Victory! American rancher and armed militias force US Federal Govt to stand down

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...anch-land.html

We have you surrounded! Armed cowboys lay siege to federal agents to get 'stolen' cattle back after government backed down and said it would STOP targeting Nevada rancher in 'range war'

- Protesters demand cows that were already rounded up are returned
- Highway is closed off and SWAT teams spotted as protest moves to corral
- Politicians have compared the standoff to Tiananmen Square
- The Bundy family says they've owned the 600,000 acres since 1870 but the Bureau of Land Management says they are illegally grazing
- The dispute began in 1993 when land was reclassified as to federal property to protect a rare desert tortoise, the government claimed
- Federal officers stormed the property this week with helicopters and snipers to back up about 200 armed agents
- They have reportedly seized around 350 of Cliven Bundy's 900 cattle
- Cattle were handed back to rancher after tense standoff
- Tensions escalated after private militias poured in to support the family

The last rancher in southern Nevada has won a battle over the federal government's round up of his cattle on public land after a week-long standoff with agents.

The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it would stop trying to seize the cattle of Cliven Bundy after armed militia gathered in Nevada.

Shortly after the deal was agreed, about 100 armed protesters, some on horse back, headed to a corral to demand the BLM also hands back cattle it had already taken.

Armed members of the BLM and the Bundy family were also reported to be involved in tense talks about the cattle.

Deal: Cliven Bundy shakes hands with Sheiff Doug Gillespie on Saturday morning as the rancher comes to a deal to stop federal agents rounding up his cattle


Show down: Ranchers on horseback and protesters gather at the BLM camp to try to claim back cattle the agency has already rounded up

As it announced earlier today that it was backing off, the BLM said it did so because it feared for the safety of employees and members of the public.

Despite the week-long protest being called off, there were claims that nearly two dozen police and a SWAT team were waiting on the road near the encampment.

There have been no threats of violence from the protesters, who were asked to leave any guns they may have in their vehicles before coming to the camp.

In previous days, men carrying AK-47s and handguns had been pictured at the camp in southern Nevada that was set up in protest at the bureau's attempt to confiscate cattle from Bundy, whose family has been working the land for centuries.

Protesters arrive at the Bureau of Land Management's base camp where cattle that were already seized are being held


Traffic along the highway has been brought to a standstill as protesters move towards the BLM camp

The BLM had offered to pay Bundy for the cattle it has already rounded up, but protesters are demanding they are released to the rancher.

The cattle are being held in a corral near Mesquite, close to where the SWAT team were spotted.

About an hour after Bundy agreed a deal with the county sheriff, about 100 protesters, some armed and on horseback, headed to the corral.

After tense talks and a standoff, the BLM finally agreed to return the cattle to Bundy. A growing crowd of armed protesters who had gathered at the gate of the base camp were ordered to wait for 30 minutes to give both sides time to talk.

By 5pm ET an agreement had been made that the bureau would release the animals back to the ranchers later on Saturday.

Nevada Police had pleaded with drivers on Saturday afternoon to avoid the highway from Las Vegas to Mesquite, as protesters swelled out across the road, causing it to be cut off in both directions.

The BLM had said its agents would not be able to leave until protesters are at a safe distance, according to 8 News Now.

Absolutely amazing victory, i'm not even American but i'm proud for them. And this folks goes to show that the people CAN stand up to the government and this is exactly why the Founding Fathers of America put guns in the US constitution: because if the moment ever comes, then men like this will be ready to resist tyranny. What was it that Benjamin Franklin wrote? That the tree of liberty must be watered now and again with the blood of patriots.

Tyranny doesn't always come in the shape of a little Asian man or a European sporting a moustache, a generals uniform and the cancelling of all elections. Freedom doesn't even come from democracy. Freedom comes from liberty, and being free to do what you want provided it doesn't hurt others.... the freedom to say what you want. The freedom to defend yourself. The freedom to own your own property. The freedom to eat what you want. The freedom to drink or smoke what you want and where you want.

They won't go: Charlie Brown holds up a sign Thursday from the Bureau of Land Management's 'first amendment area' during a protest of the Bureau of Land Management's roundup of cattle near Bunkerville

The man holding the sign and what he's written underneath it is exactly right. There's no such thing as an 'approved' gun area or 'approved' free speech area: that area comprises the entire United States and when the government dares question this then it should be put back in line, with force if need be. A small victory but an inspiring one if you ask me.

Thoughts?

[Sian]

Only in America, wonder why they seized the cattle though... Poor cows.

[The Don]

I'm a political moderate and do believe that many government entities, especially law enforcement, have gone too far over the past decade. But in this case, I agree that the BLM was simply enforcing the rules and that Bundy had ample opportunity to do the right thing.

• He's been grazing his cattle for decades without paying any fees. The fee is $1.35/month per mother/calf which hardly strikes me as gouging.
• This has been going on for decades. It's not like it happened last week and the BLM over reacted.
• He's been to court numerous times and has lost every time. There are innumerable court decisions I don't like but in a democracy, you have to respect the process and in this case, he lost. He simply has ignored every court order.
• If he wasn't grazing those cattle on federal lands, he'd have to buy land to graze them on and that costs money. He's getting a free ride all the way around.
• Mr. Bundy is a militia member too and that has been obscured in many news reports. This wasn't a random uprising, he encouraged them to come join him.
  The sad part here is that because of the threat of violence, he's going to get away with it. There is a time and place to take a stand when the government goes too far. This isn't that case.

A comment from this article on reddit, sums it up better than I could.

