These guys are a bunch of thugs. Locals at a meeting to debate these militants are filmed chanting "Go Home!" but apparently a democracy doesn't apply here because they continue to stay put. This has nothing to do with the constitution, this is all about self interest!!! Finally, I'm pleased to hear that the local police have intercepted 9 of them in a traffic stop with one of them, the groups leader, killed dead. I guess packing guns in a gang type setting doesn't make you such a badass after all. The Federal government needs to step in now and take hard action against these punks. Make an example of those fanatics. Let's see them attempt some sort of revolution. I'd love to see the government impose communist rule on them if they tried!
The big story of the day is the armed seizure of an empty federal building in rural Oregon by a group of domestic terrorists, some of whom are the sons of federal tax cheat and freeloader Cliven Bundy.
They’re apparently upset at the conviction and upcoming jail sentences of a couple of fellow domestic terrorists for arson. They believe that the federal government has no constitutional authority to own land, that national parks are essentially illegal, and that men like them have a God-given right to mine, log and otherwise destroy whatever forest land they want. (It remains unclear whether they would condone Native Americans for “standing their ground” and responding with force to their trespass on the same lands that God clearly gave to them first.)
I don’t want to dwell too much on the rationales and motivations for these domestic terrorists any more than I would for the people who fight for ISIS or Al Qaeda. It’s always the same thing: a group of armed, angry men believe that the Big Bad Western Government is infringing on their right to do whatever it is they very well please—whether it’s to the environment, or to minorities, women, people of different religious groups, etc. Undereducated, armed angry men are often upset at Western governments for upsetting their private power apple carts because in their small, solipsistic worlds they’re very used to being lords of their manors and local enforcers of bigoted frontier justice. That’s as true of Afghan militants in the Taliban as it is of rural Montana militiamen. The only difference is in the trappings, the external presence of the rule of law and the degree of violence involved.
What’s more interesting to focus on is the response to the incident so far. As with ISIS, the Bundy clowns are actively seeking a confrontation with the big bad wolf of Big Western Government. They believe that an active confrontation will spark a movement that will lead to the overthrow of Big Brother. So far, especially after the incidents at Ruby Ridge and Waco, American leaders have been disinclined to give those opportunities to the domestic militiaman terrorists. Cliven Bundy and his miscreants got away with a wide range of crimes due to the forbearance of federal officials.
But the problem with taking that hands-off approach is that the treatment of left-leaning protesters is far different. Occupiers and Black Lives Matter protesters aren’t met with hand wringing and gentle admonishments. They’re met with batons and tear gas. If Black Lives Matter or Occupy protesters started arming themselves and taking over federal buildings, you can guarantee that police would start using live ammunition and people would die.
So on the one hand it’s understandable that federal officials would not want to make martyrs of the right-wing domestic terrorists who are actively seeking to engage in a confrontation and make themselves appear to be downtrodden victims of the federal beast. But on the other hand, it’s infuriating that they receive special kid glove treatment that would not be afforded to minority and liberal activists.
Personally, I feel that if ISIS fighters want a grand confrontation with the West on an open battlefield, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to give them one. The outcome of that battle would not be in doubt. Similarly, I feel that if Bundy’s little crew wants to occupy a federal building and assert that they’ll use deadly violence against any police who try to extract them, then they should get what they’re asking for just as surely Islamist terrorists would if they did likewise.
As much as restraint is the better part of valor when dealing with entitled conservative crazies, principles of basic justice and fair play also need to apply. What’s good for one type of terrorist must also be good for another
was looking through things and come upon the list of things these militia members were asking for, like socks, blankets...... food. I laughed out loud. At least they remembered their guns, holy chit.
I suspect Samuel Adams (not the beer) wouldn't have been your hero either. BTW the guys in Oregon were in the wrong with their stand but in principle they are right (kinda like the Trump phenomenon, right reasons wrong person). Pat Caddell thinks we are having a pre-revolutionary moment. Pat may be right government overreach is at an all time high and those who remember freedom are becoming restless while those on the dole look to Bernie and Hillary for yet more overreach.
I was glad to see there were at least some good men who would stand up against the government strong arm tactics. What the government has done to the Ranchers is illegal and abominable.
The arrest was an assassination...another Ruby Ridge.
I was glad to see there were at least some good men who would stand up against the government strong arm tactics. What the government has done to the Ranchers is illegal and abominable.
The arrest was an assassination...another Ruby Ridge.
These guys made a stand for two guys who were arsonists. These are just redneck idiots pure and simple.
No it's not. You use public lands for generating a profit, you pay a fee. When I gather firewood on public land, I'm required to purchase a permit, and that's just for my home. Ruby Ridge is just down the road from my home. That was no Ruby Ridge at all. The guy went for his gun not realizing there was someone behind him in the woods with a gun. SURPRISE!
I suspect Samuel Adams (not the beer) wouldn't have been your hero either. BTW the guys in Oregon were in the wrong with their stand but in principle they are right (kinda like the Trump phenomenon, right reasons wrong person). Pat Caddell thinks we are having a pre-revolutionary moment. Pat may be right government overreach is at an all time high and those who remember freedom are becoming restless while those on the dole look to Bernie and Hillary for yet more overreach.
How can you compare Samuel Adams to these thugs? These guys are just idiots with guns. If our government was like North Korea, I could see this type of stand. This is akin to that fella in Ferguson being called a martyr. Holy crap. Are people really that dumb?
I didn't say the were right, just frustrated with government overreach. The BLM is not well loved out west. Samuel Adams was a law breaker too, it was King George's law rather than King Obummer's.
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