CLARK COUNTY, Nev. – Video of an altercation between protesters and federal agents Wednesday has gone viral across social media and the news. Shown in the video are protesters – among whom are members of the Bundy family – shouting at agents of the Bureau of Land Management. The protesters are blocking a dump truck from getting onto the road while the BLM agents attempt to move them away.
In two separate videos posted online, one of the protesters is hit with a stun gun, while another is thrown to the ground by a BLM agent after getting too close to a passing vehicle.
The clash between the BLM and the protesters stems from the federal agency’s removal of some 900 cattle from public lands in Clark County, Nev., that began Monday. The BLM says the cattle are illegally grazing on public lands, while the rancher Cliven Bundy, the owner of the cattle, claims the federal agency is violating his constitutional rights and is engaged in cattle rustling.
The BLM confirmed in a statement that an altercation had taken place Wednesday and that agents did use tasers on a protester. The agency also said a BLM truck had been struck by a protester on an all-terrain vehicle, and that a police dog had also been kicked during the incident.
Story continues below | Viewer warning: Strong language
Video courtesy of GMN Telemedia/YouTube
“In recent days, some peaceful protests have crossed into illegal activity, including blocking vehicles associated with the gather, impeding cattle movement, and making direct and overt threats to government employees,” the BLM stated. “These isolated actions that have jeopardized the safety of individuals have been responded to with appropriate law enforcement actions.”
The BLM said the ATV and a large group of protesters had blocked and surrounded “a BLM truck driven by a non-law enforcement civilian employee …. Law enforcement officers attempting to protect the civilian federal employee from the attack were also threatened and assaulted. After multiple requests and ample verbal warnings, law enforcement officers deployed tasers on a protester.”
The protester hit with the taser was Ammon Bundy, one of Cliven Bundy’s sons.
Ryan Bundy, Ammon’s brother, said the group had stopped the BLM truck, a dump truck, in order to find out what it was hauling. On the video, a man can be heard shouting a question about why the BLM is using a backhoe.
Ammon Bundy was able to jump up and get a quick glimpse of what was in the back of the truck, Ryan Bundy said, and described seeing pieces of ranch infrastructure and associated debris. In other words, the BLM is tearing out corrals and other improvements the Bundys have made to the range, Ryan Bundy said. As well, the Bundys suspect the BLM is using the heavy equipment to help remove cattle killed during the roundup operation.
“They are killing cattle and tearing up our infrastructure,” Ryan Bundy said. He said that the BLM and their contracted help are running the cattle hard with their helicopters and are causing them to break down from exhaustion. The cattle that can’t keep moving are exterminated via “mercy killings,” the Bundys claim.
As well, it’s calving season, Ryan Bundy said, and many calves are being left behind as their mothers are rounded up, which will ultimately spell doom for young cattle as they starve to death. “They are killing them,” he said.
KLAS-TV out of Las Vegas reports the BLM has denied intentionally killing any cattle.
During the altercation, Ammon Bundy was hit by a taser three times, Ryan Bundy said. Though not directly shown on the video, Margaret Bundy-Houston, a sister of Cliven Bundy, was thrown to the ground when she approached too close to a passing vehicle. The incident involving Bundy-Houston was caught on video by another individual in the group.
Story continues below | Viewer warning: Strong language
Video courtesy of sergionewsman/Instagram
This is the second confrontation between the Bundys and federal agents. On Sunday, Dave Bundy, another one of Cliven Bundy’s sons, was arrested by BLM agents while filming roundup activities in an area that had been closed to the public. He was released from custody the next day, having been charged with failure to respond to multiple requests to leave, as well as resisting arrest.
Though the BLM states its activities are sanctioned by federal court orders, it has nonetheless received extensive criticism from various sources. On Tuesday, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval issued a statement regarding the BLM’s conduct up to that point. He also attacked the use of the agency’s use of a designated First Amendment zone.
The governor said:
“Due to the roundup by the BLM, my office has received numerous complaints of BLM misconduct, road closures and other disturbances. I have recently met with state legislators, county officials and concerned citizens to listen to their concerns. I have expressed those concerns directly to the BLM.
