Occupation of Malheur Refuge: Right fight, wrong strategy or the wake up call that was necessary

So there's been some discussion as to whether the occupation of the Malheur Refuge was the "right fight, wrong strategy." Sheriff Mack in his town hall meeting in Burns last night stated that he did not agree with the occupation, although he considers Ammon Bundy a good man and a friend.

At the beginning of this, I also did not agree with the occupation. At this point, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. As I read and learn more of the history, I wonder if this action was needed as a wake up call. Here are some questions that I have. I'm hoping that others will give their thoughts on this subject.

1. Would the people of Harney County have found the strength to speak out in support of the Hammonds on a national stage without the occupation?

2. Have these events raised awareness of Agenda 21 and the overreach of the federal government for those Americans who get most of their information from facebook or the mainstream media?

3. Have these events pushed the Federal government to "tip their hand" early with regards to the continued militarization of the police force and with their plans to vilify "gun-toting" Americans whose only "crime" is the exercise of their 2nd amendment rights?

4. I'm reminded of Samuel Adams who has been called "an agitator." Did everyone agree with his actions in the time leading up to the revolution?

Here's the article that inspired this post:

Right fight; wrong strategy.

That's what many ranchers and sympathizers opposing federal control of public lands in the West concluded after the armed occupation of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon.

For some, the weekslong standoff that ended Thursday with the surrender of the final occupiers has only strengthened their resolve to fight the government's control of vast expanses of Western land. But not all condone the tactics of the armed group that drew the nation's gaze to the snowy landscapes of eastern Oregon.

"We're not backing off," said Greg Whalen, a military veteran from Las Vegas who supports the Bundy ranching family that led the occupation. "We're actually going to fight harder — peacefully."

Whalen and others say protests must remain a key part of the strategy — but they must be civil to avoid giving a reason for arrests.

Others suggest the battle should shift to the courts to pry authority over open space from the federal government. State lawmakers, notably in Utah, are considering a legal way to take control of U.S. lands that account for a majority of the West, including most of Nevada; about two-thirds of Utah, Idaho and Alaska; and half of Oregon.

Federal officials say U.S. control ensures the land is used in the interest of the environment, outdoor enthusiasts and industries, such as ranching, mining, and oil and gas.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert denounced the tactics in the standoff but called it "a wakeup call for all of us that there (are) legitimate issues out there that are causing frustration."

[link to abcnews.go.com]

And here's something about Sam Adams:

Historian Thomas Fleming observed that “Without Boston’s Samuel Adams, there might never have been an American Revolution. His skill at combining agitation and propaganda put the British constantly on the defensive. He created committees of correspondence to link the colonies and was the chief organizer of the Boston Tea Party.”

The British governor of Massachusetts Francis Bernard snarled, “Every tip of his pen stung like a horned snake.” Thomas Hutchinson, British-appointed chief justice, snapped that there wasn’t “a greater incendiary in the King’s dominion, or a man of greater malignity of heart who has less scruples any measure however criminal to accomplish his purposes.”

But Adams was revered by American colonists. Thomas Jefferson called him “my very dear and ancient friend.” John Adams described Sam, his older second cousin, as “cool, abstemious, polished, and refined…when his deeper feelings were excited, he erected himself, or rather nature seemed to erect him, without the smallest symptoms of affectation, into an upright dignity of figure and gesture, and gave a harmony to his voice which made a strong impression…the more lasting for the purity, correctness and nervous elegance of his style.”

[link to www.libertarianism.org]


BREAKING: VIDEO Footage of the "traffic stop" the day LaVoy was killed. Go to 1:14 of the clip at this link:

[link to gma.yahoo.com (secure)]

Last Edited by Daniel Higdon on 02/13/2016 11:36 AM