NEWS DIVERSION

"A LICENSE IS WHAT YOU GET

                 WHEN THE GOVERNMENT STEALS

                    YOUR RIGHTS AWAY FROM YOU

                               AND THEN SELLS THEM BACK."

                                                     Mark Edge

     You are about to be bombarded with a lot of 'news' from Oregon about the take over of a federal building.  It has to do with the Federal Government taking excessive aim at a rancher family who has been operating for generations.  You are going to be polarized and intentionally given bad information, from many sides, so that public opinion will be on the side of the government.  Early stories have already proved this.

     Before you knee jerk and condemn what is going on out there stop and actually understand what has happened and what you would do if your family was threatened in the same way.

      You have to go back to the hundred year old mismanagement of public lands by the collection of federal agencies that are charged with 'protecting and managing' the public lands in your name.  Forrest Service, BLM, Park Service, FWS, and others.  The battle that has created the most massive fires in history destroying forests that have been set up for destruction and private lands that have been earmarked for seizing.

     The family in question had done legal controlled burning to improve their grass and also to stop the approach of a massive wildfire coming from the federal properties that they neighbor.  One fire got out of control and went on federal land for a few acres.  The other was purely in self defense. 

     As result the rancher and his son was charged for arson in Federal Court.  Despite the facts of the case and the common sense of those who understand the conditions and reasons, both were convicted and sent to federal prison.  Upon release another judge decided that they did not do enough time and are sending them back for much longer terms.

     This case should have never been even been considered being file let alone tried and a conviction being brought.  Also the Federal Government had given the family a deadline of Dec. 31 of 2015 to pay over $100,000 or face losing much of the multigenerational ranch as result.

      Bringing up to date a group led by Rancher son Ammon Bundy, who had stood against the federal swat teams sent out in Cliven Bundy's families dispute, has led the effort to seize and confront the government.

     Reporters who actually know the history and the problems that have occurred as result of the federal agencies hostile treatment of land owners and permit holders have been covering this as well as can be but the national news media is drowning out the actual facts of the case.  The actions of the group forcing a showdown is not going to help the cause very much and this has all the earmarks of a great travesty.  Not only for the people involved, but for the people who are going to buy into the medias coverage and allow the government to use extraordinary measures to make examples of anyone who has the courage to stand up to the bully from Washington.

     I ask you to withhold judgment until the actual truth of the case can be told and not the popular line.  At this point in time it will serve as a great diversion for the coming year of political wrangling.

     I pray that the situation will back down, as in the Bundy standoff, and that no one is injured or killed.