Not Good, Mr. Bundy

Ammon Bundy is currently leading a group in Burns, Oregon. They have taken up occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. They are there to protest the arrest of Dwight and Steven Hammond. The father-son pair have been convicted for setting fires that burned 130 acres of federal land. Dwight Hammond served three months in prison, and Steven served one year. They are being arrested again, as an appeals court found that their sentence was about four years too short. The Hammonds claim the fires were set to exterminate invasive plants, but it quickly got out of hand. However, another theory by Oregon’s U.S. attorney Billy J. Williams suggests the fire may have been set to hide evidence of illegal hunting. The Bundy family, Ammon and his sons Steven and Ryan, believe their arrest is punishment for the Hammond’s refusal to sell their land. To the Bundys, this is yet another example of the oppressive attitude of the federal government towards farmers of the area. According to Ammon Bundy, for nearly a century the wildlife refuge they are currently occupying has taken land from over a hundred farms. This led to their decision to take up occupation at this site. Ammon Bundy has stated, “This is about taking the correct stand without harming anybody to restore the land and resources to the people so people across the country can begin thriving again.”It is evident that this is not merely a protest for a father and son. This is about a much greater issue of the rights of people like the Hammonds and Bundys. Due to this, people have seen this as an opportunity to stand up. A great variety of people have begun flooding in to support the group. Others are sending aid in the form of food and supplies. However, there is another type of support that has arrived at the refuge. A militia called the Pacific Patriot Network has stationed themselves outside the refuge. They said that they are there to act as a barrier between the protesters and government officials. Ammon Bundy and other members of the group have expressed their displeasure at their arrival. Joe Pratt, a member of the initial group led by Ammon, said, “These guys are a third party. They do not represent the Bundys … and if they’re coming to keep the peace, I would’ve left the guns behind.”It seems to me that the forceful nature of the way the Bundys are protesting led to the arrival of this second militia group. After all, despite the Bundys peacefulness so far, they are also equipped with guns. I do believe the Bundys may have legitimate concerns, and certainly have a right to stand up for themselves and their community. It’s important to keep in mind however, that not every community with concerns for their rights forcefully occupy wildlife refuges with guns. For instance, farmers here in New Hampshire were worried about losing their land to an electricity transmission line called the Northern Pass. They protested their rights by making a documentary. There are other ways to stand up for a community. They might not receive as much attention or work as quickly, but they also don’t throw the community into an unsafe environment.It’s also important to remember that other members of our society have done much less harmful things that resulted in drastically different outcomes. The twelve year old boy who was shot by police in Cleveland for having a toy gun is one instance of this. In fact, there are many instances of police brutality when it wasn’t necessary, especially against minority groups. Somehow, there has been very little action at all towards Ammon’s group. This could be due to a double standard in our society. It should be noted that there are very little to no minorities among the group.A major concern of Ammon’s group, and the community, is that the refuge has been taking farmers’ lands. Their land is their livelihood, so their concerns are important, but the wildlife refuge is also important. It was initially founded to protect white herons who had been poached to make hats. Many of the bird species it now protects are highlighted species in national bird conservation plans. This refuge is very important for their ability to migrate and breed safely. Some members of the community in Burns share this view. Sue Kovar, a resident of Burns, said, “As a community we would support anyone in trouble, but when they took over the refuge, that’s a line in the sand. The refuge is beloved by many.” Due to this it would be important to find a solution that accommodates both the farmers and the wildlife.While it is important for communities to fight for their rights if they are being treated unfairly, I don’t agree with how Ammon’s group has dealt with this problem. This is due to the issues I have brought up; the importance of protecting wildlife, the double standard and the unsafe environment they are creating.