[GommeInc]

You could do it without guns. The poll tax riots are one example. Also, our Government wouldn't be so stupid to take land off of people. The Courts would be too busy rubbing their claws together knowing they can get some good material for calling the Government out for acting against the law if there is proof you've used the lands (you come to own the land after a while anyway). This person seems like he was angry his time using the land for free was up.

A comment from this article on reddit, sums it up better than I could.

When the image used above first appeared someone tagged it as Russia invading Nevada on reddit Didn't know it was just the Feds going up against some civvies.

[The Don]

You could do it without guns. The poll tax riots are one example. Also, our Government wouldn't be so stupid to take land off of people. The Courts would be too busy rubbing their claws together knowing they can get some good material for calling the Government out for acting against the law if there is proof you've used the lands (you come to own the land after a while anyway). This person seems like he was angry his time using the land for free was up.

They never owned the land, the government has always owned it... end of thread/

[GommeInc]

They never owned the land, the government has always owned it... end of thread/

Makes sense then. I can't help but think it's too much but then again this is 'murica The way they elect their judges is too much for me.

[-:Undertaker:-]

They never owned the land, the government has always owned it... end of thread/

The Federal Government isn't supposed to own land on that scale.

There's been a recent trend in the US where by the feds have been seizing state land as a way to exert control. Most federal agencies like the BLM aren't supposed to exist and if they do, then that is supposed to be left to the state to deal with. This is a victory both for the individual and state's rights. It's also a victory against heavy handed Police forces - who used a taser gun - as well as being a victory for the constitution after the militia ripped down the silly signs the Feds put up telling them where their designated 'first amendment' areas are.

America is supposed to be land of the free and home of the brave. With the likes of these militias, it is.

But hey he won the tyrants and control freaks in government, Bundy 1 and Obama admin 0.

He's been grazing his cattle for decades without paying any fees. The fee is $1.35/month per mother/calf which hardly strikes me as gouging.

Uh this is public land. The Government doesn't 'own' it - the American people do.

This has been going on for decades. It's not like it happened last week and the BLM over reacted.

Bringing hundreds of officers with sniper guns in a standoff isn't an over reaction? I read somewhere that this whole episode has cost the American government something like $1m to $3m - all under the guise of protecting some turtles.

The Bundy's have been doing this for over a hundred years but the government just couldn't leave them alone, could it?

He's been to court numerous times and has lost every time. There are innumerable court decisions I don't like but in a democracy, you have to respect the process and in this case, he lost. He simply has ignored every court order.

If the courts are obeying laws that are opposite to the constitution, then the courts aren't fit for purpose.

If he wasn't grazing those cattle on federal lands, he'd have to buy land to graze them on and that costs money. He's getting a free ride all the way around.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOH a taxpayer having a 'free ride' on public land that's an unused desert.

Who the hell to the Feds think they are?

Mr. Bundy is a militia member too and that has been obscured in many news reports. This wasn't a random uprising, he encouraged them to come join him.

Good. And he won which is another bonus.

The sad part here is that because of the threat of violence, he's going to get away with it. There is a time and place to take a stand when the government goes too far. This isn't that case.

When surrounded by snipers from Washington DC rounding up your cattle then that's when the Feds have gone too far.

[The Don]

The state owns the land, not the people. Whether you like that or not is irrelevant because that is fact.

The Federal Government isn't supposed to own land on that scale.

There's been a recent trend in the US where by the feds have been seizing state land as a way to exert control. Most federal agencies like the BLM aren't supposed to exist and if they do, then that is supposed to be left to the state to deal with. This is a victory both for the individual and state's rights. It's also a victory against heavy handed Police forces - who used a taser gun - as well as being a victory for the constitution after the militia ripped down the silly signs the Feds put up telling them where their designated 'first amendment' areas are.

America is supposed to be land of the free and home of the brave. With the likes of these militias, it is.

But hey he won the tyrants and control freaks in government, Bundy 1 and Obama admin 0.



Uh this is public land. The Government doesn't 'own' it - the American people do.



Bringing hundreds of officers with sniper guns in a standoff isn't an over reaction? I read somewhere that this whole episode has cost the American government something like $1m to $3m - all under the guise of protecting some turtles.

The Bundy's have been doing this for over a hundred years but the government just couldn't leave them alone, could it?



If the courts are obeying laws that are opposite to the constitution, then the courts aren't fit for purpose.



OOOOOOOOOOOOOH a taxpayer having a 'free ride' on public land that's an unused desert.

Who the hell to the Feds think they are?



Good. And he won which is another bonus.



When surrounded by snipers from Washington DC rounding up your cattle then that's when the Feds have gone too far.

[-:Undertaker:-]

The state owns the land, not the people. Whether you like that or not is irrelevant because that is fact.

Under that guise you could say that the state therefore is entirely right to charge you for walking on the pavements (which it 'owns') or lying around on it's grass. Or walking through it's fields. Or walking through it's desert.

Would that be rational or right of the state to do? No, because it holds that land in trust for the people.

[The Don]

No but I pay road tax for the government to take care of the roads, and if I own cattle which I wish to make a profit from I would have to pay tax so the government can hire inspectors to insure health and safety policy is being kept to. Pretty standard stuff. It's not as if the land was being used for recreational use, there was a lot of money being made there from a service being sold to the public.

Under that guise you could say that the state therefore is entirely right to charge you for walking on the pavements (which it 'owns') or lying around on it's grass. Or walking through it's fields. Or walking through it's desert.

Would that be rational or right of the state to do? No, because it holds that land in trust for the people.