.....
Historic! Feds Forced to Surrender to American Citizens
TheAlexJonesChannel
Published on Apr 13, 2014
In an epic standoff that Infowars
reporter David Knight described as being like "something out of a
movie," supporters of Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy advanced on a
position held by BLM agents despite threats that they would be shot at,
eventually forcing BLM feds to release 100 cattle that had been stolen
from Bundy as part of a land grab dispute that threatened to escalate
into a Waco-style confrontation.
.....
If
you haven’t been following the unfolding drama at the Bundy Ranch about
80 miles northeast of Las Vegas you need to start now. The escalating
confrontation between irate local residents and federal agents of the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has the potential to take a very
dangerous turn for the worse at any moment, as hundreds of militia
members from states across the country are expected to descend upon the
area and make a stand with 67-year-old Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy.
Before
I get into any sort of analysis about what this means within the bigger
picture of American politics and society, we need a little background
on the situation. The saga itself has been ongoing for two decades and
the issue at hand is whether or not Mr. Bundy can graze his 900 head of
cattle on a particular section of public lands in Clark County. Cliven
Bundy has been ordered to stop on environmental grounds to protect
the desert tortoise, but he has stood his ground time and time again. As
a result, the feds have now entered the area and are impounding his
cattle.
According to CNN, Between
Saturday and Wednesday, contracted wranglers impounded a total of 352
cattle. The Bundy family, as well as a variety of local residents have
already had confrontations with the BLM agents. Tasers have been used
and some minor injuries reported. Most significantly, militia members
from across the country have already descended upon the area and it
seems possible that hundreds may ultimately make it down there.
To
me, the argument of who is right and who is wrong in this situation is
the least interesting part of the story. I have noted time and time
again that the feds are becoming increasingly out of control and
belligerent to American citizens. We know the stories (think
Aaron Swartz)
and we know the overall trend. However, the reason the Bundy Ranch
confrontation is so interesting, is that for whatever reason this
particular incident seems to be striking a chord of dissent. It is often
times the most random, unforeseen and innocuous things that spark
social/political movements. This standoff has it all.
.....This picture basically says it all:
Read More Here
.....
The Truth About the Nevada Rancher's Standoff
Published on Apr 10, 2014
Nevada Rancher Cliven Bundy - of
Bundy Ranch - is locked in a standoff with the federal Bureau of Land
Management over illegal cattle grazing, endangered tortoises and
property rights. It gets even better...
The fight involves a
600,000-acre area under BLM control called Gold Butte, near the Utah
border. The is the habitat of the protected desert tortoise, and the
land has been off-limits for cattle since 1998.
Five years before
that, when grazing was legal, Bundy stopped paying federal fees for the
right. Bundy stopped paying grazing fees in 1993. He said he didn't
have to because his Mormon ancestors worked the land since the 1880s,
giving him rights to the land.
"We own this land," he said, not the feds. He said he is willing to pay grazing fees but only to Clark County, not BLM.
"Years
ago, I used to have 52 neighboring ranchers," he said. "I'm the last
man standing. How come? Because BLM regulated these people off the land
and out of business."
Nevada, where various federal agencies
manage or control more than 80 percent of the land, is among several
Western states where ranchers have challenged federal land ownership.
Freedomain
Radio is 100% funded by viewers like you. Please support the show by
signing up for a monthly subscription or making a one time donation at:
http://www.fdrurl.com/donate
Bitcoin Address: 1Fd8RuZqJNG4v56rPD1v6rgYptwnHeJRWs
Litecoin Address: Lbxr3M8oezWaguEBc35MoyvQT88C85Sqpi
Get more from Stefan Molyneux and Freedomain Radio including books, podcasts and other info at:
http://www.freedomainradio.com
.....
ABC News
Nevada Cattle Rancher Wins 'Range War' With Feds
A
Nevada cattle rancher appears to have won his week-long battle with the
federal government over a controversial cattle roundup that had led to
the arrest of several protesters.