“Most disturbing to me is the BLM’s establishment of a ‘First Amendment Area’ that tramples upon Nevadans’ fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution. To that end, I have advised the BLM that such conduct is offensive to me and countless others and that the ‘First Amendment Area’ should be dismantled immediately. No cow justifies the atmosphere of intimidation which currently exists nor the limitation of constitutional rights that are sacred to all Nevadans. The BLM needs to reconsider its approach to this matter and act accordingly.”
Ryan Bundy confirmed Thursday that the BLM has dismantled the First Amendment zone located near Interstate 15 Exit 12 in Nevada.
Though Cliven Bundy has gained support from far and wide, the BLM is not backing off in its plans to roundup and impound the some 900 cattle, estimates vary, that have been left to illegally roam and graze on public lands for the last 20 years. The whole affair began in 1993 after Cliven Bundy refused to continue paying grazing fees to the BLM. It was at this time the agency began to add regulations and restrictions on grazing in favor of preserving desert tortoise habitat found in the Gold Butte area of Clark County.
BLM spokeswoman Kirsten Cannon said Cliven Bundy owes the federal government $1.1 million in grazing and trespass fees and that impounding the cattle is done as a last resort given Bundy has had ample time to comply with federal court orders.
Cliven Bundy, who refuses to acknowledge the BLM’s federal authority, has said the issue is bigger than him. He claims it the be a matter of state sovereignty and calls the BLM a trespasser on Nevada state lands, and that his rights to graze cattle on the disputed range were secured and inherited from his ancestors who settled the area in the 1870s.
As of Wednesday, the BLM reports that 352 trespass cattle have been impounded. BLM operations are ongoing.
Resources
Related
- Congressmen urge BLM to keep seized cattle out of Utah
- Range war: Rancher’s son arrested by BLM, later released; transport of impound cattle put on hold
- Range war: BLM, Iron County to work together on feral horse issue – Iron County
- Range war: County resolves to solve wild horse problem if BLM prioritizes Bundy cattle – Iron County
- Range war: County Commissioners oppose BLM bringing Bundy cattle to Utah – Washington County
- Range war: Rancher stands defiant as BLM moves to impound ‘trespass cattle’
- BLM, National Park Service close public lands due to trespassing cattle dispute
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.
Righteous! I’m packin up my gear and headed there now! Fortunately, I have s oem travel time to think about which side I’m gonna stand with. The Cows or the Tortoises?! I really like a good steak, so I might just have to support the Tortoises. Still thinkin…
The BLM dudes have really shown to much power! They need to leave and let Bundy do his thing. He has the Right to be here! BLM does not!This Video makes me mad how they are treating the Civilians! BS!!!
The property is owned by the United States government, and administered by the Department of Interior through the BLM. It has been property of the US government since the Nevada constitution gave all unclaimed property to the feds in the 1860s (10 years before the Bundy family came to the area). Mr. Bundy lost the allotment because he did not play by the rules. He as no right to let his cattle illegally graze here, the property owner (US/DOI/BLM) has every right to ensure illegal activity is not happening on the property. What do the protesters expect to happen when they are acting like this? They are egging the BLM rangers on; it is disgusting. Protesters have even gone as far to threaten employees and owners at the auction near Richfield, Utah where these animals were to be sold.
Once again the BLM doesnt own Shiz! We as the people own it! They think they can control all the land that a Turtle walks on!And the Protesters have the right to stand up to them! You would be doing the same thing if you were in their shoes dude!
Not true…his rights were seized in 1993. and the family has been there for over 100 years…get the facts checked.
How lowly your intelligence must be sir.. They can place a lien on your house or your cattle if you owe money, the same way a person can sue you if you owe them money.. they cant come and round them up and sell them and give you the excess. Unless you would let a person come in and kick you out of your house or steal your car for a debt you owe. Name one instance where it happens like it was happening, where one person owes the government so they seize and sell all the assets that person owns and sells them from under them. You are for big government mcdonalds hamburger. I prefer free graze meat from a free country. I guess im the one who is anti american. Tell me you would pay 200 dollars a day to let your cow eat some sagebrush on blm land, thats what they charged him in 1998… SOME PEOPLES KIDS.
