It’s been 24 days since an unknown number of militiamen took a wildlife refuge in Oregon. And after three weeks, there is very little indication that the armed protesters are leaving any time soon.
If anything, they seem to be gaining some sympathies.
Over the weekend, the Oregonian reported that a local sheriff from Grant County, Oregon, said it might be time for the federal authorities to give the militiamen what they want. Sheriff Glenn Palmer said if the feds released Dwight and Steven Hammond, the father and son pair who are currently serving prison sentences for setting fires on federal lands, it “would be a start.”
The Hammond family has decried the standoff, but the Hammonds prison sentence initially inspired Ammon Bundy and his brigade to set off a protest against federal authority in the high desert of Oregon.
Palmer also told the Oregonian that maybe the FBI – the law enforcement group organizing the standoff negotiations – should go away.
“Sending the FBI home would be a start,” he told the Oregonian. “I just pray to God that cooler heads prevail and that no one gets killed.”
Other law enforcement leaders in the area told the Oregonian they were flabbergasted by the comments. Malheur County Sheriff Brian Wolfe told the Oregonian that the comment “doesn’t help the cause.”
While many in the community have urged Bundy and his crew to pack up and head home, they have found some support among out-of-state ranchers.
Saturday afternoon, the militiamen hosted a meeting at the wildlife refuge where they encouraged ranchers to come and pledge to no longer pay federal grazing fees, which are small – about $1.69 a cow per month. According to the Oregonian, the event was peppered with pomp and circumstance. A group of children sang hymns, a horse strode around affixed with an American flag and even though just one man – Adrian C. Sewell, 36, of New Mexico signed the pledge, there was “a notary” on hand.
The Oregonian reported that Sewell had a criminal background which included a conviction for assault.
The Oregonian also reported that eight people in Utah informed the feds they too would “no longer allow the federal land bureau to manage their grazing permits.”
On Thursday, Bundy seemed open to beginning negotiations with FBI officials. He stood outside a local airport and spoke to an FBI official on the telephone. But Friday, the Seattle Times reported that Bundy again traveled to the airport yet refused to talk to the agent again after the FBI would not allow media to be present for an in-person negotiation.
Bundy also expressed skepticism that the FBI was even the proper authority to be handling such a negotiation. Under his, ummm, unique interpretation of federal power, Bundy believes the sheriff is the one who must give direction to the FBI in such a negotiation.
I have to say that Federal land belongs to everyone… not just a bunch of self-entitled welfare queens…
that gives me and everyone else the right to have a say in how the land is used and I really object to a bunch of cows running roughshod over the land…
the idea that these morons have some justifiable complaint or argument that would allow them to decide which authority they respond to or that they can demand criminals released from prison is ludicrous…
time to move their asses either to jail or the morgue…
oh yeah… time to move Pappy Cliven too…
NO negotiating with terrorists. These Welfare Cowboys have seized public land, terrorized a community and have threatened anyone who opposes them.
Over the weekend, the Oregonian reported that a local sheriff from Grant County, Oregon, said it might be time for the federal authorities to give the militiamen what they want. Sheriff Glenn Palmer said if the feds released Dwight and Steven Hammond, the father and son pair who are currently serving prison sentences for setting fires on federal lands, it “would be a start.”
Total capitulation to these redneck Winded Warriors? Hold the public hostage in the name of some perverse reading of the Constitution that has NEVER been upheld? NO NO NO! That would only encourage more and more examples of such behavior by these gun-humping ammosexuals across the land.
Bundy logic: “What’s mine is mine; what’s yours is negotiable!”
Jesus. Just fucking shoot them already.
Hell, just shoot one of them. They got that tower in Malheur with a sniper in it–drone strike the tower with the guy in it. They see one of their friends blown to bits, it won’t seem like a cool Civil War Summer Camp Re-Enactment anymore.
Everyone worried about “making them martyrs.” I don’t recall the fuckin pigs worrying about making Tamir Rice a martyr.
If he wants to let the convicted arsonists out of jail and send the FBI home and leave the armed militia still controlling property they took over by breaking the laws, well, I question whether Sheriff Glenn Palmer really understands this whole “law enforcement” job he was elected to do.
THIS is pretty much what I was afraid of. The main reason why the Feds aren’t sweeping these vermin out is, at least, partly due to some Oregon LEO’s thinking the Feds are making the situation worse. Let’s face it, the Gov. could take action but she probably doesn’t have the majority support of her police and would prefer to put it on the Feds if something goes very wrong.
EDIT TO ADD:
Well, it sounds like Malheur County Sheriff Brian Wolfe wants this over with. But, since Bundy keeps moving the goalposts, he’d probably say he wants a majority of sheriffs to give direction of the Feds.