"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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You seem like a logical guy. I enjoy most of your posts.
Please be aware that the double jeopardy law has been reviewed by the judicial system and re-interpreted to mean you can't be tried for the same crime in the same court system meaning that if you were tried in county court and found not guilty you can then be tried in district court for the same crime and on and on. Bottom line is you either submit or they are going to ruin your life. I have first hand knowledge of this in 2015.
Another issue is delayed justice is not justice. This was a big issue in Reagan's day. What happened to that concept? People....things have went nuts since 9/11. The rights you think you have and what you actually have are two different things.
The sad part of this, whether you agree with the cause of not is that people have been 100% brainwashed and a rebellion would Never work or come full force. People are mad that these "terrorists" aren't bring taken out immediately. I guess the only way a revolution would happen or in the very least a reform is if the FSA didn't get thir monthly allowance. Sad.
How to make THAT happen is the question then...
That WONT happen. SNAP and EBT cards will work LONG after ATM cards have stopped.
True story
I work in an office thats bisected by the train to NYC, literally one side of the tracks is safe and well the other is as they say the wrong side of the tracks. my office building is on the same circuit as the county cops so we got power back the next day, and were of course open. There is a giant shopright right off the tracks. A day after Hurricane Katrina, FEMA had Diesel generators in the parking lot and had the store powered back up so the Animals could use their benefit cards. Houses in the area were without power for a week plus. but the animals could get their cola and friend chicken....
Shows you how important the professional voters are.....
Those checks (yes, physical checks) that were due to hit multiple mailboxes around NOLA led a goodly number of persons to stay in town. People knew there would be mailbox harvesting parties. They'd have to fight with the government to get the checks replaced. In the meantime, they would have no money with which to evacuate.
Actually, they were probably right to stay in the New Orleans area. Chalmette and Lower Mississippi took the brunt of the swells and the wind. New Orleans suffered an infrastructure failure.
Food shortages
"a group of outside militants"
Agent Provocateurs?
The only one that typically benefits from violence is the State. So is this a distraction or event cooked up to go along with El Presidente's fraudulent executive orders on taking away guns from dangerous terrorists inside the Corporation?
Maybe they could schedule a massive taxpayer funded weapons drop to terrorists inside Syria just to triple the irony. Or how about bombing a few more hospitals and weddings as a celebration of next weeks gun grab victory?
This Govt. needs a cleansing, but anytime the Bundys show I certainly have my doubts. Bundy leased BLM land and paid for the privilege, then stopped paying but kept grazing his cattle. What did he expect? Not what I'd call an honorable cause when a millionaire rancher won't pay for using our land.
If you're gonna junk me, please have the courtesy to tell me with what you disagree. I was there at the Freeman standoff - where the Bundys, and You, weren't - you know, the place where the feds were forced to change their "Waco" ROE or otherwise face a rebellion Nation-wide. We knew that he who fired first would lose, and we were about the fraud of the fed reserve, not free rent on BLM leases like some entitlement bitch.
It's so f'ng co-opted, for all you know, this is ALL the Fed's play? They staged the Fort Davis standoff, where White Eagle, second in command was a fed. Then, they qued their fucking attorney. You gonna die for Bundy's cows getting free range?
Yes, Vos' lawyer and bodyguard: see http://tech.mit.edu/V116/N16/militia.16w.html
And, was the only lawyer along with eleven defense attorneys (feds) - against 4 prosecutors & D.C. - and THE ONLY ONE not paid by the Govt., or anyone else to be there. In other words, been in the game for decades, was dead for this Nation, and you might think I'm conceited, but you don't know this psychotic bitch as well as I might?
"If you're gonna junk me, please have the courtesy to tell me with what you disagree."
I agree with that statement. But I doubt they will reply. If they had something constructive to say they probably would have posted it.
I've posted helpful comments to specific professions as a courtesy and was also down voted with no reply. Can't please everyone.
I junked you and will tell you why. Bundy argues that the BLM has no land, lawfully, and that he is under no obligation to pay the BLM. He argues that because his family has been grazing the Nevada land since before there was a BLM. All the land that the BLM claims was first land of the Nevada Territory. The Feds, for the first time I believe, made condition of Nevada becoming a state that they cede the lands they now claim. There are two problems with that. The first is that the federal government has no authority to make such a condition. The second is that the federal government does have the authority to purchase land, or accept land ceded by a state, but only pursuant to powers granted under the constitution.
Thank You. Bundy claimed such AFTER paying, at least to a point, fees for BLM lease land. Seems if he had an honest bitch, he would have never paid for BLM lease land in the first place. Not saying he didn't have a epiphany, but a little late in the day to ask folks to risk their lives, IMO. And, I do love a good reason.
It's all fun and games until the black helicopters show up.