Cliven Bundy went head to head
with the Bureau of Land Management over the removal of hundreds of his
cattle from federal land, where the government said they were grazing
illegally.
Bundy claims his herd of roughly 900 cattle have grazed
on the land along the riverbed near Bunkerville, 80 miles northeast of
Las Vegas, since 1870 and threatened a "
range war" against the BLM on the Bundy Ranch website after one of his sons was arrested while protesting the removal of the cattle.
"I
have no contract with the United States government," Bundy said. "I was
paying grazing fees for management and that's what BLM was supposed to
be, land managers and they were managing my ranch out of business, so I
refused to pay."
The federal government had countered that Bundy
"owes the American people in excess of $1 million " in unpaid grazing
fees and "refuses to abide by the law of land, despite many
opportunities over the last 20 years to do so."
However, today the BLM said it would not enforce a court order to remove the cattle and was pulling out of the area.
"Based
on information about conditions on the ground, and in consultation with
law enforcement, we have made a decision to conclude the cattle gather
because of our serious concern about the safety of employees and members
of the public," BLM Director Neil Kornze said.
"We ask that all
parties in the area remain peaceful and law-abiding as the Bureau of
Land Management and National Park Service work to end the operation in
an orderly manner," he said.
The roundup began April 5, following
lengthy court proceedings dating back to 1993, federal officials said.
Federal officers began impounding the first lot of cows last weekend,
and Bundy responded by inviting supporters onto his land to protest the
action.
"It's not about cows, it's about freedom," Utah resident Yonna Winget told ABC News affiliate
KTNV in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"People are getting tired of the federal government having unlimited power," Bundy's wife, Carol Bundy told ABC News.
Read More Here
.....
Screenshots Of FAA Records For No Fly Zone Over The Bundy Ranch
.....
.....
Federal
agents back down in stand-off with armed cowboys: BLM release cattle
after they were surrounded by militia following agreement to stop
targeting rancher in modern-day 'range war'
Bureau of Land Management would not enforce court order to remove cattle and was pulling out of the area
Politicians have compared the standoff to Tienanmen Square
The
Bundy family says they've owned the 600,000 acres since 1870 but the
Bureau of Land Management says they are illegally grazing
The
dispute began in 1993 when land was reclassified as to federal property
to protect a rare desert tortoise, the government claimed
Federal officers stormed the property this week with helicopters and snipers to back up about 200 armed agents
They have reportedly seized around 350 of Cliven Bundy's 900 cattle
Cattle were handed back to rancher after tense standoff
Tensions escalated after private militias poured in to support the family
Published: 23:42 EST, 11 April 2014 | Updated: 11:36 EST, 13 April 2014
Hundreds
of heavily armed militia members celebrated their victory over federal
law enforcement officers on Saturday after they secured the release of
Cliven Bundy's captured cattle.
In
an embarrassing climbdown, the Bureau of Land Management retreated from
its high profile standoff with Bundy and his rag-tag bunch of
anti-federalists after the BLM attempted to forcibly capture nearly
1,000 of his cattle.
The
militia member showed up at corrals outside Mesquite to demand the
animals' return to rancher Cliven Bundy. Some protesters were armed with
handguns and rifles at the corrals and at an earlier nearby rally.
Victory:
The Bundy family and their supporters fly the American flag as their
cattle were released by the Bureau of Land Management back onto public
land outside of Bunkerville, Nevada
Thanks:
Rancher Cliven Bundy, middle, addresses his supporters along side Clark
County Sheriff Doug Gillespie, right, on April 12, 2014
Bundy,
67, doesn't recognize federal authority on land he insists belongs to
Nevada. His Mormon family has operated a ranch since the 1870s near the
small town of Bunkerville and the Utah and Arizona lines.
