I am interested in the Burns, Oregon takeover of a federal building (wildlife refuge), because frankly I only knew what information that I heard on the nightly news program. So, I wanted to divulge my personal free time, into a topic that is both intriguing, and rather personal to my beliefs on the preservation and protection of wildlife. I believe that we should preserve wildlife, and the species that inhabit it to an almost untouched stage, with the exception of roads, and minor lodging sites. I have no hands-on personal experience, however, with my mom and her family being from Montana, and after seeing the most beautiful and untouched lands in the world, how can one not want to protect and preserve those lands for lifetimes to come. However, I have seen where government affairs with personal property can affect farmers, such as my Uncle who is a wheat farmer and cannot harvest personal plots of land due to government subsides. Which does help the soil replenish vital nutrients, and that wheat that is grown goes to the government in case of some sort of miraculous famine. However, it does keep the farmers producing a profit, which they do not receive until after all of the equipment has been paid for, employees, mechanical parts, as well as any extra and necessary items such as fuel. I believe I am qualified to write on this topic, with my personal experience of seeing the beauty of wildlife refuges, as well as family farming practicing that are as well being affected by a believed government overreach. 




The central claim of CNN's article is that in fact these "Armed protestors" are in fact terrorists, who are anti-government and demand freedom of two other ranchers who have been tried and convicted of federal arson. The values at stake here are simply what these me should in fact be called by the news, and the people of the US. Juliette Kayyem is an advanced and probably even an over qualified source for CNN, she was POTUS Obama's secretary of intergovernmental affairs within homeland security, she was also of the National Terrorism Commission and advisor to former Attorney General Janet Reno. However, given CNN's television history they have been known to sway more to the left side of the political spectrum, which will greatly influence the rhetoric they use. 

The Oregon Live, a news station for the Pacific Northwest has set up a timeline to cover the daily activities of the police and the armed resistance in Oregon. They prove their evidence, because they are from Oregon and have a much better community contact than that of the major news networks of Fox, and CNN do with the locals. They present the facts and only the "1,2,3" order of events with not side stories which may leave out vital information with regards to what else happened on such and such day. The author does not have a Bio available but based off of her other articles this is her first major one regarding national events. The Oregonian may show biasness to the citizens of Oregon, and in possible defense of the government wildlife refuges.

The Fox News article depicts the story of the armed protestor's leader, speaking with the FBI, and the news about what exactly it is they want and how to resolve this. However, Ammon Bundy could not answer his phone the 14 different times the FBI called because he was "in a meeting". This shows the lack of care and preparation these ranchers have taken in this "throw down". Fox news of course is known for its one sided agenda they always follow, which they continue to follow by defending these American's for using their constitutional rights to break the law. The writer of this article could not be found, it was written by the Associated Press which you have explained to be independent writers, who are credible but do not work for one news source.

"Who, are these armed protestors in Oregon, and what do they represent?"

January 2, 2016, Burns, Oregon goes up in a firestorm from the national news, after 30 armed protestors take over a government building (bird sanctuary). Following, the peaceful protest against the arrest of father and son duo; Dwight and Steven Hammond. The takeover is led by no other than Ammon Bundy, son of the infamous anti-government rancher Calvin Bundy of Nevada. These armed and ornery men, have been called a multitude of things, "armed protestors, self-proclaimed militia, patriots, and domestic terrorists". All of which the news is so focused on finding the correct phrase as to not cause any hostile tensions by using the wrong phrase. However, after reading the accounts of the local news station in Burns, and other first-hand accounts, of the intimidation motives these men have been using against the community they are domestic terrorists. These men have conspired to over throw the federal wildlife refuge in Burns, Oregon, as well as following, and stalking community leaders including police officers, when they arrived home, igniting fear into them and their families, also leading to local schools to be shut down out of fear of the worse to come. 

These protestors, are protesting against the lawful re-arrest of the father and son duo for setting a control burn, that did get out of hand and burned 120 acres of federal land, and according to eye witness account destroying evidence of their poaching habits. These men, are not innocent, they have admitted to the crime, and have been proven without a doubt that they committed federal arson, and should serve more time in jail than they originally did due to the federal standards on felony charges. Which amounts to five years, minimum, and they only served one year. According to Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward, "{sense the protestors have arrived}, there has been an increase in vandalism, harassment, and intimidation reports."1 According to defense attorneys believe that, "their clients engaged in civil disobedience and are being punished for political speech." Colleagues, in high school government class we learn some examples of what civil disobedience are, and this is not one of them. Civil disobedience is the nonviolent act of disobeying certain laws, and demands of the government. Not taking over a federal bird sanctuary building in the name of "freedom". 

These men are not just simple armed protestors, or rancher civil rights activists. These, men are heavily armed, and are urging others from around the United States to come and join into their cause, "and claiming somehow that, while peaceful, they will "defend" themselves whatever it takes, are  -- by any definition -- domestic terrorists." (Juliette Kayyem CNN) These men do not value the land in which God has placed them on other, than just for progress of their family. Which is not entirely wrong, however, we should preserve these lands for future generations to come, and so that they too may have fresh air to breathe, and beautiful sights to see without sky-scrapers, smog and light pollution to destroy their clear eye sight. I do understand where they are making their claims from as the nephew of a wheat farmer, I have seen where the government subsidizes land to preserve, in case of a freak famine were to occur, and that there could potentially still be wheat to feed America. However, this odes prevent the farmers from making an even greater profit. In farming you buy the equipment, pay for whatever items you may need including your own home and shelter, and food, as well as whatever employees you my hire. All of these items come before the farmer makes a sale on his produce. However, these farmers are not the ones breaking the law. The cattle ranchers of Nevada and Oregon are the ones who are. They are the ones who could not control their stock, by simply building the fence onto which lands the cattle were not to cross into. Nonetheless, these men had the money to stage protests, and to drive hundreds of miles to take over a federal building in Burns, Oregon. 

Maybe these protestors are trying to get a valid point (to their reasoning) across but no politician is willing to listen. Regardless of who or who is not listening, these men now have the attention of Americans everywhere, for breaking the law, for occupying a federal building, which can be believed to be, a part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government, otherwise known as treason. These men have struck fear into the citizens of Burns, Oregon, and have committed intimidation tactics to keep the people in fear for as long as the possibly could. These men are domestic terrorists who should be charged as such. While there is a fear of them being made martyrs for future causes, the law is the law, and the law should not bend no matter who the person is, and what they are trying to get across. 