Rayyycist!
OT but here's one for you.
I gave out stuffed animals to the kids this holiday. After they got their toys, I told the kids we should name them. One toy was a black puppy and the girl wanted to name it Blackie. I was good with that. Later the mother was very uncomfortable with the name of the toy and she forced her child to rename it after the kid was talking about her toy in public. Blackie, the coal black dog, cannot be called blackie. Felt bad for the kid. She is 6.
"Spot"? Spot works; it's PC and all. See Spot run.....himself right out of the Whitehouse.
ROFL,
My son wanted to name the cat Wesley Snipes. ;)
Just didn't fit.
Woulda worked w/o the Snipes.
Never had a pet whose name didn't end with an eeeee.
Easier to fetch'm with better response.
6 yrs old...how sad to be shot down for mom's PC fears.
Been there and done that. When the Comanche showed at my house 1300 miles away, I was pretty numb, so it was still kinda "fun."
Don't see this as the"one" but I believe it's soon
If it IS the one, 150 pairs of boots on the ground is already enough.
A spark in a dynamite shack is a good as a flamethrower...the result is exactly the same.
DOI - Dept. of Interior/ Bureau of Land Management/ Land [state by state] Ownership'
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more.html
http://www.propertyrightsresearch.org/2004/articles6/state_by_state_government_land_o.htm
Were this a REAL attempt at an honest "serving of notice", your list above would be in play.
Instead of luring patriots all into one place, militias would reclaim 100 such sites throughout the lower 48...and even at that, only a token occupying force would be "inside the wire"...a majority would remain outside and on the backside of any fed presence.
In all movements, trends, or what have you, there are visionaries and early adopters...the people on the leading (bleeding) edge...and they OFTEN get their asses handed to them - IN SPITE OF BEING "RIGHT", as to the subject.
I fear THAT is who will be drawn out and wrapped up in a bow by this.
Honestly - not to leave these guys hanging - but I think 150 occupiers is already enough to achieve the only outcome likely here.
Return on investment folks...
If your country spends the majority of it's time and resources on weapons of death and war, then that is in fact what your future will be.
Unfortunately, the middle class are long dead...
LOL, fighting a war that was lost a long time ago...
"It ain't over till it's over"
It's not over till people quit trying or thinking that they can or (more importantly) should make a difference, in word and deed.
Sure, unfortunately many just smile and "swipe that EBT"!!!
There will be NO revolution so long as welfare placates the top and the bottom...
same as it ever was... ...until the supply lines break, not before.
Per my comment(s) on the last page of this read
I'll believe it when I see the "Oath Keepers" and those in uniform like them leading the way to string up 435 representatives around the Capitol building in D.C.with a celebratory BBQ ...
Until then the 10th Amendement ain't workin fast enough because the vast majority of State Houses completely went silent when the "White Chimp" and Congress committed high treason with the passage of the NDAA Section(s) 1021 and 1022 "into law" in 2011.
Russia take it away!
great chance for the Feds to even the score with the Bundys.....two dead sons should just about do it in their sick minds. What do ya think ? One Apache helo and five minutes work....IF the crew will fire and if not captained by another Hugh Thompson and crew? Or will the Feds sensible try and starve the rebels out?
anyone heard any of the presidential hopefuls comment on nthis?
You might be right on the first point about a heavy handed response. Incidents like Ruby Ridge and Waco come to mind. But unleashing the actual military on the civilian population for a police matter would be a no-go. It's not that our political establishment gives a crap about the Constitution, but no spin could excuse such an obvious tyrannical move. Also, the pilots would refuse. I know many on ZH like to think soldiers are like heartless beasts, but every officer knows full well that following an unconstitutional order provides zero legal protection and in the end they would refuse on CYA grounds. It's better to be court martialed and kicked out or even face some jail time than to be tried for treason and murder. I doubt the order would ever make it to any pilots as somewhere in the chain of command the order would be refused.
I know many on ZH like to think soldiers are like heartless beasts, but every officer knows full well that following an unconstitutional order provides zero legal protection and in the end they would refuse on CYA grounds.
It's how you spell "C-O-W-A-R-D"!... Isn't it?!!! And the only reason they will do a U-Turn now is because they ain't "cuttin it" Well ya know!
Let's see how well those guys that raped and murdered women and children in Iraq and Afghanistan and now Syria do when the adversary comes a little bigger?!!
Heartless "gutless" fucking pussies and always have been just like their Israeli and British counterparts when they don't carry the military advantage or number(s)!
What the fuck did I just see?
And yeah.
Mericans and brits are fucking spinless pussies like the jews they seek to emulate.
GOD
What makes that video so much fun is that someone from Langley got the bright idea to "spin" the idea that the voice of that "thing" mumbling with it's teeth kicked out and probably much worse when the video stopped, an American citizen was actually a Russian instead!