'Good
morning America, good morning world, isn't it a beautiful day in
Bunkerville?' Bundy told a cheering crowd after his cattle were
released, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
A
number of Bundy's supporters, who included militia members from
California, Idaho and other states, dressed in camouflage and carried
rifles and sidearms. During the stand-off, some chanted ‘open that gate’
and ‘free the people.’
A
man who identified himself as Scott, 43, said he had traveled from
Idaho along with two fellow militia members to support Bundy.
‘If
we don't show up everywhere, there is no reason to show up anywhere,’
said the man, dressed in camouflage pants and a black flak jacket
crouched behind a concrete highway barrier, holding an AR-15 rifle. ‘I'm
ready to pull the trigger if fired upon,’ Scott said.
Wild
west: The Bundy family and their supporters drive their cattle back
onto public land outside of Bunkerville, Nev. after they were released
by the Bureau of Land Management on Saturday
Fanatical:
The edge of a Cliven Bundy supporter camp is shown near the Virgin
River Saturday, April 12, 2014, near Bunkerville, Nevada
The
dispute between Bundy and federal land managers began in 1993 when he
stopped paying monthly fees of about $1.35 per cow-calf pair to graze
public lands that are also home to imperiled animals such as the Mojave
Desert tortoise.
Support:
An armed civilian waits nearby in some bushes as the Bundy family and
their supporters gather together under the I-15 highway just outside of
Bunkerville, Nevada
Land
managers limited the Bundy herd to just 150 head on a land which the
rancher claims has been in his family for more than 140 years.
The
government also claims Bundy has ignored cancellation of his grazing
leases and defied federal court orders to remove his cattle.
‘We won the battle,’ said Ammon Bundy, one of the rancher's sons.
Hundreds
of Bundy supporters, some heavily armed, had camped on the road leading
to his ranch in a high desert spotted with sagebrush and mesquite
trees.
Some
held signs reading ‘Americans united against government thugs,’ while
others were calling the rally the ‘Battle of Bunkerville,’ a reference
to a American Revolutionary War battle of Bunker Hill in Boston.
The
large crowd at one point blocked all traffic on Interstate 15. Later,
as lanes opened up, motorists honked to support the demonstrators and
gave them a thumbs-up sign.
Las
Vegas Police Lt. Dan Zehnder said the showdown was resolved with no
injuries and no violence. Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie was able
to negotiate a resolution after talking with Bundy, he said.
The
fight between Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management widened into a
debate about states' rights and federal land-use policy.
Anti-federalist:
Armed militia members stand guard on a hilltop overlooking a Clive
Bundy supporter camp near the Virgin River Saturday, April 12, 2014,
near Bunkerville, Nevada
The
dispute that ultimately triggered the roundup dates to 1993, when the
bureau cited concern for the federally protected tortoise in the region.
The
bureau revoked Bundy's grazing rights after he stopped paying grazing
fees and disregarded federal court orders to remove his animals.
Kornze's
announcement came after Bundy repeatedly promised to "do whatever it
takes" to protect his property and after a string of raucous
confrontations between his family members and supporters and federal
agents during the weeklong operation.
Bundy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Republican
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval issued a statement praising the agency for
its willingness to listen to the state's concerns.
Victor: Rancher Cliven Bundy at his home in Bunkerville, after officials called off the government's roundup of cattle
And
they're out: The Bundy family and their supporters drive their cattle
back onto public land outside of Bunkerville, Nev. after they were
released by the Bureau of Land Management
He
earlier criticized the agency for creating "an atmosphere of
intimidation" and trying to confine protesters to a fenced-in "First
Amendment area" well away from the sprawling roundup area.
'The safety of all individuals involved in this matter has been my highest priority,' Sandoval said.
'Given the circumstances, today's outcome is the best we could have hoped for.'
Nevada's congressional delegation urged the protesters to be calm and to leave the area.