Looks like these idiots got what they deserved…
Truly a freak show. This Bundy clan should just move to Tennessee or Mississippi. I think they’d be more at home.
It is so disappointing to see people I know supporting–and among–these protesters. The Bundy family is on the wrong side of the law; they were ordered to remove these cattle in 1998, that was 16 years ago. It is sad it had to come to this, but what else could be done? Every legal avenue was taken to get the Bundy family to remove these cattle and they would not comply. They now refuse to take responsibility for their own actions and ignorance, that is why the yell and scream so much. They want to take attention off of the facts (like not paying fees, feral animals, threats to officers and businesses helping, court cases) and make themselves the victims.
Spoken like a true cork sorker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You mean the same Tennessee that just passed a bill in the House that will soon pass the State Senate so that legal gun owners (those who register their guns) can open carry WITHOUT a permit so that we can defend ourselves as our Forefathers intended? Oh, and the same Tennessee that just passed a law banning the UN from monitoring our elections because we don’t need the filthy elites telling us what to do? That Tennessee? Watch what you say, Bub, lest you show everyone reading these comments what an ignorant clown you are. Tennessee isn’t where I was born but I have lived here for 22 years and I’ll tell you right now, we take care of our own. Find that out West much? Didn’t think so.
Yup, I mean the backwoods Tennessee will all the inbred hillbillies. I’ll take a wild guess that that’s where you’re from…
You continue to denigrate all Tennesseans, painting your crude stereotypes with a broad brush. It is you who have betrayed yourself with a grammatical error in your post; using the word “will” where I suppose you meant to use “with”. Or is that considered proper communication in your part of the world which you do not identify? I received a much better education here in Nashville. The State of Tennessee is not a door mat to be walked on.
The inbreds are in Utah, in your neck of the woods, Bub. Remember, all those multiple wives and reassignment of husbands in Hildale? Inbred multi-wives of Mo-men? Probably why the Bald Gene has taken over Utah men.
What exactly are you inferring about The Great State of Tennessee and Tennesseans? I don’t believe you are providing a compliment.
Remember, it was Tennesseans who marched to the Alamo with guns on their shoulders to fight and change history!
What a group of inbred morons! I’m sure the majority are Mormons and I doubt they are supposed to be speaking and behaving like that!!
Who do you think you are? How did Mormons come into this and what concern is it to you? You think all of Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Arizona are Mormons? Who are you to assume how they should or should not act?
I agree Bobbi! Why were Mormons even brought into this!??
Maybe because Cliven is a Mormon, and because a few generations back, the Bundy’s were polygamists.
By “a few generations back” you mean before Utah was a state and polygamy was perfectly legal, seeing as they weren’t in the United States? And it’s relevant to this discussion how?
And Cliven Bundy is related to Dudley Leavitt, Mountain Meadow Massacre participant, on his mommy side of the family. Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundy_standoff
http://1857massacre.com/MMM/dudley_leavitt.htm
Okay, first off they aren’t LDS. Secondly, if they were..what the heck would religion have to do with any of this? We aren’t PERFECT! We make mistakes and have weaknesses just like everyone else in this world does. Stop assuming and actually get some facts right. Thank you:-)
Team Tortoise!!!
i’ll be the first to say it. this is an early example as to why they’re wanting to take our guns. if the government continues these kinds of things, the crowds will get bigger, and the people will rise. that guy got tazed 3 times, and took it like a champ. imagine if the protesting crowd also had tasers and dogs, those big boy feds would be standing back too. personally i do not know the family, and i do not know the circumstances completely. however this show of “power” is a complete and horrible display of our government and even our local law enforcement. i say, props to you Bundy family and protestors.
” i do not know the circumstances completely” Yes, you said it all right there. Actually, you don’t appear to know the circumstances at all.
Grandpa Bundy refuses to pay $1,100,000 in grazing fees–that he owes to the rest of us taxpayers–because he thinks HE owns the land rather than the public. Grandpa Bundy says he doesn’t even recognize the U.S. government, but yet his clan is up in arms because they think their Constitutional rights are being infringed.
