Posted on 11/26/2001 6:34:13 AM PST by brityank
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is standing behind the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) theft of cattle from a Nevada rancher who allegedly trespassed his cattle on federal land (where he owns the water and forage rights) and supposedly owes the government $70,000 in back grazing fees. As reported on Sierra Times, the cattle were sold to a 19 year old kid in Palomino Valley, CA -- using his grandmother's credit card -- for less than 15 per cent of what the BLM claimed was owed.
"I have no sympathy for these people," said Reid, the second-ranking member of the U.S. Senate, to KOH Radio on Monday. "I think the BLM did the right thing. I support them 100 percent."
Let's admit it - at least he's honest about it. The fact remains that despite Nevada being one of the largest states in the union, the politics and control of this state reside on a 3-mile ribbon of real estate in Southern Nevada called the Las Vegas Strip. The level of concern for the well being of the remaining residents, as demonstrated by the entire political establishment, can best be describe by the words of the Nevada Senator: "I have no sympathy for these people"
Why should he? After all, the ranchers and farmers haven't burned down ski resorts, logging trucks, housing developments, poisoned lakes, released horses and wolves in to unfriendly environments to die of starvation, protected areas as large as eastern states for a desert tortoise while killing them off one state away, preventing roads from being built for firefighters to put out brush fires, and starving out 1400 farmers over sucker fish and coho salmon which are in overabundance off the coast of British Columbia, even showing people how to build bombs on their web sites, and endorsing the behaviors of such terrorists organizations as the Earth Liberation Front, and the Animal Liberation Front. - No, these ranchers and farmers don't engage in such behavior.
But those who advocate and practice such behavior seem to get all the attention.
Unlike many others who've been fighting for the rights of those land care takers in the Rural West for years, I will not sit here and debate the science of environmental impact studies, peer reviews, or how much damage a snowmobile can do to snow. I for one, have grown tired of watching land rights defenders take such a stance, resulting in repeated injury.
Hence, the stage is being set for the next war - probably to take place right here on American Soil. I actually thought that in this current war on terrorism, the Bush Administration would have to take steps to make Americans less vulnerable to future attacks, and make Americans less dependent on foreign entanglement. This will require in part, subduing a green enemy lurking among us, who has shown they can cause more long term damage to America than any Middle-Eastern terrorist.
On Friday, November 24, The Salt Lake Tribune reported on the next salvo fired at Rural Westerners; another green obstructionist, known for its multifront war against public-land grazing in Idaho has dropped a kind of "daisy cutter" bomb on Utah ranchers.
The Hailey, Idaho-based Western Watersheds Project appealed this month to the Interior Department for a halt to grazing on 1.5 million acres of federal land in Tooele, Box Elder and Rich counties.
Affecting about 75 ranchers, their 55,000 sheep and 18,000 cattle, the action is the first major legal challenge to northern Utah's ranching industry. As Northern Utah now sees, no Rural Western is immune for such actions.
Get this: The green terrorists vow it will not be the last and that future challenges will not be limited to northern Utah, even though the success of this initial action would put these ranchers out of business.
"This is a wake-up call that [ranchers and federal land agencies] can't go on managing the land like they have in the past," said John Carter, who runs Western Watersheds' new Utah office.
Western Watersheds has filed appeals and petitions with the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA), asking that all ranching be ended on U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the three counties, pending a comprehensive environmental analysis by the BLM. Teaming up with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Western Watersheds plans to take the cases to federal court, if necessary.
You see, America: It's not just Klamath Falls. There is a war going on out here. You haven't heard too much about it, simply because the victims have not chosen to fight back in a manner that would be equal to their opposition, but would surely get your attention if they did.
The people targeted by this green enemy are God-fearing, law abiding people. Therefore, you won't see them firebombing offices of enviro-terrorists. You won't see them take direct offensive actions against the fleets of cattle-thieving contractors in places like Vernil, Utah, and Fallon. You won 't see them slashing the tires of government vehicles to protect their property. You won't see them forming armed posses to hunt down and retrieve stolen property. And you won't see them cutting down trees where crazy protesters live, or worse - taking direct militant actions against such extremists when discovered on or near their land. And it's not because they are afraid of getting caught or arrested. It's only because they are nice people - for now.