'The
dispute is over, the BLM is leaving, but emotions and tensions are
still near the boiling point, and we desperately need a peaceful
conclusion to this conflict,' U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said in a
statement.
'I
urge all the people involved to please return to your homes and allow
the BLM officers to collect their equipment and depart without
interference.'
The
400 cows gathered during the roundup were short of the BLM's goal of
900 cows that it says have been trespassing on U.S. land without
required grazing permits for over 20 years.
The
dispute less than 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas between rancher
Cliven Bundy and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management had simmered for
days.
Bundy had stopped paying fees for grazing his cattle on the government land and officials said he had ignored court orders.
Mission accomplished: Supporters of the Bundy family hang a sign on the I-15 highway just outside of Bunkerville, Nevada
The
dispute between Bundy and federal land managers began in 1993 when he
stopped paying monthly fees of about $1.35 per cow-calf pair to graze
public lands
Cowboys
and patriots: Kholten Gleave, right, of Utah, pauses for the National
Anthem outside of Bunkerville , Nev. while gathering with other
supporters of the Bundy family to challenge the Bureau of Land
Management
Anti-government
groups, right-wing politicians and gun-rights activists camped around
Bundy's ranch to support him, in a standoff that tapped into
long-simmering anger in Nevada and other Western states, where vast
tracts of land are owned and governed by federal agencies.
The
bureau had called in a team of armed rangers to Nevada to seize the
1,000 head of cattle on Saturday but backed down in the interests of
safety.
‘Based
on information about conditions on the ground and in consultation with
law enforcement, we have made a decision to conclude the cattle gather
because of our serious concern about the safety of employees and members
of the public,’ the bureau's director, Neil Kornze, said in a
statement.
The
protesters, who at the height of the standoff numbered about 1,000, met
the news with applause. Then they quickly advanced on the metal pens
where the cattle confiscated earlier in the week were being held.
After
consultations with the rancher's family, the bureau decided to release
the cattle it had rounded up, and the crowd began to disperse.
‘This
is what I prayed for,’ said Margaret Houston, one of Bundy's sisters.
‘We are so proud of the American people for being here with us and
standing with us.
No horsing around: The Bundy family and their supporters fly the American flag as their cattle were released from a corral
Cheers: Protesters pump their fists as cowboys herd cattle that belongs to rancher Cliven Bundy
Firepower:
Protester Eric Parker from central Idaho aims his weapon from a bridge
next to the Bureau of Land Management's base camp where seized cattle
Victory
speech: Rancher Cliven Bundy, middle, addresses his supporters along
side Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie, right, informing the public
that the BLM has agreed to cease the roundup of his family's cattle
In an interview prior to the bureau's announcement, Bundy said he was impressed by the level of support he had received.
‘I'm excited that we are really fighting for our freedom. We've been losing it for a long time,’ Bundy said.
An
official with an environmental group that had notified the government
it would sue unless federal land managers sought to protect tortoises on
the grazing allotment used by Bundy's cattle expressed outrage at the
end of the cattle roundup.
‘The
sovereign militias are ruling the day,’ said Rob Mrowka, senior
scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. ‘Now that this
precedent has been set and they're emboldened by the government's
capitulation, what's to stop them from applying the same tactics and
threats elsewhere?’
Roger
Taylor, retired district manager with the Bureau of Land Management in
Arizona, also said the agency's decision to release the cattle will have
repercussions.
‘The
(agency) is going to be in a worse situation where they will have a
much more difficult time getting those cattle off the land and getting
Bundy in compliance with regulations,’ he said.
Deal:
Cliven Bundy shakes hands with Sheiff Doug Gillespie on Saturday
morning as the rancher comes to a deal to stop federal agents rounding
up his cattle
Show
down: Ranchers on horseback and protesters gather at the BLM camp to
try to claim back cattle the agency has already rounded up
.....
Bundy Ranch Showdown! The Bigger Picture!
Published on Apr 12, 2014