This group is so hypocritical and self-contradictory, it’s hard to take them seriously at all. They want this to be seen as some big heroic drama, with the little guy standing up to the big mean oppressive government — when all it is is an old rancher not wanting to pay his dues that he owes to the rest of us for grazing his cattle on OUR public land.
This is abuse of a uniform- if you watch these videos you will see 2 things one BLM officer telling the dog “BITE BITE BITE” and another throwing a woman to the ground. In which the officers claim- Their dog was kicked- (um yeah I would too if you tell your dog to bite me and he lunges) -I pushed a woman out of the way for her safety- (um, you picked her up off the ground and flew her to the ground). This is a terrible example of extreme BLM management.
They claim to be “protecting” endangered Desert Tortoise by moving the grazing cattle- I call BS because just a few years ago they euthanized hundreds of Desert tortoise due to over population. On top of that, the land was owned by Bundy’s family long before the Government turned it into Government BLM protected land and forced him to pay Grazing fees. This whole story is sickening, there are numerous documentation to show that Desert tortoise can be well managed with Grazed land in fact most of the desert tortoises water source comes from cow dung- in Nevada test sites where grazing livestock were removed the tortoise’s did not fair well- https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/viewFile/10776/10049
They were malnourished and dehydrated and dying off fast. So what does the government really want this land for? Why impose the fee? They claim management of grazing yet how is a fee management? They didn’t limit the amount of Cattle allowed but raised the fee with the amount of Cattle. So I ask why take away cattle from a rancher when many Americans need cow meat as a food source? Could it be because they have no money in it? Or perhaps because these cows are not genetically modified with hormones, maybe they are?
This is a repeat of the wild west Jesse James style- BLM is a major source of wasted money if you ask me. Park rangers actually do stuff to maintain lands where BLM rangers seek out Cattle from ranchers? FOR SHAME BLM and your misuse of a uniform- FOR SHAME US GOVERNMENT for allowing this to happen.
Desert tortoise safety habitats are all over the place leave Bundy and his family to raise their cattle.
(side note) How does him paying “grazing fees” have anything to do with “owing taxes to us” when you pay your taxes do you “owe” it to everyone in this county? Does your taxes go to the poor? or back to you? Do you even know? Huge corporations pay as little at 8% on their taxes like BOA. Facebook actually got a huge return in taxes, yes a billion dollar company received a tax return and paid $0 taxes. http://rt.com/usa/coburn-wastebook-facebook-taxes-503/ The point is the Grazing fees have nothing to do with the upkeep of this land or going into pockets of tax payers, the government should be focusing on big corporate america for money not hard working ranchers. I’d like to know where the money would have gone had it been paid because I don’t see any huge improvements of BLM land over the last decade- ranchers take care of that land if they have cattle on it they care for it.
The Feds want the land for solar panels
http://www.infowars.com/breaking-sen-harry-reid-behind-blm-land-grab-of-bundy-ranch/
You make a good point.
The real problem being exposed here is that the Federal Government owns a huge amount of land in Nevada. the actual numbers are in dispute but it is in the neighborhood of 75%. This land should belong the the people of Nevada, not the Federal Government. Why does Washington own 3/4’s of all the Land in our state?
This land needs to be returned to the state and run by OUR state government.
AS for the Bundy’s vs The Feds, This is public land, according to the Fed’s, it’s owned by the people of the United States. Mr. Bundy is a US citizen and has every right to access this land. Free grazing is a time honored tradition. Exactly what harm are these cattle causing? The BLM should be abolished and all the land “owned” by Washington in every state returned to the people of those states.
Free grazing is a “time honored tradition”? Grazing on federal lands has been regulated for nearly 100 years, and fee formulas for grazing have been in place since the 1960s. Just because Mr. Bundy is a U.S. citizen (despite his refusal to recognize the U.S. government), that doesn’t mean he is free to make his living as a rancher on land that he shares with the rest of us. He has to pay a fee, just like I have to pay a fee if I want to rent a campground in Forest Service land.
