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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOregon update: "militants in high spirits, ready for long wait at refuge, supporter says"
FYI - The Oregonian is Portland's GOP-owned 'newspaper of record'.
Oregon militants in high spirits, ready for long wait at refuge, supporter says
by Noelle Crombie * Jan. 3, 2016 * The Oregonian (Oregonlive.com)
A 42-year-old Washington woman who has met twice this weekend with men occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters said the group's spirits are high and they are prepared to remain in the eastern Oregon outpost for "many years."
Maureen Peltier, a disabled veteran, staff sergeant with the Washington Army National Guard and a member of the so-called patriot movement, traveled from her home in Bonny Lake to Burns this weekend to take part in Saturday's protest of the federal government's criminal case against a pair of Harney County ranchers. By Saturday night, leaders of the protest effort had taken over a facility at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
Peltier said she met with several protesters at the gate to the refuge then later at a Burns hotel. She posted about the encounters on Facebook, saying the group is "doing very well."
"They did have a good security team and bonfires to keep warm," she wrote. "They want Americans with rational, cool heads to join them."
She said they are not engaged in a "hostile takeover" and that the group hasn't damaged property.
"There is absolutely no armed standoff," she wrote. "They want us to know: They are simply occupying land and a building owned by 'We The People.' Our tax dollars. And that for them, this is a civil peaceful protest."
Law enforcement has so far not engaged protesters.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/01/oregon_militants_in_high_spiri.html#incart_river_index
louis-t
(23,292 posts)to join them in supporting a bunch of arsonists?
tblue37
(65,340 posts)human shields.
icymist
(15,888 posts)Give me a break.
Volaris
(10,270 posts)Which means they should all - EVERY LAST DAMNED ONE OF THEM- be willing to get arrested for tresspassing, same as Occupy Wall Street.
If you believe that I have some federal land I can sell you.
A cop shows up with tickets or warrants and there will be a shot cop, you mark my words.
Peaceful civil protest my ASS (but for now, sure they can have the benefit of the doubt. They'll get to prove it, or not, in less time than they think).
-none
(1,884 posts)No one in or out until they surrender.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)c) wait it out, d) prosecute the perps to the full extent of the law once they come out.
I'm not among those calling for a violent showdown, but if this is just ignored altogether by
the authorities it emboldens these armed assholes to start pulling more of these kinds of stunts.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)They'll be waving the white flag within 24 hours.
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)They brought 35' trailers with supplies with them.
rjsquirrel
(4,762 posts)I predict 5 days before they chicken out.
leftyladyfrommo
(18,868 posts)when it's 15 degrees put is going to get old fast.
hack89
(39,171 posts)have to believe most of them are also preppers.
2naSalit
(86,591 posts)They ARE preppers and have brought provisions with them, which I am certain is at least 40% ammo.
OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)propane pretty fast and they can't eat bullets.
SwankyXomb
(2,030 posts)2naSalit
(86,591 posts)2naSalit
(86,591 posts)one of the head honchos is from central Idaho where it gets way colder and it's pretty windy up there too. I don't suppose most of these folks can't handle the weather.
rjsquirrel
(4,762 posts)How much kerosene do you suppose they can store inside that building?
Days. Not weeks. Days.
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)they have wifi, and they most likely have propane and gennies and a well for water (powered by gennies), and plenty of other equipment.
Food is most likely the thing they will run out of first.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)..but Sodhouse Spring is under 1500 feet away, basically right next to the compound.
hack89
(39,171 posts)how many 55 gal drums can you put on a standard landscaper's trailer?
If there are any ex- military involved the logistics are pretty straightforward and easy to calculate.
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)Lint Head
(15,064 posts)bastards. There will be no uprising because people who would follow them have very few brain cells between them.
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)malaise
(268,980 posts)Last edited Sun Jan 3, 2016, 05:19 PM - Edit history (1)
Fugging idiots.
True story - some years ago, a man called a Talk Show here in Jamaica wanting to know why the local courts take so long to solve crimes when he sees serious crimes being solved in an hour on Law and Order - he was not joking - he believed this shit.
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)to be the gospel truth with absolutely no insight as to the true facts.
SoLeftIAmRight
(4,883 posts)rain on their parade
the wet cold dumb asses will come on out
ohnoyoudidnt
(1,858 posts)Buzz Clik
(38,437 posts)avebury
(10,952 posts)Kill all the utlities, disable the well if they are on well water, use cell phone jamming technology, totally surround the facility to prevent any access in or out, blast them with loud music 24 hours a day to keep them from getting a good nights sleep, and have a total media blackout on the situation.
