Those Pesky Ranchers

Sensational headlines about Oregon militia occupying a Bureau of Land Management outpost in the middle of nowhere are bringing attention to, but overshadowing, a much larger and more far-reaching story…a story that should concern all freedom loving people, regardless of their feelings about the militia. I’m kind of a ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ activist myself but to each his own.  Let’s hope and pray that this does not end up in bloodshed. The folks there are not, by the way, terrorists who should be mowed down by federal agents, as some have suggested.

The author of the following article did the research and lays out a good timeline of what has been happening in Harney County, Oregon going back many years… http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/01/03/full-story-on-whats-going-on-in-oregon-militia-take-over-malheur-national-wildlife-refuge-in-protest-to-hammond-family-persecution/

My synopsis:

• Prescribed burns are a normal and generally accepted part of land management.

• The Hammonds did legal, prescribed burns on their property.

• Two fires got onto BLM controlled land but were soon put out by the Hammonds. No buildings were burned down and no one was hurt.

• The Hammonds paid restitution to the BLM, which is all that should be required.

• They may or may not have exercised poor judgement, but criminal INTENT, or lack thereof, should play an important role in a CIVILIZED justice system.

• I also have some questions about the Statute of Limitations after seeing how long ago this happened.

• They have now been charged and convicted as TERRORISTS, yes, you read that correctly.

• They have already paid $400,000 to the government, served 1 year of jail time, and are now supposed to go to PRISON for 4 more years each, father and son, to satisfy the 5 year mandatory minimum for the conviction of ‘terrorism’.

This seems completely impossible doesn’t it? There has to be more information. There is!

It looks like the Bureau of Land Management has been trying to get control of more grazing land in Harney County for many years and the Hammonds have refused to sell. According to Wikipedia, the BLM already controls 62% of the land in Harney County. This is similar to the Bundy case in Nevada in this respect. The BLM had been causing trouble for ranchers there a long time as well.  In both locales, most of the ranchers have already sold and left.

The federal government is clearly using its agencies to harass and intimidate Americans into submission. We are now living under a soft bureaucratic tyranny of unelected petty functionaries. It won’t stay soft forever though if Americans continue to refuse to see it and refuse to inconvenience themselves with the truth.

A recent poll found that more and more Americans are willing to allow the federal government more powers of intrusion into privacy if it keeps them ‘safe’ from terrorists.  I have to ask if people have thought this through?  Do you trust the government with more power? Does the government competently exercise the power it already has? Do you expect that to magically change if we just pass one more bill? Today it’s those Muslims over there, but tomorrow it may be you. What if some activist judge decides YOU are a terrorist? It happened to the Hammonds, it can happen to you!

Since I’m not too fired up about heading to Oregon with my girly revolver and single-shot snake killer in hand the question remains…what should we do?

• Take the time to educate yourself and others about theories of government, political ideologies, and basic economics. I’m sorry if you find this boring, but unfortunately, even if you don’t take an interest in these subject matters they take an interest in you.

• Start voting for those crazy people who keep talking about limited government and the Constitution, instead of letting the media talk you into thinking they are fringy, unelectable, lunatics.

• Think outside of the box created for you by your education and popular culture. Consider the opinions of people who already do, instead of dismissing them as crazy.

• Challenge the way you think about the role of government. Just because the Bureau of Land Management has existed your whole life doesn’t mean our society can’t function without it.

• Which brings me to…support the abolition of federal agencies in general, and politicians who advocate for this.  Ask yourself what any given agency does. Is this Constitutional? Do we need this? If so, can we do this locally and voluntarily in our own communities better? YES, WE CAN!

• Consider the possibility that the government owns WAY too much land and that most of it should be privatized. If you’re concerned about the management of resources and wildlife on private land vs. public land do more research. The attached article has a few stats, but there is more information out there. The government is a poor steward of land and resources. Next time you wonder why weeds are growing next to the overpass or in the park, Google TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS, public land often ends up being cared for by no one instead of cared for by everyone.

• If you have a judge in your area doing things like this to people, get involved, organize and educate others. Many people in a community can be effective in getting rid of a judge in this situation.

• Expect your county sheriff to help protect you and others from federal overreach. There are cases of local sheriffs refusing to allow federal agents to arrest people for crazy things.  Unfortunately, the sheriff in Harney County appears to be on the side of federal power, but many are not. Research a gentleman named Sheriff Richard Mack to learn more.

• Educate yourself and others about Nullification, both jury nullification, and state nullification. Be prepared to get called names when you bring up nullification.

Always remember that even though something doesn’t directly mess up your life today, ignoring it may ruin the lives of your children or grandchildren in the future.