BundyBunch bunch built a road at the refuge yesterday

Heartbreaking.

Today the #bundymilitia made this road within the refuge. #oregonstandoffpic.twitter.com/uRJrIYZLNX

Apparently, the road was built between the kitchen and some other buildings farther away. Not only is this a wildlife refuge, those familiar with the property have indicated there are sensitive archaeological sites, including both Native American burial AND reburial sites, on the lands.

I do, however, remain of the opinion that we must wait these folks out. I do not agree that food and other supplies, mail etc. should enter. But I believe strongly that a heavy hand will cause all kinds of other problems. I also recognize that while I have read a lot on this, I cannot possibly know what LE knows.

I think there have been a few very worth articles at Vox in regard to this and I’d like to recommend them as reading. They are thoughtfully written and taken together, make clear the potential price of action and likewise the benefit of not doing so. They also help to explain the motivation of the federal government in not provoking a fight.

1. This article explains the extreme significance of WACO/Ruby ridge; but particularly WACO to the sovereign citizen and militia movements and explains the high price paid in the past—the Oklahoma City bombing of the federal building—and what could happen in the future if mistakes are made. It also explains HOW the public opinion on WACO changed because of terrorist McVeigh, interestingly enough. If you only read one, this is the one to read.

2. This article, also at Vox, explains the origin of the militia movement and makes some important distinctions between the various factions. In some ways, it helps to explain why one group is there, others have refused and others yet are straddling the issue.

There are other very worthwhile articles on the topic at Vox as well.

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If you are like me, you may find yourself painfully frustrated that these insurrectionists are allowed to confiscate public land, break law after law and seemingly intimidate a nation of 320 million people in doing it. But there are also lives at stake and huge short and long term implications involving the safety of Americans if we respond in a wrong way.

If you are an environmentalist, biologist, botanist, archaeologist or other scientist, it is additionally heartbreaking for a host of other reasons. 

If you spent years in a stakeholder process working through plans, now adopted, to manage the refuge, I cannot possibly imagine what you feel except to say that I went through something similar in my community and when the rug was pulled from under us, I--we--were bitterly angry and deeply disappointed.

And if the remains of your relatives lie in the ground, yet another terrible affront exists; one I recognize and honor, but can never experience on a personal level.

This is no doubt traumatic for a community that hosted a protest for the Hammonds, working with outside organizers (now locked in the compound) only to learn later that the takeover was planned all along by these very same people. It seems to me that in most ways, it will be the community that will, through increasingly hostile public opinion, force these people out, or, in reverse, allow them to stay.

Not one of the people central to the takeover has a personal stake in this, locally. Rather, this is a group/movement that after the 2014 Cliven Bundy Nevada debacle hitches it’s wagon to an issue somewhere else for ideological purposes which, according to some writers, are also grounded religiously in the Bundy family, in particular, as well.

The local community has the most to lose, collectively, because of this insurrection and I can only hope that some serious introspection on the matter continues.

I have had to take many deep breaths during this. The photo above really broke my heart. It angered me. Nonetheless, I am really hoping we can all do a bit of self-reflection and try hard to keep the demon of revenge at bay as long as the insurrectionists themselves do not provoke a direct violent confrontation. Public opinion on the takeover is running counter to their cause. Let’s keep it that way.