Grandpa Bundy is angry because he’s gotten free food for his cattle for 20 years and now finally the BLM is making him pay back the taxpayers what he owes them.
You make a good point.
“Free grazing is a time honored tradition” No, that is not true. Since passage of the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, no grazing on federal lands has been free.
I do not know what these protesters hope to accomplish, the BLM cannot allow this kind of illegal grazing to happen. It would set a legal precedent and other ranchers would then stop paying their fees and graze their animals wherever they wanted. On top of that these protesters are doing more civil disobedience than they are peaceful protesting, and every time an officer tries to control it, the protesters cry foul, play the victim card, and act as if they were just innocent bystanders. This is not about state’s rights either, the family and their supporters have been protesting in front of state and county offices in Las Vegas too. It is about someone who feels entitled and does not respect authority; including the authority of the public to say pay up or pack up. The Bundy family arrived 10 years after this property became part of Nevada, and that state’s constitution gave all unclaimed land to the US government. So the family only got a grazing allotment on federal land, one which they have abused by not paying the fees and letting some of their animals go feral. This is not fair to other cattlemen who pay their fees and follow the rules. If you do not want to play by the rules on public land, live the American dream and buy your own!
Good point.
The paragraph below come from the Review Journal in Las Vegas. Tom Collins is a County Commissioner in Clark County. I would have to seriously question the intelligence and overall leadership qualities of this guy. More reasons as to why Mr. Bundy is struggling to have the County Sherriff there support him. His comments follow:
“It started when Darin Bushman, a Piute County, Utah, commissioner, called Collins about the Bureau of Land Management roundup of Bundy’s cattle in the Gold Butte area, about 80 miles east of Las Vegas. The cattle are being seized after Bundy failed to pay grazing fees over 20 years. When the conversation ended, Bushman posted on Facebook that Collins said Utahns are “inbred bastards” and if they come to Clark County to support Bundy they “better have funeral plans.”
Collins also told Bushman that they should mind their “own (expletive) business.”
“Now that’s some classy leadership for you,” Bushman wrote in his post.”
“Classy Leadership”? All of Utah was started on “Classy Leadership”- Yup, classy as long as it is well hidden or lied about- No leader of our country is great, no leader is honest, righteous or without sin. Many of our leaders in this country have stolen land, killed innocent people (or ordered the death of innocent people) it is no wonder the US Government pays Native Indians fees for stealing their land. Our country was founded by many of these so called leaders who have lied, cheated and disgraced many- in their lifetimes. No offense to any Utahan today or any other state for that matter (you are not to blame for your forefathers actions, nor your hiding behind veils of “truths”. I do not blame anyone for their misguidance and uninformed beliefs) – but according to history Utah was founded during a period of polygamy, by thieving power seeking people- “inbred bastards” might be harsh but it is quite accurate. Be as it may-
Inbreds AND bastards! Now that’s a tight circle, AND one dismissive of the legal system. As I understand it, the tortoises breed in the fall and spring. Cows, however, are ready whenever they (or we!) choose. To me, this makes the cow a far superior specimen (and more like we humans) than the tortoise, cute as she is. Thus, I believe we should all stand firmly on the side of the Cows and flip the Tortses upside down, Velcro them to the ground, and throw a grand party celebrating the carnal cravings of all beings!! Free love (and burgers) on the range! We’ll call it Burning Cow. Far cry better than that hippy-dippy fest they throw in upstate Nevada…
Love it. I’m in next Sunday Turtle flipping?
Mr. B said he shoulda never hadda pay the fees because his folks ran cattle on the land before there was a BLM so he’s repenting of having paid ’em.
Now the BLM comes out with tools to gather up the don’t-know- what-the-hell’s-goin’-on cattle, whicher just free-rangin’ grazin’ ‘n birthin’ calves, and haul ’em off so they don’t extinct some special tortoises by eatin’ all their food. I kinda figure that the BLM really has other motives for wantin’ Mr. B to move his cattle but hell, if you can salt your cause with a mindless “Save-the-Turtle-’cause-we-ain’t gonna-have-none” (but-ya-ain’t-gonna-see-none-anyway) human-wave shock & awe assault against the ranchers, ya might just turn identifyin’-the-real-badguy into a crap shoot.