Sorta like the "spin" we're getting from the President taking credit for the Russian successes in Syria since September 30, 2015...
Or the the "Onion" read that Seymour Hersh provided his New Yorker readership over a week ago that "a rogue element" that has all along been committing treason against the American people in that part of the World since this happened are NOW actually disobeying treasonous orders from the "White Chimp" in the oval office to commit other treason by coming up with there own plans to "help" the current Syrian government they've been destroying the last 4 years instead of refusing to deploy ANYWHERE the Commander-in-thief and an AWOL Congress tell them to go!
One thing you can say for certain is that you can't make up the American people!!!
My gf is reporting on this. Her opnion is that the Fed's need to not send these guys away. Ironically the protestors are being rude to her. So it sounds like some dumb ass people who have a good cause.
Sound familiar? Yep, just like Black Lives protests. Yes, cops shouldn't be shooting unarmed black kids, but their parents and family are so dumb they can't frame the debate properly. Same with this shitshow in Burns.
for what outfit? does what she publishes about the case reflect that personal opinion?
until she makes this clear to the people she will be rightfully classed as liar press.
In the various dindu cases the liar press was actually in favor of the dindus. So you can not compare it that way.
She doesn't reflect her personal opinion because it is a large outfit. She's reporting the news, not her opnions. But she's a sweet girl and wouldn't be rude to the protestors, but they are being combative to all press - just as you think they should.
Most of the time the press are the .gov ops, and it is otherwise the lying, commie presstitutes. Just saying
Don't trust anyone with a communications or journalism degree.
These Bundy guys are mormons/LDS, whom are known to play a big role in the deep state. So an agency angle shouldn't be ruled out either. Somekind of honey trap for radicals.
Mormons or the Bundys run the Deep State? Huh? WTF? So is the Anti-Deep State now the Deep State?
The CIA is full of Mormons.
imo, and we'll know soon enough, Langley believes this allows them to track the pulse of the "country folk".
On a surface level, the CIA appeals to Mormons bc not only do they identify w being a travelling missionary, but also because they are indoctrinated from birth to actively uphold a fantasy regime. Any fantasy regime.
Mia Love. Enuff said.
Utah is the Saudi Arabia of the US.
They have named everything short of peanut butter "Zion-something" throughout the entire state. That place gives me the creeps anymore. I guess if I was honest I would admit that it always did give me the creeps. Beautiful state though.
Intelligence agencies prefer to hire mormons because they're much less likely to drink or use drugs than the general population.
+1000 for "...they are indoctrinated from birth to actively uphold a fantasy regime. Any fantasy regime"
I find it endlessly amusing and ironic that a group of people, who is so hellbent on looking after themselves and making their own life choices, is so eager to live by the ancient decrees of "questionable personalities". Unbelievable, but true.
But you guys are right about Mormon loving order. Preferably Central Order. "Ordnung must sein!"
Mormons are reliable. That's why Howard Hughes hired them.
The Mormon religion is libertarian. They want government to leave them alone generally speaking so they can carry out their own ways. That's why Lincoln set up Ft. Douglas against the east mountains of the Salt Lake valley to watch them.
It is a hard case to make that Mormons would be part of the federal World Government Totalitarian conspiracy.
Apparently they shut down some casinos and strip clubs in NV, so much for leaving people alone. Some dry counties out there too.
There's every reason to believe Mormons are involved in the "deep state," which is Luciferian. Involved--just as many other groups--European royalty, NE white mafia, Jewish banksters, Templars and Jesuits, many secret societies. One who works at the college where I teach, well--his meteoric and disgusting rise to a position of prominence and scam-type tactics was notable, and he even presented the Luciferian/occultist position to me in private (as have several other influential members of the faculty). I could post many links about Mormons and Freemasonry, occultism, child abuse, temples, etc. Ask a knowledgeable one about his temple and why it's built the way it is. I could go on, but here's a start: http://mit.irr.org/occultic-and-masonic-influence-in-early-mormonism
not to mention founded by high-ranking Freemasons
The article failed to mention the feds prosecuted them under anti-terrorism laws. The prosecuters went back to get the minimum sentence pf 5 years and the judge obliged the jackbooted federal thugs.
Anti fucking terrorism laws. WHAT THE FUCK! The old coot doesn't belong to ISIS. I'm pretty sure asking for probation and resitution would have been good enough to protect the public from this menace.
Somebody mentioned this wasn't a good enough cause. Any time the government puts their boot on our throat is a good enough cause for me.
Yep this was a big omission of zh article didn't have that.
It's their main cause for the standoff.
Federal thugs use every letter of the law trick in the book to mess with these little guys. Whom already submitted and sat out sentences over this same case.