From the LVRJ: More than 100 head of Cliven Bundy’s confiscated cattle were released from a corral outside of Mesquite after a 20-minute standoff between angry and armed ranchers and law enforcement officers Saturday.
With rifles pointing toward each side and tensions reaching a critical level, federal land officials backed off and agreed to give up the cattle to Bundy’s family and supporters.
The mid-afternoon release by the Bureau of Land Management was hailed as a victory among supporters who had forced the closure of Interstate 15 after marching to the holding pen on the sides of the highway, although environmentalists condemned the agency’s decision.
The BLM, upset that Bundy has refused to pay about $1 million in grazing fees to the federal government for two decades, had seized at least one-third of his cattle earlier this week in a raging debate that captured national attention and whose purpose was also to protect a critical habitat of the threatened desert tortoise.
But on Saturday the BLM decided to halt the roundup, fearing for the safety of its agents and the public.
Bundy was overcome with joy when told of the pullout earlier Saturday, and his enthusiasm was catching. A crowd just outside his ranch cheered as he shouted, “Good morning America! Good morning world! Isn’t it a beautiful day in Bunkerville?”
Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie served as a negotiator between Bundy and the BLM late Friday night, but neither side said they anticipated protesters to march toward the corral.
Gillespie just moments earlier had told Bundy supporters to remain peaceful. It’s something he’d been saying all week as the Gold Butte clash heated up. The feud was held up as just another example of how the federal government takes its actions to an extreme, infringing on landowner rights.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/blm-releases-bundy-cattle-after-protesters-block-southbound-i-15
I am torn on this.
First, the rule of law did not win out and I am not proud how this situation played out and it is no different than when liberal thugs behave this way.
On the other hand, the BLM and other Federal police thugs acted like thugs. The BLM, Harry Reid and others were exposed when it came out that Reid, the BLM and the Chinese wanted Bundy's land for a solar plant.
And the 2nd amendment won as the the Fed's backed down when they saw all the weapons pointed back at the cops. This part I do support.
And I do know the liberals are pissed because they see this as Tea Party conservatives beating big government.
In the end, the right side won out, but I am not happy that some of the protesters decided to act like thugs.
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Unless I'm totally misunderstanding something, it doesn't matter what the Federal Government wants to use the land for, it's the government's land in the first place. And Bundy was like 20 years delinquent in his payments. Did I miss something?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on who you listen to.
ReplyDeleteThe more I read, the more I think Bundy was in the right.
The BLM didn't always own the land, Clark County did. Bundy has been paying Clark County instead of the Feds.
The Fed's made it impossible for Bundy to stay.
But it is clear that the Fed's/Reid/Chinese did want Bundy's ranch and that is private land.
So, Bundy does not own the land himself, in any event, right? And he's using the land for free for 20 years? I'm still not getting how this became a huge deal, or why there were people with guns ready to fight the cops. For what?
ReplyDeleteHe owns his ranch but is also grazing on government land.
ReplyDeleteAs I stated in previous posts, legally, I don't think Bundy is right.
However, tehFed's have been caught lying. Like the Desert Tortoise needs protection when hundreds if not thousands have them as pets in Las Vegas.
Then you have the fact that Reid and the Chinese had eyes on Bundy's ranch- private land.
And there is the huge dislike of the Federal government.
When Bush was president, the left fought the government, sometimes violently.
With Obama as president, the right is standing up.
Then there is the issue of the Fed's owning so much land in Nevada and the West.
The people were ready to fight the Fed's, not Metro.
So, what is the Tea Party argument, that even though this isn't his land, and it's admittedly government land, that he ought to get to use it for free, forever, because his family has done it for so long? I'm not understanding the crux here (and I'm not even trying to be contrary!). I mean, it shouldn't matter what Harry Reid or the government wants to do with the land if the land is the federal government's in the first place. Do you have a source that lays this story out?
ReplyDeleteJamie, the land they want is Bundy's ranch is on private land. This includes his house and outbuildings.
ReplyDeleteThe disputed area is government land.
And the source is http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2014/04/and-now-peoples-army-is-coming-to.html