But anyway… So I’m followin’ along with my finger and movin’ my lips as I read up on this situation and a coupla things jump out at me. If the two parties had a workin’ agreement Mr. B’s the one who broke his word, right? I’m sure he’s got what he believes are good reasons for changing the rules but they’re irrelevant, right, a deals a deal, right. Hell, as far as his people running cattle before the BLM existed did his people take it from the Natives?
I think what we’ve got here is a chance for some frustrated folks to strike some blows against the empire. I agree that the whole fiasco should be a Nevada problem and not a federal problem. The feds would best be focussing on taking our hands off of the throats of the world and getting the worlds’ hands outta our pockets. But, ya know, this gives us “it-ain’t-my-fault-Duck-Dynasty-watchin’ impotent Americans a chance to go out and throw some rocks and swears at some other Americans who’re makin’ grocery money by doin’ the dirty work for the “Washington Establishment.”
Come Monday they’ll be back on otheir couch in time to watch “The Following” smug in their self-deceit that they’d taken the high ground by makin’ Mr. B right about buckin’ the BLM. Net change in the “Washington Establishment?” None. They vented some tension by shaming themselves. They found an excuse to shake their fists, shout some swears, and sell out their values by siding with someone who arguably lacks integrity… Were any of the folks we pay to guide and direct the BLM out there?
Ha HA Well said Starboss!
Oh my gosh, those protesters looked like fools. That was cringe-worthy. The icing on the cake was when they all whipped out their camera phones, like that’s soooo threatening. Haha! Move along people. You’re late for Happy Hour at The One And Only…
I really do feel for the Bundy family. This is awful that their lives are being disrupted. However, the only person to blame is Cliven Bundy. He’s had 20 years to come to a resolution and has failed to do so. Shame on him for putting his family in this predicament. And yes, the federal government does own the land. They have since they purchased it from Spain.
You’re absolutely right sensible1. Cliven Bundy has no one to blame but himself, he has ruined a family tradition and a way of life. Had he continued to pay the fees, kept his herd numbers down, and kept the cattle in the allotment boundaries there would have been no problems; he did none of that. He acted selfishly and rather than own up to his mistakes, he plays the blame game. It is too bad that many of his supporters do not know, or do not care to know, the facts. They are being used by a selfish family as pawns. I just wish this family would “man up” and realize their mistakes, and admit they are in the wrong here. Their civil disobedience is now attracting every anti-government wacko and I certainly hope the protesters can keep their heads cool before someone gets hurt. It would be ashamed if someone died for a cause as unworthy as the illegal grazing Cliven Bundy makes us taxpayers compensate for.
If all of this is all over cattle,Then why do did the feds two highly trained snipers posted on a hill top? And why do they have dump trucks and back hoes in that area? Last time I checked you don’t need those things to herd cattle! Come on! wake up people! But you keep thinking that your government cares about you? But in reality they don’t! That’s why they give your hard earned money to third world countries! The us the tax payers pay for it!
The reason weapons had been brought in is because of the despicable behavior of the protesters. They have threatened too many officers, and are trying to stop a legal impounding of illegal cattle. If the protesters would stay out of the way, and stop their threatening behavior there would be no need for security. It’s a bummer that us taxpayers have to pay for this security because the protesters can not simply protest.
Enough ranting…the government has apparently locked about 360 head of cattle into trucks for DAYS out there, no water. The calves are dying/dead from dehydration in the brush…too many to get fed and they are not allowing them to be removed. The real story is government animal abuse. They worry more about endangered lizards than calves????? This is just cruel beyond belief, land rights aside…..
I call BS on this inflammatory gossip. Just like the Bundy’s you’re making stuff up.
Starboss you hit the nail on the head!!