They need one good spin master to totally turn the story around so that the masses see the idiots for what they are, spoiled brats who think nothing of breaking the law. The could retitle the facility Camp Guantanamo USA.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)I've been to the Malheur Wildlife Sanctuary HQ several times. It's pretty isolated (the nearest neighbors are about 5 miles away, iirc). It's pretty open country, too, so very open fields of fire. It would be no big deal to cut off electricity, but getting to a well woudl expose the people doing it to fire from the buildings. And Sodhouse Spring is only about 1500 feet from the HQ; there might be direct piping...I never thought to notice. Those buildings are made of stone, too, which means very good cover for anyone shooting at someone approaching. These dipshits chose the location well.
It will take time for the authorities to arrive in numbers and start figuring out the best response. I can't stress enough how isolated the location is. There are only small towns in the area, with only small municipal aorports. Those airports are probably closed right now (there's a region-wide snowstorm going on). The road trips from population centers are long and presently under pretty serious winter conditions. Getting personnel there will take time.
avebury
(10,952 posts)The Feds should cut off all utilities, make them burn through any fuel they have, and use cellphone blocking technology. Let them realize just how isolated they are. If the weather conditions are really that harsh it would make them use their supplies faster then anticipated. Under no condition should anybody be allowed to resupply them. They should publicly be condemned as traitors/terrorists and treated accordingly with anybody aiding or abetting them to be charged accordingly.
The rural location would make for a great military exercise to make sure that they kept isolated.
Motion sensor detectors would help the military know where any incursions might take place. I would hope that the military would be able to out think a bunch of yahoos.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)I have no problem with waiting out their fuel supply. Depending on the firewood supply (unfortunately, that's likely to be a winter's worth), they might have to use electrical power for heat, which would run them out of fuel quickly. They might have water piping directly from Sodhouse Spring (less than 1500 feet away), but that might require using an electrical heater to keep the pipes unfrozen...more load on their fuel.
I agree: it should be relatively simple to keep them from being resupplied. You don't even need a 360-degree perimeter: the compound is on a lakeshore.
avebury
(10,952 posts)it would meet their electrical requirements. Total isolation from the outside world would put them in a world of hurt. Without electricity they cannot charge up their phones or laptops nor would they be able to watch TV. Unless they have a large supply of batteries, radios would not last long.
This would be such a great exercise for the military Psy-Ops branch to see what kinds of mind tricks they can play on these yahoos.
If you stop to think about this, the military could have a lot of fun with this group in various types of exercises. Mind games, it is all about the mind games. This group is ont the brightest bulbs in the room to begin with.
Unknown Beatle
(2,672 posts)Sure, snowstorms would block that, but eventually the sun will shine. But I doubt they thought about solar powered generators.
belcffub
(595 posts)half my subscribers are hippies and the other half are survivalists... if they are real preppers they have solar or wind generators... I'm also a ham radio guy and many many radio guys have portable trailer mounted solar setups that can fold out and be field deployed... a simple 1kw system w/ batteries and inverter would cost no more then $1500 now... prices have dropped big time since I installed mine 8 years ago...
BarbaRosa
(2,684 posts)that would require employees returning to work on Monday?
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Not that I've ever noticed, anyway.
madokie
(51,076 posts)pull a noreiga on their dumb asses
Remember when Noreiga was holded up somewhere down there in Panama, sorry can't remember if it was a hotel or what, but they bombarded his ass with loud music until he came out. If my memory serves me right it took a few days but only a few days.
I found a link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Nifty_Package
now to go read and refresh my memory
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)While we waved his red underpants for the world and accused him of practicing Voodoo.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)and then arrest and prosecute them to the full extent of the law, once they come out.
KingFlorez
(12,689 posts)Thugs, the whole lot of them.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)But I don't think there's a need to destroy buildings or make the Bundy gangs into the John Browns of the militian movement.
Government is close to immortal, no doubt the government has capacity to out-wait the yahoooos
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)It's a really lovely old compound...been there many times (worth the long-ass drive).
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)They've effectively put themselves under house arrest.
Now it's time to cut communications, land line and cell phone, keep people and supplies away, and just wait.
dhill926
(16,337 posts)this is public property...get them out...peacefully of course, no need to feed the paranoia...but get them out. I would think the locals would be pretty pissed...
