BURNS, Ore. | Armed protesters are occupying a building at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon and asking militia members around the country to join them. The protesters went to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday following a peaceful rally in support of two Oregon ranchers facing additional prison time for arson.
HOW DID THIS SITUATION BEGIN?
Tension has been building for weeks in the Burns, Oregon, area over the case of Dwight and Steven Hammond. Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46, said they lit fires on federal land in 2001 and 2006 to reduce the growth of invasive plants and protect their property from wildfires. The two were convicted three years ago and served time — the father three months, the son one year. But in October, a federal judge in Oregon ruled their terms were too short under U.S. law and ordered them back to prison for about four years each.
WHO IS LEADING THE PROTESTERS?
The Hammonds have received support from local residents, but the most vocal groups are from outside the area. Ammon Bundy, the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a standoff with the government over grazing rights, is among those organizing the opposition at the wildlife refuge. Ammon Bundy and militiamen from other states arrived last month in Burns, some 60 miles from the Hammond ranch. Ammon Bundy has criticized the U.S. government for what he called a failed legal process.
WHERE IS THE WILDLIFE REFUGE?
The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is about 30 miles south of Burns in in the high desert of eastern Oregon. The area is very remote, about 280 miles southeast of Portland.
OUTSIDERS NOT WELCOMED BY SOME IN OREGON
Many locals have told the outside groups to stay away, concerned their presence could lead to violence. The Hammonds, as well, have rebuffed the Bundy’s support for their cause. “Neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group/organization speak for the Hammond Family,” the Hammonds’ lawyer W. Alan Schroeder wrote to Sheriff David Ward. Dwight Hammond has said he and his son plan to peacefully report to prison Monday as ordered by the judge. “We gave our word that’s what we would do, and we intend to act on it,” he told The Associated Press last week.
WHAT ARE AUTHORITIES DOING?
Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward has told people to stay away from the area as authorities work to defuse the situation. Beth Anne Steele, an FBI spokeswoman in Portland, told AP the agency was aware of the situation at the national wildlife refuge but made no further comment.
Terrorism: noun, 1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
Civil disobedience: noun, 1. The refusal to obey certain laws or governmental demands for the purpose of influencing legislation or government policy, characterized by the employment of such nonviolent techniques as boycotting, picketing, and nonpayment of taxes.
They have convinced all the sheep that a constitutionalist is a terrorist, so this will be like any other strike against terrorists to the Dancing With the Stars crowd…
members of this group have been quoted saying they are willing to kill and be killed. Taking up arms against the
Federal government and inviting others to join you is rebellion and sedition. Constitutionalilsts that are armed and
make threats are terrorists period.
The leader of the terrorists sure didn’t mind accepting a $537,000 loan from the Federal government. Guess
THAT part of the Federal government is mighty fine with him.
Where do the “protests” in Ferguson & Baltimore fall?
Or the one in MN that, last week, had 3 nights running of gunfire?
if these people were black, they would be corpses. If they were muslims with guns, they would be terrorists. However, angry white men with
guns are considered patriots. By taking over Federal lands and arming themselves, they should be considered domestic terrorists.
By arming themselves, this is not considered a non violent technique by any measure.
Who have they terrorized? How many hostages? How many shots fired?
In Ferguson and Baltimore, how many people were arrested and convicted? A lot of damage and theft occurred during these so-called “civil rights demonstrations”, but we have not received news of any consequence since then. In Oregon, I have not heard of any violence or named threats. The people are legally armed (as reported) and have done nothing except to go to a wildlife refuge to protest a cause. Where is the harm and the foul? Somewhere, there is a fly in the ointment, the Hammonds are saying they have nothing to do with this but the Bundy group has shown up.
I have another question, if the Hammonds served a sentence, why and how is another judge saying they did not serve enough time? Was the original judge out of his jurisdiction or the second judge? I don’t know enough law to determine the answer. To a common man though, it does not make sense.