I love our national wildlife refuge and national park system. Whenever we take a road trip, we plan it so that we can spend time at one of these jewels in the crown of our nation. National wildlife refuges and parks are a testament to the ability of human beings to value something greater than themselves; the ability to see the importance of preserving a bit of Nature unblemished for the sake of the wildlife and for the sake of our souls.
Few things make me madder than seeing someone disrespect and devalue a park or refuge. After all, this is my land. It is land that belongs to all of us, a part of the public trust. As you might suspect, I am pretty angry these days as I read of a bunch of jumped-up domestic terrorists occupying buildings at one of our national refuges, causing the refuge to have to be closed to visitors as a matter of public safety.
I have never visited the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon but I know it is a very important site along the Pacific Flyway, the route that many thousands - probably millions - of western birds take on their spring and fall migrations. It is a place where the tired birds can stop in safety to rest and find food. And now these yahoos, the Bundy Bunch, the Y'all Qaeda, these domestic terrorists have desecrated that place.
They represent a group of people who poach wildlife, conduct illegal hunts, set illegal traps, and, in some cases, illegally graze their cattle on these lands that belong to all of us. All the while they complain loudly about government overreach and usurpation of Western lands. But they don't waste any time cashing their government checks! In the case of the leader of this current group of criminals, Ammon Bundy, it was a federal stimulus package check for some $530,000.
Of course, we all remember the previous Bundy Bunch action in Nevada in 2014. That one was led by the patriarch, Cliven Bundy, another scofflaw who owes over $1.2 million to us for grazing fees on our land. And now, here we go again.
I realize that law enforcement does not want to go in with guns blazing and make martyrs of these idiots, but one does have to admit that it is a bit ironic that these dozen or so armed white guys who took over some federal property several days ago have not been forceably removed, while a black child with a toy gun is mowed down by police instantly upon their arrival on the scene. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. But it isn't the way that law enforcement officials are handling the Oregon situation.
I read that the authorities have made the decision to cut off power and phone service to the building the armed insurrectionists have occupied and that they are planning to block the roads and, one hopes, keep the 24 hour news channels from going in to interview and lionize these guys, giving them the publicity they seek. My only question is, why didn't they do this sooner?
The spring migrants will soon be winging their way north again. Indeed, some have already started their long trips. Get these trespassers out of their refuge! Give it back to the wildlife for which it is intended.
Few things make me madder than seeing someone disrespect and devalue a park or refuge. After all, this is my land. It is land that belongs to all of us, a part of the public trust. As you might suspect, I am pretty angry these days as I read of a bunch of jumped-up domestic terrorists occupying buildings at one of our national refuges, causing the refuge to have to be closed to visitors as a matter of public safety.
I have never visited the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon but I know it is a very important site along the Pacific Flyway, the route that many thousands - probably millions - of western birds take on their spring and fall migrations. It is a place where the tired birds can stop in safety to rest and find food. And now these yahoos, the Bundy Bunch, the Y'all Qaeda, these domestic terrorists have desecrated that place.
They represent a group of people who poach wildlife, conduct illegal hunts, set illegal traps, and, in some cases, illegally graze their cattle on these lands that belong to all of us. All the while they complain loudly about government overreach and usurpation of Western lands. But they don't waste any time cashing their government checks! In the case of the leader of this current group of criminals, Ammon Bundy, it was a federal stimulus package check for some $530,000.
Of course, we all remember the previous Bundy Bunch action in Nevada in 2014. That one was led by the patriarch, Cliven Bundy, another scofflaw who owes over $1.2 million to us for grazing fees on our land. And now, here we go again.
I realize that law enforcement does not want to go in with guns blazing and make martyrs of these idiots, but one does have to admit that it is a bit ironic that these dozen or so armed white guys who took over some federal property several days ago have not been forceably removed, while a black child with a toy gun is mowed down by police instantly upon their arrival on the scene. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. But it isn't the way that law enforcement officials are handling the Oregon situation.
I read that the authorities have made the decision to cut off power and phone service to the building the armed insurrectionists have occupied and that they are planning to block the roads and, one hopes, keep the 24 hour news channels from going in to interview and lionize these guys, giving them the publicity they seek. My only question is, why didn't they do this sooner?
The spring migrants will soon be winging their way north again. Indeed, some have already started their long trips. Get these trespassers out of their refuge! Give it back to the wildlife for which it is intended.
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| We birdwatchers are watching you! (Hat tip to Jen Sorensen and Daily Kos for the cartoon.) |
Excellent piece Dorothy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Judy. The whole thing, a desecration of what many of us consider one of our holy places, just makes me furious!
DeleteI don't understand this at all. I thought this country did not negotiate with terrorists.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the government does not want to make these people martyrs for more idiots to rally around, but I wish they would go ahead and cut off all their utilities and get them out of there before the migratory birds start streaming through.
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