"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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Fuck you. What, you think being here past x amount of days suddenly makes an argument more valid or less if your critical threshold hasn't been reached?
Mrs. Jomama has that covered.
This guy is merely slinging insults, as are you. Y'all Qaeda isn't exercising anything remotely close to 2nd Amendment rights. It's a fallacious argument and just another stupid reason to spew garbage. And yes, he's a fucking noob around these parts. Which does make it even more abhorrent. Luckily for him, he's got you to defend him, though!
The federal government supports and trains ISIS, Stirs chaos all throughout the world, Kills thousands of Americans with thier false flags, destabalizes the economy and the economies of the world, sends people to prison for crimes that they themselves commit, stirs hatred and poverty within its own people...and on and on and on.
Yet people like you only condemn justice seeking, true hearted people that show courage to stand against it.
You are a son of satan.
"Yet people like you only condemn justice seeking, true hearted people that show courage to stand against it.
"
Hitler always said the usa was a very jewish country and didn't have much hope for it.
The world wants to crush us now for what we have done to them.
You reap what you sow.
The collapse will be bloody and horrid. As the jews planned it to be.
You are a pussy. The feds have no lawful authority to rule over lands within the confines of the state unless the land has been sold or leased to the feds for consitutional purposes such as post offices.
Hopefully this starts the fucking reset that we need...
Please read the Second Amendment...all of it, not just the second half that talks about "arms": The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." These guys in Oregon are NOT militia in any sense of the word. They are not defending the security of the free State of Oregon; they are not well-regulated (i.e., by regulations, also known as LAWS.) They are simply and truly a lawless, armed band of unregulated citizens. Not much different than the lawless, armed band of unregulated citizens known as the Crips. Or the Mexican Mafia.
Whether they (or the Crips or the Mexican Mafia) serve just or good causes from time to time is a matter of opinion; what is not a matter of opinion is that they are not protectors of the Free State of Oregon, or its citizens, or its duly-created laws, or those persons lawfully assigned to enforce the laws.
To call these men and women "a militia" insults those who serve lawfully in the military. This is all so very sad; I am sure that these folks in Oregon who are calling themselves militia are good and decent people, loyal Americans, taxpayers, etc. But this action, and so many like it, is misguided and not consistent with the letter of the law, or the spirit of the law. Tragic.
Further, it is so sad to see people who distill their entire view of the Constitution down to reading only "...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." That is only about a third of the entire Amendment. The founders themselves discussed the purpose: to allow the several States to defend against an invasion by federal troops. It's all there in writing; go read the Federalist Papers, number 48. And this "right" is not unlimited...no right is. We can't yell fire in the movie theater based on free speech.
Consider: should a paroled child rapist and murderer be allowed to keep and bear arms? Hmmm. If you said no, then you agree there are limitations; it then becomes a matter of whose opinions guide which limits shall apply. And what constitutes "arms", anyway? Can I keep and bear hand grenades? Rocket launchers? A small, well-armed and armored tank? A tactical nuke?
Please, please try to be reasonable! Everyone wins if everyone will just realize that rights carry responsibilities and duties.
The meaning of "well regulated" at the time it was written was 'well equipped and trained'....
Just saying
Yes, regular training, stocked kit, interoperability of arms as much as possible (same weapons) and a full chain of command.
The "Regulated" part is 110% translated erroneoulsy by TPTB who don;t want you to look it up in Black's or a good dictionary.
Nice job - fascist apologist.
You will make an excellent boot licker. Start practicing now so the real patriots know who to lynch when the time comes to purge the fascist apologists and commie sympathizers that have destroyed this Republic.
Huzzah! This land is your land, my land. Currently invaded by stupid bureauRats, doing the bidding of the Council for Foreign Relations.
No surrender.
Contrairiologist, You should read EACH STATE's CONSTITUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really, if you want a 2'nd THROUGH 50'th opinion, Read what the STATES wrote into their own Constitutions!
The 10th Amendment, the sovereignty of states. This is best, in my opinion.
" If you said no, then you agree there are limitations;.."
A Felon has many rights limited. Can't vote, and others.
The WHOLE rub is who does the deciding. When does it evolve down to "I don't like people who do that".
Slippery slope. Careful of what you ask for.
You are a moron. Whether you are also an ignoramus or a liar is yet to be determined. "well regulated" at the time of the drafting of the consitution mean well functioning, performing as intended. It most assuredly did NOT have anything to do with laws or regulations as you state. Now, are you an idiot or an ignoramus? My bet is on liar.
big swing and a miss. strike three. sit down!
I hate to downvote you with the others, but it's way, way, WAY DEEPER than you're stating here. There are other amendments and issues at work. I do not solely focus on the Second Amendment when equating this. Consider the extra "Regulations" outside of our Constitution and how they grossly balance the scales in favor of the Feds, esp. Title 18 Section 1001. Yeah, you can be silent to a federal agent, but that silence granted under the Fifth Amendment could well be construed by a zealous prosecutor or judge as a failure to answer truthfully under the former. What if your answer were false but given under what conditions? Were you medicated or intoxicated and incapable of a truthful answer at that time? Were you coerced to give a false answer? Let me go a step further when it comes to the IRS, that wonderful agency empowered by Congress with it's own criminal investigation arm and incredible authority that has been repeatedly misused by both political parties over the decades. That alone is reason enough to mistrust TPTB. It takes decades to build trust and only a few minutes to ruin it - unless you bring along massive firepower and violate one's rights to force compliance with an entity that becomes more vile and disgusting, in part due to apathy and fear by the masses that their continuing and necessary "benefits", now paid by digital bits not even worthy of comparison with the far more stable Bitcoin, are backed by literally nothing more than the billions of bullets they've been buying up.
