Is the issue about cattle grazing, the desert tortoise, or the failure to pay grazing fees, or is it the family’s religious affiliation or a combination. It is unclear, but what is clear is the fact the federal government seems quite at ease with using overwhelming force in the face of unarmed American citizens. The United States however, seems reluctance at times to show any kind of force to countries that are without a doubt a threat to every American citizen.
Unarmed social workers enter into crack houses almost on a daily basis in some cities with nothing more than a clipboard and a pen where children’s lives are at risk. Yet when a so-called endangered desert tortoise may be in danger it is all hands on deck, to include snipers positioned that are allegedly locked and loaded.
Keep in mind the statements made are based on news accounts and any wrongdoing by any party is alleged only and has not been proven as fact.
Apparently, if you speak your minds as citizens you are considered a threat in today’s country. What will tomorrow’s country look like.
“Federal officials said BLM enforcement agents were dispatched in response to statements Bundy made that the agency perceived as threats” (FoxNews.com, 2014).
A cattle rancher who supposedly owes close to or in excess of a million dollars in grazing fees is a national threat, which requires an immediate armed response. Cliven Bundy according to the Bureau of Land management (BLM) made inflammatory statements that prompted the response from the federal government, sounds like someone at the BLM is a bit too sensitive.
Let us see here, Iran has made inflammatory statements directed against the United States, Russia certainly has, and all terrorists’ organizations have, as well as, a host of American citizens walking free today because of freedom of speech and yet Cliven Bundy is a threat, an immediate and direct threat, him and his cattle. A threat so immediate that an armed response is needed and apparently, now there is a standoff.
Obviously, there is more here than meets the eye and unfortunately, ever since 9/11 all the federal government has to state is you are considered a national threat and the tanks start rolling down Main Street.
Failure to act, failure to let the politicians know this is wrong is an acceptance of what is happening. It is a slow progression but whenever citizens fail to act then evil is accepted and it will take over. The slow drip, the slow take over then soon you wake up to a country that is no longer recognizable.
Today it is Cliven Bundy, who tomorrow, and the next day. The people control the government and when the government begins to control the states and the people in each state by trampling states rights then you may as well climb in bed and pull the covers over your head.
“Militias Heading to Nevada to Help, Ready for Armed Conflict”
Not helpful and can only cause more harm than good but heated rhetoric does increase membership for some of these groups. There is certainly nothing wrong with militias as far as that goes but when the mob gets heated up by the instigators the wannabes are always the first ones to shoot first and ask questions later. The amateurs seem to provide the spark that burns down the barn around everyone.
Some people in the groups do not seem to understand that heated rhetoric puts money in the coffers of some of these organizations, but talk is all that some groups are about, but not all are just about talk, some groups not all. Several of the groups have put their money where their mouth is on various occasions but they no longer exist.
Showing you disagree with the federal government by shooting at agents is not the way to get your point across. Voting is one way to show displeasure and writing about it, blogging and making phone calls or writing emails is another way. There are ways and the government does bow to pressure if enough, enough of the right kind of pressure is applied.
The question remains what is really going on with Cliven Bundy and the BLM. Once everyone knows the answer to that then a response can be initiated, but until then a bloody range war benefits no one.
FoxNews.com. (2014, April). Retrieved 2014, from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/04/07/nevada-officials-blast-feds-over-treatment-cattle-rancher-cliven-bundy/