as he is already more honest than many.

I live clear over in Portland, but I visit eastern Oregon a lot (and that area in particular). My impression of the people in Burns and thereabouts is that while most are pretty conservative in their politics, they are not anti-government, teahadist extremists at all. A large percentage make their living from the federal presence in the county (either working for the BLM/Forest Service or providing goods and services. They are fairly typical small town folk (or at least the oddball Oregon version thereof) who will NOT be amused at out-of-area dickheads with guns and an agenda invading their town. They might have their issues with the BLM (who can be high-handed, to say the least), but they're inclined to settle matters with the ballot box, not the cartridge box...just like sane people everywhere.

I don't envy Sheriff Ward. When the militants first seized the refuge compound, there's no way he would have had the manpower to try and stop them. Harney County has not much over 7000 people total (in a county bigger than seven US states); there's no reason to have a large sheriff's department, and the only town with a police force of its own only has it because it's tribal land. Ward was dealing with a potentially violent group that outnumbered the forces he had available (although I think if the teahadists had started anything, Ward would have had scores of locals willing to help defend their town...but what an unholy bloody mess that might have turned into).

By tomorrow morning, I suspect there will be a LOT of law enforcement there, including possibly an FBI weapons team, given that they've seized federal land. I expect a patient solution (a siege is preferable to bloodshed), but if it really does come to a fight, the advantage will be on the side of the law.

Everyone who supports these yahoos needs to think about how they'd feel if some dudes started grazing cattle on the land at your local park, where you take your kids to play or run or whatever, just straight up appropriated the common areas and blocked you through their activity. That's what these fuckwits are up to. They want OUR common lands.

if they aid a criminal enterprise in any way.

What they are up to is stealing the public lands. They been doing that since 1620 when they landed!

the distinct feeling that this operation is not going as planned. And by now they are probably out of onion dip. #Walmartyrs

The militiamen are terrorists. They have declared war on our civil society.

The revolution is being televised. This revolution is sponsored by the people who own television.
What they say on television is what is "really" happening anyway, in the minds of the nation.

Don't underestimate these sorts of Republican 2016 election operations.
And remember, the best defense in a televised war is the internet, and ridicule of course.

I don't see how these people think this sort of action would actually help their cause. So perhaps they just have a totally different cause than they are claiming to be advancing. For those who are not sure what they claim this is all about. Here are some relevant links that might be interesting. I think they give a overview of both sides.


http://www.justice.gov/usao-or/pr/eastern-oregon-ranchers-convicted-arson-resentenced-five-years-prison
http://www.landrights.org/or/Hammond/Hammonds%20Appeal%209th%20district%20court.pdf (the appeal)

http://www.tsln.com/news/17302049-113/story.html (sympathetic article toward the ranchers)

of the Constitution.

This is about arson. I live in the West. We have had terrible problems with forest fires. I think five years for setting a forest fire is not too much.

We are losing trees in California to forest fires and to the drought. Oregon is so fortunate to have healthy forests. It is a terrible thing to set fires that could burn trees to say nothing of people.

Who were out fighting forest fires out west so I take a very dim view of this fuckstickery these arsonists did.

plus whatever other bits and pieces they can use to justify their positions, just like their Bible.

But I bet the Feds have that covered. They may have picked a fight with some tough laws and mandatory sentences.

Anyone keeping track of the possible charges at this point? Protest without a permit for starters.

Traitorous activity during war-time?

and doing that illegal thing knowing youre going to be ticketed/arrested for it. My problem with these idiots is that they want to do the illegal things (clearly) but then they want to bitch about tyranny when the Law DOES ITS JOB. It's a half-assed, half-illiterate HALF-EDUCATED attempt at Civil Disobedience, and I hope sincerley that Federal, State, and County Law Enforcement 'educate' them until it HURTS.

It means they don't have the locals. Rachel explains how these idiots think the Sheriff is the highest law in the land with Posse Comitatus. Even though they are completely wrong they say they will only listen to what the country Sheriff says:

Very informative!

With some cooling their heels in jail.

Unless they generate a series of crisis and just keep moving from one to the other until the election.

But they seem to be doubling down, so maybe longer than a day.

The local residents seem pretty pissed off. Going to get worse since their kids can't go to school right now. It'll be interesting. I still don't think it'll last long, but, it may take longer than the initial day I was expecting.

declare it a prison. You can charge people with crimes without being able to handcuff them.

at the community college where there was a shooter several months ago. That sheriff was an asshole and demanded we not mention the shooters name. I think that attitude made everyone forget that it even happened. It hasn't been mentioned while the list of other mass murders been discussed after the horrible shootings of late. That sheriff wanted everyone to block it out and it has been done.

The sheriff of the current standoff sounds like a reasonable person.

I'm trying to figure out what alternative motives mean.

People travel from far and wide to this remote area for the massive and diverse spectacular bird migrations that pass through. Harney county needs that infusion of outside money. A bunch of little old ladies with binoculars will set these ignorant thugs straight.