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Apparently, the overwhelming consensus in Burns is "out-of-town troublemakers fuck off."
ljm2002
(10,751 posts)...is anyone being allowed in or out of there?
spanone
(135,831 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)renate
(13,776 posts)Also, it would be hilarious if they put themselves into a federal penitentiary.
demtenjeep
(31,997 posts)they don't want it, nor do they want any of the mess that is happening "in their name"
they even asked the terrorist to stay away and were ignored. They ask that they not have flowers placed at their farm...got it anyway.
Aamon even threw pennies at the sheriff's building. Some little girls scrambled them up
they see this as their chance
I see it as something needs to be done or this will become more and more common
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)and Bundy & Co. little 'militia' were more than happy to oblige the HAMMONDS.
At this point the Hammonds realize they might get even more prison time for "inciting an insurrection",
and so are back-peddling and trying to cover their tracks, just like they tried to cover their poaching tracks
by setting fire to Federal land.
demtenjeep
(31,997 posts)told them they didn't want people, nor flowers or anything
the entire town put signs around that said NO militia
the basketball team moved their game 200 miles away
school has been cancelled for the week.
the Hammonds did NOT want this.
They were/are going on Monday to turn themselves in
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)"At first, according to the Oregonian, the Hammonds "accepted the militia's offer of help to avoid prison." But they "changed their minds after being warned by federal prosecutors to stop communicating with the militia" and have now "professed through their attorneys that they had no interest in ignoring the order to report for prison." "
http://www.vox.com/2016/1/3/10703712/oregon-militia-standoff
TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)You want a war, boys? Welcome to 2016.
Takket
(21,564 posts)this is the first I've heard of this, but the BUNDY family is involved????????? People on DU tried to warn us when they let them threaten the BLM and get away with breaking the law that their type would only be emboldened to do more, well here it is!!!!!!!!!
This tweet says it all:
Imagine the reaction if a student protestor or a #BlackLivesMatter activist said this. http://thkpr.gs/3735576
https://twitter.com/SeanMcElwee/status/683499063325634561
Takket
(21,564 posts)Today's occupation is essentially "the spill over from the Bundy stand-off" in Nevada, according to Heidi Beirich, Director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
"What we're really seeing is a continuation of what started in April 2014, of militia folks and anti-government folks deciding that they're not going to accept federal authorities over federal lands," Beirich told ABC News today.
"At the Bundy ranch, the federal government stood down. They had absolute cause to take Bundy's cattle. The Bundys were able -- at the point of a gun -- to drive the federal government and its representatives ... off the land," she said.
"Bundy is still a free man. He hasn't paid his money, and it's emboldened the entire movement to basically think, 'We don't have to follow the rules,'" Beirich said, explaining that that is what's happening now in Oregon.
The Bundy incident in 2014, as well as another incident in Oregon last year, "enlivened" the militias, she said, because they made them feel successful.
"They made the federal government back down from enforcing the law," she said. "And that has emboldened all these people, giving life to the movement."
source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/militia-family-cliven-bundy-federal-land-national-wildlife/story?id=36064909
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)not at all. Thanks for the link & info.
tblue37
(65,340 posts)swoop I and collect his cattle and as much of hid propery as necessary to pay off the million dollars he owes. The could arrest him, too, while they're at it.
atreides1
(16,079 posts)And judging from what's happened with the Bundy situation, I doubt that any Federal judge in Nevada is going to issue a warrant!
This is what happens when federal judges and prosecutors become buddies with the locals, they look the other way or just sit on their hands!
jwirr
(39,215 posts)Bundy party. "owned by 'We the People'". They are correct we all own it through out citizenship in the USA government. They do not recognize that government so they are NOT the owners along with us.
Get out of OUR building.
BarbaRosa
(2,684 posts)like Tuesday might be interesting for them.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)...and temperatures are about to drop even further. If they're using their generators to power heat, they're going to be going through fuel quickly. That said, I know at least the main HQ building there has a fireplace, and I'd be surprised if there weren't big stocks of firewood on site.
So it might take a while to wait them out. I have no problem with that: the site is very isolated, so they're no threat to anyone so long as no one gets within rifle range. Thing is, the country around the compound is so open that with modern surveillance gear, law enforcement could stay safely back out of range and still ensure no one got in or out undetected. Cut off all other communication, negotiate an approach to give them a walkie-talkie...then just wait for them to get hungry.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)mwrguy
(3,245 posts)DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Let's overlook the obvious: that all these fine example of manhood got their land because the Federal Government killed a lot of Red and Brown men to get it. You sure liked those Feds when they were handing out dead people's land to you, eh boys?