So, NOW ... they start quoting the Constitution.
After decades of shitting on it.
'This Land is Your Land' (Woody Guthrie) on you tube.
End the Fed, and send its tribe back to its Israhell.
notice how the cia is on full damage control.
prime directive: unleash the trolls, minimize the fuck out of this movement.
True.
I am so proud of our boys and girls who volunteer to express the oligarchies will. I thank you for your srevice......s/
Fuck off, lazy political basement boy.
The soldier fights for the man stood next to him, not politics, and most certainly not the lazy bureauRats.
America is a strange country; you write off billions of dollars owed by foreign banks, and pump more dollars into them; and you chase a simple citizen for $1 million "fine", which he was trying to pay anyway?
America is a strange country; you write off billions of dollars owed by foreign banks, and pump more dollars into them; and you chase a simple citizen for $1 million "fine", which he was trying to pay anyway?"
Ha! Cops in the us will shoot your dog and arrest YOU to cover it up.
You have no clue how corrupt degenerate scum they are. No clue.
There needs to be a new word to describe this. Chutzpah is part of it.. Let me think...... Ah... Copzpah. Easy enough to say, and it describes their actions well enough. The only thing you left out is the quick phone call they make to their Union because they likely fucked it up and need the favor of the Prosecutor! Now we're hearing cases where the cop does this before offering any assistance to the person(s) he shot!
It's the stupid judge who decided they need 'more' prison time - after they already served their time. Too many judges make God-Like rulings that even local law enforcement don't want to enforce. Pretty easy to see the government caving in the jail time, and instead going after the ranch.
"God-Like rulings that even local law enforcement don't want to enforce"
God damn you cops lie like motherfuckers.
Question
Who lies more, a cop or a lawyer?
Depends on whom is defending whom.
One things for sure, these people could sure use Hillary for a lawyer. LOL. What a fucking bitch!
So...Double Jeopardy is out the window, too, eh?
Who the Fuck is the Fuckstick of a judge with this Fuckery?
"Err, uhh, you need to do moar time, redneck ranchers."
I hope the Feds bring enough ammo. They will probably use mercenaries, since they are pussies. They are good at finding retarded 'terrist' patsies and burning women and kids to death, though.
Anyways, Bundy could have been turned after the Ranch Incident and this is a FF just as Bath HOuse swings back into town in the nick of time to 'outlaw' the 2nd A with his pen and phone.
The prosecutor appealed seeking at least the mandatory 5-year minimum.
That part of the law, if not the whole thing, needs to be repealed.
The government has been after Hammond's ranch for years. The $400,000 fine with the new prison time should finally force the family to sell it to them to pay the fine.
We should all send some money to pay the fine for them.
Waco these white idiots.
You're gonna be on the first ride out with the muslims motherfucker.
Come try and your family will be dressed like crows.
Kickass!
won't help you - you'll have your balls shoved down your throat - you'l be hanging from a tree to scare the crows.
Some scum bags will have rebar shoved up their butt.
Why don't you go "Waco" them yourself, armchair tough talker.
Right or wrong, it's about fucking time. I'm gona lmao if the feds try to remove these people by force they have no fucking idea of the potential powder keg this could be. He's right, its's fkn time. OSama tryin to fk us on the guns starrting tomorrow, no thanks dipshit. A handful of pennies is more than enough to buy every politician in the country and have them expelled on a ship full of fucking holes.
FBI can't shoot guns worth a damn -they better bring in their Army/Mossad sharpshooters if they don't want to get slaughtered.
Probably because most of them use glocks, lol.
I wouldn't be surprised if the militiamen just burn the building down and leave, to fight another day. That is excellent symbolism for the feds to chew on. Like the Boston Tea Party. These fbi and swat guys really gear up for this shit and they'll charge them with 100 felonies each If they can catch them.
The government has and will kill to keep it's exclusive right to use deadly force in it's country. Otherwise it's not the government and you have a third world ........
Now this is America home of the brave and stupid, so who knows?
Has popcorn and comfy chair, in another country, I am very pleased by that fact.
True. Problem is they keep justifying more and more reasons to execute us. So don't get too carried away with your thought.
The third world is nothing but murderous "governments". You seem to not understand the definition of government. It has always been a gang of thieves and murderers. These days, you can add "enslavement" to the official purpose of your beloved "government".
The days of bootlickers being the only socially acceptable crowd are starting to come to a close.
The sad part? We're already going down the Third World rabbit hole. After these bank$ters rape us blind, what is there to salvage? ObamaCare, Bengazi, more and more H1-Bs signed in days ago.
Ron Paul was right.. The fences are being made to keep Americans IN! More and more, I sense the Stasi reborn here in the Western Hemisphere.
This really is the most optimistic event in years !
It kind of depends on what happens next - but I hope you're right.