AggieOutlaw
Active member
- Joined
- May 22, 2016
- Messages
- 534
The assault on public lands is increasing in support, antagonism, and mainstream media coverage. Last weekend the Washington Post published a lengthy piece describing an Oregon group's apocalyptic and anti-federal land management views. The article provided limited but, in my view, insufficient counterarguments refuting their claims. Worse, it supplied virtually no commentary in support of federal land management in the West. Thankfully, these radicals were largely painted in a negative light despite the lack of substantive debate in the article. But as they say, any press is good press. It seems that these groups equate notoriety with legitimacy as they spew their propaganda on a national media platform.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/na...e-patriot-movement-sees-america-under-threat/
Today, NPR published a piece describing how local and state law enforcement in Utah is clashing with federal land managers and their law enforcement officers over access for ranchers who are stealing from the federal government by refusing to pay their legal grazing fees. The article fails to mention this detail, but does reference the dispute over the ranchers' grazing "rights." The article describes the previous arrest of a BLM agent by local sheriff deputies for performing his lawful duties. Garfield County Sheriff James Perkins, who described the federal officer as a fruitcake, is now threatening to take similar action against any federal agent acting within their legal authority to restrict access to these scofflaw ranchers. The only "fruitcake" described in this article is you, Sheriff Perkins. Such thuggery and cronyism is not often associated with Western ranching, but I suppose it is the 21st century version of the mob on the frontier.
http://www.npr.org/2016/05/31/48010...est-rangers-if-they-try-to-close-public-lands
These goons have ignorant interpretations of the Constitution, radical views on the role of the federal government, and a tenuous grasp on reality. But, unfortunately, they seem to be the dominant voice in the mainstream media regarding the debate over federal land management in the West. In spite of this, I am optimistic that the voices of reason will prevail in the fight to preserve our lands. I am thankful to the many hard working conservationists, here and elsewhere, who work to counter the assault on public lands.
Still with warm, live hands,
-Brad
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/na...e-patriot-movement-sees-america-under-threat/
Today, NPR published a piece describing how local and state law enforcement in Utah is clashing with federal land managers and their law enforcement officers over access for ranchers who are stealing from the federal government by refusing to pay their legal grazing fees. The article fails to mention this detail, but does reference the dispute over the ranchers' grazing "rights." The article describes the previous arrest of a BLM agent by local sheriff deputies for performing his lawful duties. Garfield County Sheriff James Perkins, who described the federal officer as a fruitcake, is now threatening to take similar action against any federal agent acting within their legal authority to restrict access to these scofflaw ranchers. The only "fruitcake" described in this article is you, Sheriff Perkins. Such thuggery and cronyism is not often associated with Western ranching, but I suppose it is the 21st century version of the mob on the frontier.
http://www.npr.org/2016/05/31/48010...est-rangers-if-they-try-to-close-public-lands
These goons have ignorant interpretations of the Constitution, radical views on the role of the federal government, and a tenuous grasp on reality. But, unfortunately, they seem to be the dominant voice in the mainstream media regarding the debate over federal land management in the West. In spite of this, I am optimistic that the voices of reason will prevail in the fight to preserve our lands. I am thankful to the many hard working conservationists, here and elsewhere, who work to counter the assault on public lands.
Still with warm, live hands,
-Brad
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