But, if suddenly you begin to hear complaints from government employees in the Rural West that people are not serving them in restaurants, have no vacancies at motels whenever they show up, their children have no friends, they are unable to purchase gas at a station, or even get a tire repaired, in short - that they are shunned by the local populace (including local law enforcement), perhaps someone in Washington will get the hint that fighting terrorism is a serious business - especially when it's state-sponsored.
Does that sound like the drumbeats of war? You figure it out, Senator Reid.
Perhaps it may become more clear to Reid and his ilk when entrenched western politicians start noticing real challenges to their offices beginning next year. Starting from the local level, the time has come for ranchers, farmers, and other rural residents to end the support of a candidate solely based on party affiliation, or empty promises. It is time to begin to support and elect our own.
It is time for Westerners to supports those who live on the land, work on the land, and have the courage to stand in the face of Washington's authority in the best interest of their constituents. Anyone running for office without proving they have lived their lives in that manner should not be welcomed in your county. Yes, I know some of those "politicians" are your friends, but as President Bush has mandated, "It's time to stand tough against the face of terrorism". No more compromised. No more surrender.
When they attack one rancher, they attack all of us. No more leaving people on the battlefield (or grazing field) to die alone. I long for the old days when that settler on the prairie understood that he was not only the caretaker of the land, but he was its defender against all enemies - foreign and domestic, and demonstrated such understanding whenever a trespasser approached.
You see, America - OUR way of life really is at stake out west. We hear now that major projects are being planned for Afghanistan to solve their drought problems soon - with our tax dollars. But when it comes to drought stricken farmers here in the United States, sorry - sucker fish, snail darters, bull trout, and spotted owls have more rights than humans. Is this what we are supposed to be waving our flags for?
The government's ability to take care of the west is evident by the brushfires that get worse every year, and in many cases, are started by the government themselves. Our small towns are dying due to government land polices. Our rural industries can't hold out much longer unless this encroachment is stopped and reversed. Yes, I know this sounds like harsh rhetoric and borderline sabre-rattling, but the counter-lawsuits, the protests, the bucket brigades have not slowed down the opponent's army at all. If you wish to be huddled masses in some large metropolitan area, dependent on social services for your every need, then save yourself the trouble, get off the tractor now, and sell your land - and our heritage away.
But if we desire to live and breath free, and build a path that many other may soon be forced to take, then it is time for every rural westerner to come together, and have the same resolve we have to avenge those who attacked the World Trade Center. If we cannot feed our own people, if we cannot determine our own destinies on our own land, we will soon have no World Trade or even domestic trade to speak of. We must fight against a domestic enemy that has already destroyed far more that 4000 lives.
Something more must be done. Rural Westerners must begin the organization process to put their own in public office on all levels. We must no longer complain about what is happening, but sit down, and make plans how to stop it. The Western Lands must be taken back by the people, the counties and the states - one acre, one man at a time, if necessary. For if we lose that, we lose Real America.
When they attack one rancher, they attack all of us. No more leaving people on the battlefield (or grazing field) to die alone. I long for the old days when that settler on the prairie understood that he was not only the caretaker of the land, but he was its defender against all enemies - foreign and domestic, and demonstrated such understanding whenever a trespasser approached.
Democracy is even more evil than a monarchy. With a monarchy you can at least get lucky every once in a while and get somebody decent. On the other hand a democracy allows the worst to rule all. Imperial Rome was a democracy. The way you became Empourer was by holding games to increase your popularity. If we are a democracy it will not be long before we see vigins eaten by crocodliles at the local stadium. Look at TV shows like survivor, how much longer until shows like it become life and death.
That is why the founders established a Republic. They did not want people sacraficed to the popular will, simply because they had something that others wanted, or because they could be easily abused. So get down and pray every day that we do not end up like Rome, and pervert our Republic into a democracy.
Oh, and by the way. There is no water shortage. Only the abuse of water rights by eco-NAZIs'.
The loss of property rights should be the biggest worry of anyone interested in the preservation of our system of government. The ability to own your own home, personal property and ability to plan your future will go when property rights fail.
You did it well and with great alacrity... Bravo! Encore!
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