The stories have been making news headlines for several days. A group of armed nutjob extremists have taken over a small federal government building in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. They say they support a father and son pair of arsonists that are due to go back to prison today. Only the father and son have not asked for their support. And the father and son are going back to prison because they illegally set fires that endangered people, wildlife, and federal and private land in the area. We have laws about things like fires because they can quickly get out of control. And when they do, they spread – risking forests and brush, people, and wildlife. Crews must then be brought in to fight those fires. At considerable cost to taxpayers and at considerable risk to the firefighters.

But these armed criminals have decided that it is “their” land and they want to use it for whatever purpose suits them. They’ve come with their macho assault rifles and guns. They claim they don’t want violence. They just want “their land back.” Where I come from, people that don’t want violence don’t usually take over other people’s land while brandishing weapons!

Here’s the thing. It is not THEIR land! It belongs to all American taxpayers. And we vote for a government that decides how best to manage federal land. The government makes the laws. The people obey the laws. If you don’t like the laws, you can challenge them in court. And you can vote.

America isn’t supposed to work like this. Nowhere in the Constitution does it talk about people with the most guns running the country. These guys are criminals. Some call them terrorists, but I’m not sure I would go that far. At least until they start shooting. But they are well armed and clearly posing a threat to government workers. These are not Martin Luther King style non-violent protests. If you don’t want violence, you generally don’t carry a gun!

America isn’t supposed to work like this. We are a nation that is supposed to be governed by the rule of law. When you don’t like something, the solution is not supposed to be picking up a gun and taking over.

America isn’t supposed to work like this. Federal land is supposed to benefit the American public. Not a few people that decide they want to use the land for purposes that suit them.

These criminals claim they need the land to make a living. Again, that isn’t how things work in this country. If I need a building to make a living, I can’t just take it. That building has a rightful owner and laws prevent me from taking it. Just like the federal land has a rightful owner and laws prevent them from taking it.

Imagine how these guys would react if say, a group of poor homeless Washington, DC citizens decided they needed the National Mall so they have someplace to live. Imagine that they find a way to buy a bunch of guns and then start building houses and businesses on the mall. Imagine they took over the Washington and Lincoln Monuments. Would Ammon Bundy call them Patriots? I doubt it.

I think the Federal Government has been too patient and too forgiving with these idiots. I’m not generally one to promote violence, and I certainly wouldn’t want to see any government employees get hurt. But maybe it is time to call their bluff. Idiot conservatives across the country are always talking about how they need their guns so they can fight the government. That is exactly what these people are doing. They’ve decided they don’t like the government elected by the people (okay, in fairness, the government is really owned by The Koch brothers and other wealthy people that have legally purchased elected officials) and they want to do something about it. So let’s show them just how ineffective their guns are against the US Military. Bring in some tanks and drones. Give them a deadline and if they aren’t off the premises by then, forcibly remove them. If they start shooting, shoot back. I don’t think it will take long for them to come to the conclusion that they aren’t really so tough. And I don’t think it will take them long to come to the conclusion that their guns are no match for the US Military.

We cannot be held hostage by criminals with guns just because they call themselves Patriots. They are most certainly NOT patriots!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/04/us/04oregon-listy.html?_r=0