Second, the people that bought all that cattle were the same Easterners they also claim to hate so much. They owe their fortunes because people in New York, and yes, Washington, ate their Beef. They also got nice subsidies from the government, and protection from Mexican and Argentine beef. OK, that's ten points for vegetarianism.
Third, the GOP elephant in the room, these bastards know it is an election year, and nothing would help Trump or Cruz more than yet another Ruby Ridge/Waco standoff. Trump has brought fascism back in chic, and Cruz, well, he already knows how to play to the cowboy mentality of ranchers. How long till one of them supports these fools. It makes we wonder where some superpacs are spending money, and I would not be surprised if some ammo and food gopt bought. Then again, thanks to citizens united, they could buy cop killer ammo with "killed federal agents" engraved on the bullets and there would still not be a legal thing we would do, as some folks from a certain corner of the population would hurriedly remind us of.
Runningdawg
(4,516 posts)in their tracks - cut off all internet access, cell phone service and starve them of media attention.
From the OP "There is absolutely no armed standoff," she wrote.
No stand off YET but they sure as hell are armed - to the teeth.
Takket
(21,564 posts)just read schools are closed. you know what? shut every federal/government institution down. release a statement that the ongoing threat of the militia attacking government institutions makes them too dangerous to open until the threat has been neutralized.
shut down schools
secretary of states offices
water system run by local government? shut it down. too dangerous to open under threat of attack
give the people a day, maybe 2, or no government services thanks to these anarchists, and the public will turn on them, big time.
KT2000
(20,577 posts)certainly the building was winterized - water drained and turned off - but these fools having turned the water on will likely leave the building with water in the pipes that will freeze. This could happen even before they leave. Damage they will have to pay for.
libodem
(19,288 posts)And water? Effing traitorous bastards run amuck.
Where are the agencies that handle this? They ought to have been following all this on the massive data collection that goes on here? Why scoop up all our communications if you can't prevent insurrection?
Worthless privacy violation for nothing.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)She said protesters are moving freely in and out of the facility and are bringing children onto the grounds Sunday.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/01/oregon_militants_in_high_spiri.html#incart_river_index
They are deliberately "bringing children in" .. what?? as human shields? What could possibly go wrong.
So with freedom to come & go as they please, they are probably still stockpiling food, water (in case it's cut off), ammo, guns and so forth.
They should at least have the facility surrounded and cut-off from getting outside support and
an endless stream of supplies.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)doesn't have the Will, the resources or ability to deal with the logistics of having these traitors contained and isolated within a number of hours, there is something wrong.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)This is a pretty isolated facility (I've been there quite a few times), and will be self-sufficient in terms of water. For one thing, it's situated about 1400 feet from a spring, and there's a creek running right alongside it and a large holding pond right alongside the compound. I assume the main supply woudl be an on-site well, although I've never had reason to notice. They're probably good-to-go for water for months, if not forever.
Cutting them off from the electrical grid should be no problem...but they have generators, apparently. We'd have to wait for the fuel to run out. I have no problem with that. They have a lot of food with them, but I'd imagine that would run out soonest.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)but would your "stand-down and look the other way" approach still apply if armed Muslims, Black Block
Anarchists, or the Black Panthers were doing the same thing in a Federal facility, no matter where it happens
to be located?
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)There could be circumstances specific to any given situation that might change the assessment, but I'd vastly prefer these scenarios be resolved without bloodshed. I couldn't care less what particular variety of asshole is doing the armed occupying.
TeddyR
(2,493 posts)And force them out using whatever force necessary?
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)I have said what I think should happen under this OP,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7494744on other strings
And on some others:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7494735
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)within 6 hours.
Doesn't matter how remote. The Federal Government better have the ability to handle such logistics.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)The facility is 30 miles (by road) from Burns, and Burns is only a 2700-person little town. Even the Feds would have had a challenge getting enough personnel in place for a blockade that quickly (there was a snowstorm ongoing until pretty late yesterday). Federal law enforcement personnel in sufficient numbers would have been at least a couple hundred miles away (at Boise. Portland's farther, and there's a mountain range in the way). It's my understanding that helicopters can fly in snow and freezing rain, but it's extremely dangerous. I don't see them being used in a situation where those conditions are present and no shots have been fired.
Road conditions are still terrible this morning throughout the region, but I'm sure they can fly. I expect the compound to be surrounded and blockaded very soon. It's going to take a lot of personnel: they're going to want to establish the blockade perimeter out of reasonable rifle range, and it's very open country around the compound. Basically they'll need a circle with a good 1000m radius to be fairly safe (a serious long range shooter can hit human-sized targets all day long at that range, but whether the teahadists have anyone like that I don't know). That's a LOT of people, especially considering you'll have to have two or three shifts. They have to have some sort of facilities set up for them, too (shelter, warmth, food, etc). I doubt the temps will rise above freezing much at all over the next handful of weeks. This is by no means a small undertaking (and I hope these idiots get stuck with the bill, too).
tblue37
(65,340 posts)and to pass illegally collected information PDs.
