I was not trying to minimize what happened. Yes it was murder that was commited, that is the tragedy. The whole thing could have been avoided, there were opportunities to settle it peacibly but the government did not try.
I won't include the "freemen" thing in Montana, 'cause those guys apparently just ripped people off, and it was resolved without mass slaughter. Thievery is not a matter of principle. The media tried but failed to link them with the Militia of Montana.
In all cases, though, the issue at hand could have been resolved, or the 'suspect' captured under other circumstances and probably without any gunplay or other violence.
Have these stopped or just been kept quiet better?