it like I have never before seen in my lifetime. This needs to be worked out in a very public manner, with people being sensitive as to the tension, and people need to keep cool about this and remain non-violent.
I knew the new year was going to be intersting, but this is history in the making on day 3. I hope it ends well for all concerned.
so there are still a few americans left.
dumbass...ze weapons are in the Armory ARMORY
You mean there are people in this country who care about freedom, more than their own meaningless little lives, because they understand that said freedom is the only thing allowing them to have such lives?
There just may be hope for us yet.
God's speed, freedom fighters. Every single time that enough people stand up against tyrants - they cower, wither and fall like the weak pieces of nothing they are.
Every year, it's some new group of dummies that bands together for a big "showdown" with the Federal government. A few days will go by, and then they'll quietly slip away to watch the NFL playoffs. BTW, the cow in that picture looks awfully familiar...I think I know her. Weird.
Every DAY, a muzzie has sex with an animal. today must be your day with a cow
Perhaps you call that cow mommy?
Too bad this article is short on facts and long on hyperbole. They set a fire, a long standing practice to increase the fertility of the land, after getting a fire permit from the town. The second fire was a backfire to stop a lightning generated fire.
Moreover they were convicted of terrorism! Not arson.
Read the facts here... http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/01/03/full-story-on-whats-going...
charging US citizens under anti-terror "laws" for doing something that ranchers have been doing for 200+ years is a good enough reason. burning land is sop and if the feds aren't willing to manage the lands they own (which outside of military installations is a crime against the people in the first place) it then falls to the ranchers to protect what little they have left.
besides isn't this double jeopardy?
the feds are the worst mangers of our nations natural resources imaginable, corrupt and incompetent with no personal interest in what actually happens to these lands they destroy far more then they preserve. while the ranchers and others who actually make there living off the land are obviously very much invested in the health and wellness of their environments. yet the feds have taken so much land away from them and everyday they take more. and they will continue to thieve from these people until the only the massive corporations of big agro have land at all.
the feds are out to destroy, once and for all, independent ranching and farming and on an even larger scale private land ownership in general. look at what just happened in Nevada the feds seized even more land around area 51. how many families lost their livelihoods in just that one incident? and this sort of thing happens every single day all around this country. private land ownership is central to the very basic idea of liberty, self governance and independence without it we are truly nothing more then neo serfs.
and the feds just continue to bulldoze right over us in this and so many other regards. there is already so little left of the promise, the ideas that this nation was founded on that I applaud anybody who is willing to take action, even armed action to try and preserve some small part of it.
even if it is already to late to save the whole.
now I know the vast majority of the US population will not support the these few individuals who have chosen now to make a stand. they will be labeled white, right wing, gun nut, anti government, conspiracy theory, extremist, terrorists who exemplify the true danger of white privilege. and yes they will hand Obama the perfect context for his gun control by executive order especially if this turns violent. but be that as it may we, as individuals capable of independent thought and critical thinking should not allow the propaganda, the noise of the MSM, PC, .gov machine to cloud the larger message.
these guys holed up in that building are there because they believe in something larger than themselves. and if the reports are true to their feelings and determination they will probably die there as the PTB's in DC obviously do not put any value on human life whether at home or abroad. so while most will view there slaughter, should it come to that as perfectly justifiable and many will even applaud it (a few less whity terrorists in the world) it's up to those of us who refuse to be indoctrinated to remember the most important thing no matter how this all ends. whether you fully agree with there cause or timing or not.
these are not the bad guys in this story. these guys are us, you and me, "we the people".
remember that.
and as always hedge accordingly
Double jeopardy is when you are charged twice for the same crime after the jury was sworn in the first time. Doesn't sound applicable here. Sounds like the judge just tried to re-sentence the Hammonds for some reason. May be political pressure. Federal judges get their paycheck from the federal government so it isn't surprising that they tend to rule in favor of their employer when they can.
Wrong.
It means you cannot be CONVICTED and/or SENTENCED twice for the same crime.
That is what happened here. The judge made a secondary ruling after the conviction. I have never seen this in state courts.
Perhaps you could show me when this has happened before in any court?
I will patiently wait for your nonresponse.
You sound like you live in your own head.
This happens many times each year in Canada. The RCMP just ignore it and it goes away.
States Rights.
BLM, what a fucking joke.
If they think masses of Americans are going to join their ranks, it is doubtful and I would be very surprised if that happens.
I know a lot of "patriot" sites have arisen the last few years and whom constantly talk about a new "revolution", but most likely the next American revolution will be launched from facebook and iPhones. One "uprising" will quickly get squashed by drones and U.S. military and that will be that.
It is much too late to save the "republic". If Americans won't or can't stop the criminal activity of the Government while it unfolds, what makes you think you can change it after the fact? So many examples: Where was the mass protests after 9/11 or when they rolled out drones over America? Hundreds of examples....Or how about the TSA groping crimes that have gone on at Airports? We watched parents allow their young children to be groped, etc. Nothing done.
Unfortunately, Americans are getting what they deserve (for remaining silent while their government looted them, murdered millions overseas, and set up mass surveillance society) and those who did try to stop it will not be spared. Full blown Totalitarian system is here.
"If Americans won't or can't stop the criminal activity of the Government while it unfolds, what makes you think you can change it after the fact?"
The government will eventually bankrupt itself. Unfortunately, before doing so they may start a nuclear war (or provoke one) or confiscate everyone we, the people, have.