You are correct.
Initech
(100,068 posts)trueblue2007
(17,217 posts)Nac Mac Feegle
(971 posts)Cooter: "Hey Jim-Bob lookit my brand new Whackmaster .45!" (draws gun, fumbles it, drops it. It goes off, sending round into nearby propane tank, in the fuel dump for the generators)
Fuel dump: "BOOM"
Nature takes its' course.
The Spectral Form of Charles Darwin appears, to claim his due.
Stupidity + Firearms = Hilarity
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)It'd have to be way more than one plant: weed's basically legal here.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)MerryBlooms
(11,769 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Still, this is a Federal issue fundamentally and there is no denying that as a nation our Law enforcement priorities are fucked.
MerryBlooms
(11,769 posts)I'm Oregon home-grown, but living in NE Illinois for the time being. Pretty sure I'm coming home next year- I can't wait! I miss Oregon. I was born and raised in southern Oregon, near Jacksonville, then moved to the Portland area. We're thinking of looking coastal for the move home.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)yeah, we've been here almost 10 years, now. Love it.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Despite gentrification and greed doing its level best to ruin Portland... =(
underpants
(182,795 posts)Seen throughout the day on Facebook
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,586 posts)2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)heaven help them if they were black or occupy protesters.
ohnoyoudidnt
(1,858 posts)A few thousand gallons of water dropped on them should take care of those.
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)Honey, you are so going to be cooking and cleaning for these idiots, disabled veteran or not. Think pretend-macho men will do any of that themselves? Get out the apron, sweetie!
Bettie
(16,101 posts)then leave with a pat on the head and a light tap on the wrist, so they can move on to their next target.
Eventually, they'll kill some federal agents or employees, but no one will dare call it terrorism and the cycle will repeat.
The right wing will declare them patriots and the left will say they are defenders of the second amendment.
Being not-white and alive will continue to be a death penalty offense.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)Bettie
(16,101 posts)be prosecuted.
I'd be happy if it happened, but it won't.
Actually, the two arsonists will probably avoid serving the rest of their sentences too because of this.
Everyone involved will go free and the right wing and gun nuts will have won another round because the federal government is too afraid of them to act.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)this crap will continue unabated, until we're in a full-blown domestic race war, or something worse.
These deluded idiots are hellbent on what they're doing, and are NOT going away any time soon ..
not until they get the same kind of treatment that any other group of citizens with questionable grievances
who brandish firearms to seize-up Federal buildings --saying they're prepared "to kill and be killed" --
would get.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Pathetic.
Skittles
(153,160 posts)while crying about the government
SHRED
(28,136 posts)They are hypocrites.
mysuzuki2
(3,521 posts)Orrex
(63,208 posts)They should construct a high wall around the compound with no windows or doors, and then ignore the occupiers.
Once the occupiers emerge from the site, bill them for the cost of labor & materials.
JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)Orrex
(63,208 posts)Phlem
(6,323 posts)There'd be 50 cop cars and gunfire within the first 3 hours.
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)are getting a free pass so far. And likely will feel emboldened to do similar in other places if not properly handled.
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)I have avoided articles on this subject. These freaks are going for publicity.
I say, treat them like they're campers. Ignore them. Let them hole up in their little building.
They're just camping. With guns.
They want a showdown, so they can stand up and yell, "Look at the government being mean to us!"
Ignore the nimrod campers with guns.
DetlefK
(16,423 posts)And aren't those militants illegaly camping there?
Is it legal to make bonfires in a wildlife preserve?
What happens when unarmed cops show up and start debating with those militants how there are laws and, No, the courts decide what a law means, get the fuck outa there or we will arrest you.
Are they really willing to shoot unarmed cops who bring out the handcuffs?
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)"Closed" is now on the front page of the parks website.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is aware that an unknown number of armed individuals have broken into and occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge facility near Burns, Oregon. While the situation is ongoing, the main concern is employee safety and we can confirm that no federal staff were in the building at the time of the initial incident. We will continue to monitor the situation for additional developments.
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/malheur/
They get a lot of visitors to that wildlife refuge.
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Malheur/visit/visitor_activities.html
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)"They did have a good security team and bonfires to keep warm,"