All,
I couldn't agree with Dave more. Harney County is going through an intense
moment of self-examination, and the last thing it needs right now are
"outsiders" telling them what they are supposed to think. It has been very
empowering for these people to reject the likes of Bundyon their own, and
once it is all over they will possess a new understanding.
Prior to the takeover, the loud voices in Harney County supported the Bundy
cause. Those voices have been silenced! I think there will be a time to go
to Harney County and show our support and love, but I don't think that time
is now. Harney County and law enforcement has specifically requested that
protesters not go to Burns right now, and we should honor that.
Craig Miller
On Jan 13, 2016 12:05 AM, "David Irons" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Greetings All,
Over the course of the past couple days I have actively posted about the
Malheur NWR occupation on Facebook, both initiating and responding to
various posts in this forum. I've also written to all three of my
representatives in Congress (both Oregon senators and Suzanne Bonamici),
plus I have also written to Oregon Reps. Greg Walden and Earl Blumenauer,
given that both of responded publicly about this event.
Like most of you, I am angered and there is a knee-jerk reaction to do
something. There have been moments when I thought, "I want to go bird the
refuge and make my presence felt by those who have occupied the refuge.
There is a part of me that wants to make a show of solidarity with the
residents of Harney County. They have been put in a very tough spot by an
occupation that is allegedly on their behalf. They did not invite the
initial protest and they had no inkling that it would precipitate the
occupation of Malheur NWR headquarters. It is certainly clear that the vast
majority of them were not excited about outsiders coming to protest and
they obviously do not endorse the refuge takeover or its participants.
I've made too many trips to count to Malheur and Harney County since I
first visited in 1971. I don't claim to be an expert on all the nuances
with regard to the political leanings and social values of folks in this
part of Oregon, but I do know this, they are fiercely independent and they
have absolutely no use for "outsiders" interfering in their affairs. I have
literally spent months (collectively) of my life in the county and I will
spend many more days there going forward, but I remain an outsider and
always will be perceived as such. I accept this reality and for this reason
I will not be traveling to Malheur or Harney County until the current
occupation is over and the Bundys and like-minded out-of-area militia have
gone home or to jail.
In my opinion, the last thing that the residents and law enforcement
officials of Harney County need or want right now is for another faction of
outsiders to show up with intentions of making their presence felt. The
armed militia members "patrolling" the streets of Burns have been rebuffed
by the Bundy group. Did they leave, nope. Many are still hanging around
Burns hoping for some action. Is it unreasonable to think that some of them
might create a confrontation if the hoped-for confrontation doesn't find
them. At this point I think some of them would probably love nothing more
than to see an caravan of birders and "tree-hugging environmentalists
wackos" roll into town. They need an enemy to confront about right now.
I don't need to meet these loose cannons face to face to know that they
exist or to know what they are about. They are heavily armed and I would be
decidedly unarmed. I suspect that there are more than a few George
Zimmermans with itchy trigger fingers in the crowd who would like nothing
more than to be able to gin up some reason to think that one of us posed a
threat. BANG! and we are just as dead as Trayvon Martin. And for what? Are
the Bundys going to feel responsible for the rogue acts of people not in
their group and decide to go home? I doubt it. Even if such events didn't
unfold, wouldn't the Burns/Hines PD and Harney County Sheriff's Dept. be
further burdened by making sure that tensions between ancillary protestors
and counter-protestors don't boil over, all the while still trying to
figure out how to rid themselves of the Bundy group? Go if you must, but I
encourage you to think hard and long about what you hope to accomplish by
going. Then ponder whether that cause is ultimately as futile as the
Bundys' hopes of getting the all the refuge lands transferred into private
ownership. Are you going to change the hearts and minds of the Bundys or
the other militia types hanging around? Will the residents of Harney County
be waiting at the city limit sign to thank you all for coming?
Dave Irons
Portland, OR