This is not 1776 or 1860. The infrastructure of that time was primitive consisting of a few roads, several thousand miles of telegraph lines and a few thousand miles of rail road. All of which could be easily repaired in the event of disruption. The society was largely agrarian and Sunday dinner was prefaced by walking out to the coop and strangling a chicken. Today, a couple of guys with a pressure cooker can shut down a major city. Our food and fuel supply lines are thousands of miles long. The grid is incredibly fragile. The government suggests that the destruction of 9 substations would put the nation in the dark for 18 months. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-19/government-agency-warns-if-9-substations-are-destroyed-power-grid-could-be-down-18-m
Using the numbers of the Revolution, we can expect a few thousand to initially swarm the federal authorities. After that Concord and Lexington event, we can expect 9 million to join the side of the Rebels. This is not something we want, but we may get it none the less. All that is necessary is for a federal agent to make the wrong call.
For balance:
Armed Militia Invades Federal Building In Oregon - Threaten to Kill Government Officials!BTW Imagine if armed men took over government building in Russia. Yeah.... that would happen. Now that's freedom in US.
Actually during the entire USSR revolt the military pretty much stood down and let the Pols fight it out. I wouldn't expect the US military to do the same. All their recent training has been to put down a general uprising.
Who is this Fed troll, John Iadarola?
They just added a couple more personal traits that will get you on a watch list. Clearly we need people to register cowboy hats with the authorities.
1) Individual is known to wear cowboy hat and/or western boots.
2) Idividual has cattle.
3) Individual expresses support for things called "property rights".
Food for thought:
Hey! Some of you internet savvy guys out there. These guys that are involved have families to support. Is it possible to get a crowdfunding site going to help them out? Anybody have contact with the Bundys?
Maybe this thing could grow and spread across the country. I'll be one of the first to donate.
The terrorists in D.C. would probably declare it to be providing material support to terrorists and send our the Jackboots.
That said, you can count me in.
Now, back to reloading my next 10k rounds of ammo.
I use to live in CA (thank god I got smart and moved) and I remember the controlled burns by the Forestry Service which got out of control and burned land and private property. Nobody went to jail, nobody got fired, nobody got isciplined.
WHO the hell decided the jail sentence wasn't long enough. Plenty of time when he was in jail to make the case. Did ANYONE on Wall Street do time for rigging rates, insider trading (well one or two), etc. They paid a small fine and didn't have to admit guilt. Why did someone get to pay a fine for the burn getting out of control. REMEMBER when you burn you don't have a buildup of fuel which makes future fires worse.
This. Even if, as .gov contends, they did the burn to cover up poaching (don't believe a word any .gov says) the punishment is so much worse than the assholes that blew the damn and destroyed the animas river in Colorado. When .gov does it there is no penalty.
If we can keep the tyrannical .Gov ( the bankster lackey's ) occupied on Home Soil maybe they will stay the F. out of Foreign Soil.
Would love to see a United Front throughout the States occupying Every Federal building and not have this viewed as a right-wing extremist lone Agenda.
This Action deserves Everyone's Support and i have great admiration for these Patriots.
Here is a link to a replay of an interview with Alex Abella. It is about the Rand Corporation. Provides some insight as to how we are view as consumers, not citizens with rights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13mRY4MAtog
If this thing goes hot, the first thing the talking heads will do is to reclassify the federal buildings as a "compound". Next US citizens will be reclassified under the patriot act as "enemy combatants. This reclassification(under the law) will then be used by government lawyers to justify the use of the military. Look to the possibility that a government infiltrator will fire the first shot as the catylist for justification of overwhelming deadly force. (Ukraine/Kiev) And so forth. The MSM will be used to demonize the enemy. The brainwashing will be relentless. Much of the brain dead public will ingest the bullshit and obediantly go back to work. Its the rest of us. Those paying attention that .gov will underestimate.
And .GOV??? let no crisis go to waste. Gun control will become front and center while the corpses are still warm.
The question. Is .gov ready for civil war? Is the timing right? Are we close enough to the predetermined dollar collapse?
A real patriotic US president would call a news conference. Read the declaration of independence verbatim. And then issue immediate pardons for those unjustly imprisioned.
I anint holding my breath
Great post. This should be worth about 500 down votes. Rahm back to the white house to handle situation? Maybe new post .....militant citizen czar? Martial law invoked? Second amendment repealed? When the republicans took over congress I actually thought there would be change. How sad it all is.
http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2016/01/wolf-messing-predicts-collapse-of-u...
At this point, I'd be surprised if the Republicans changed their underwear.
When the republicans took over congress I actually thought there would be change.
Hahaha HohO HO
Ho Lee PHUk what an idiot you are..
I really didnt think there was anybody that stupid still posting on 0hedge..
You need to go hide someplace after that remark.
"What we're doing is in accordance with the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land."
Somehow I don't think they have grasped what has happened these last 20 years. Actually since governments attacks at Ruby Ridge and the Waco Bar b Que of women and children.
Without any "serious" dissent during these times the government has unilaterally decided to forego the silly constitution and do as it pleases. The unconstitutional laws it has passed, the unconstitutional actions it has taken against citizens and the arrogance it has showed the world in general by unilateral illegal wars and drone killings are clear evidence the three branches of government no longer control each other but have been captured by rogue elements of the deep state and is now out of control.
Evan though constitutionally and morally right ,,, The takeover of the BLM site by elements of a unregulated unorganized militia will provide ammunition for statists nationwide and a possible government killing spree not seen since Nazi Germany.
This government is long past constitutional and its citizens had better step carefully indeed. Those US Military operations in our cities and states we have been observing lately have not been done for grins and giggles and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that a third or more of those militia are Feds.
The fat lady will sing soon.
You are such a complete retard it is staggering.
Whats wrong?
Free republic too boring for your pussy ass?
Putting in some overtime today?
Nope. I don't have a job.
Protecting friends much?
Uprating only people who agree with you?
I think his point is just that this federal government has become so intoxicated with its own power that it won't hesitate to do a Tiananmen Square here if and when it feels it needs to teach the masses a lesson as to who is in charge.