more right-wing sedition

They ought to just blow these guys away.

The Oregon militia standoff, explained

Nah.  Just ignore them.  But deny them any state benefits, like fire protection, water, electricity.  If they want to live outside the grid let them try.  They're harmless enough to everyone except themselves.

Quote :

But the men involved in the takeover — including Ammon Bundy, Ammon's brother Ryan, Jon Ritzheimer, Blaine Cooper, and Ryan Payne — are not locals. Rather, they are a small group of individuals who travel around the country attaching themselves to various local fights against the federal government, usually over land rights. Several of them were involved in Cliven Bundy's 2014 standoff.

On further reflection, "sending in the Mounties" would be the very worst thing we could do.

America was founded on rugged individualism. These guys are extreme examples, but what they stand for is a concentrated version of what America stands for: Don't Tread On Me. Rights not reserved by the federal government are reserved for the states. Every man, woman and child has the right to self determination.

Trying to force compliance would send entirely the wrong message. It would reinforce their characterization of the US gov't as tyrannical. It would be a Pyrrhic victory at best,another Waco that becomes a rallying cry.

No, somebody with more brains than guns should negotiate with them, allowing them to lease or borrow the public lands that are at the heart of the dispute. Take the wind out their sails, take the powder out of their explosive situation.

Let cooler heads prevail.

Because we don't want to quell the pioneer spirit, we want to celebrate it and channel it for the greater good. We need that governor on the government, or it WILL become tyrannical.

NoCo wrote:

America was founded on rugged individualism.

You really have to quit reading that fourth-grade American history book. And watching old John Wayne movies.

NoCo wrote:

Trying to force compliance would send entirely the wrong message. It would reinforce their characterization of the US gov't as tyrannical.

What compliance are you talking about? Those two men going to prison to serve their sentences? Seems like a reasonable request. What wrong message would it send?

So it reinforces an already-held opinion of the government. So what?

NoCo wrote:

Because we don't want to quell the pioneer spirit, we want to celebrate it and channel it for the greater good. We need that governor on the government, or it WILL become tyrannical.

Quit waving that flag in the house - you might break something.

The Hammonds (Dwight and Steven) have agreed to go back to jail. That's not the issue.

The issue is the traveling freemen, the rabble rousers (Bundy et al) who are trying to turn this local dispute into a national call to arms among the radical right.

That should not be allowed to happen.

Those assholes are not a problem, except on a very small scale. I don't see where the difficulty comes in. If they break the law, arrest them and throw them in prison. No problem.

Gawd I love the American people.