So The government moved the Desert Tortoise habitat to the area that Bundy lives in so they could build golf course and neighborhoods? http://articles.latimes.com/2006/aug/20/business/fi-nevada20
http://www.infowars.com/blm-action-in-nevada-is-unconstitutional-heres-why/
An interesting argument
Law enforcement like these people is just a peek of what is to become of the what was the greatUSA. More people need to stand up and do this fast to get back our freedom. Government or not these basterds are supposed to work for us!!!!!!!!
They are Russel. Your ok with Bundy stealing from the taxpayers. Bundy would have raised heck if anyone else tried to run cattle on the public land he thinks he owns.
Stealing from taxpayers? That is what your bank does. You might need some extensive studies in Economics. People who say someone not paying a BLM fee is stealing from tax payers needs a reality check.
BLM is funded In LIEU OF TAXES- “Payment in lieu of taxes (often abbreviated as PILOT or PILT) is a program where a municipality receives a payment in lieu of property or sales tax revenue, either from a nonprofit organization or from another government entity that owns a real asset, such as land, or a valuable right-of-way.”
Where do our tax payments go? This article will help you understand- http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/oil_and_gas.html
Now that being said, the BLM’s funding sources include fees that “we” citizens pay for, including but not limited to the following items- hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating, hang gliding, shooting, off-highway vehicle driving, mountain biking, birding, and visiting natural and cultural heritage sites.
This is not a case of Stealing from “US taxpayer”, that happens when illegal immigrants get on welfare programs, or when politicians use tax fund inappropriately.
Now I am sure you can argue this by stating that now police officers are involved. Yes that is a source of our tax dollars at work, but that was a result of a wrongful seizure of livestock done by a Federal agency.
They are working for us by enforcing the law we all agreed to. They gave the Bundys 20 years to comply with those laws and they refused. Now they are getting what they deserve.
There are a lot of lead by the nose people out there by some of the remarks made here. It’s sad to hear these things from the way I was raised to do what’s right man or animal.
JUSTME it is painfully obvious you know nothing about the Mojave Desert Tortoise. The so called article you provided a link to is a complete joke and was obviously written by a pro range grazing idiot. Did you even read it before you posted the link ? Tortoises do not eat or get water from dung. There are only a few observations of dung ingestion and was probably due to a lack of native vegetation due to drought or livestock grazing. They do however get all of their water from the native plants they eat and natural impoundments of water from rainfall of which they can remember the numerous locations of. Tortoises have also been observed eating bone, lizard skins and insect but this too is also very rare. Tortoises have been adapting to the desert and its lack of water for millions of years. Cattle grazing in the Mojave Desert has only been happening for hundreds of years.The articles claim that tortoise populations on previously grazed lands have been declining due to the lack of dung for them to eat and drink water from because of grazing restrictions being placed on that land is asinine. Also the reason that some of the Tortoises from the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center were euthanized was not because of over population but rather the lack of money in their budget to house them and they were too sick to be released back into the wild where they could infect healthy tortoises and probably wouldn’t live very long anyway due to the stress of translocation. The tortoises found their way to the center because they were displaced due to the urban sprawl of Las Vegas. If this whole debate about Bundy vs BLM is about who has claim to the land then the Mojave Desert Tortoise wins hands down. The Desert Tortoise wouldn’t be a threatened species if we humans would stop encroaching on their critical native habitat and stop raising plant hungry livestock in a place with very few plants to spare.
Erik W- It is apparent you are extremely ignorant on the entire issue- Bellow is a link to a complete report from the USDA it covers all topics- Cow dung was important in drought areas to the Mojave Desert Tortoise. Hmmm interesting. I would have to say the DAMN DESERT Is a drought area- You should probably educate yourself before saying someone else knows nothing about them. This article not only debates both sides it explains in detail the findings for each geographical areas studied. I will say “Yes, Overgrazing can be problematic to the desert tortoise habitat in some locations’ However, everyone needs to realize one thing- AS ANIMALS ADAPT TO CHANGES CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS OR OTHERWISE NOTHING SHOULD BE DRASTICALLY CHANGED. Cows have grazed these lands for many many years and these desert tortoise have adapted to them being in the area, moving them now becomes problematic as the tortoises have depended and relied on their presences.
Bellow is an Excerpt- From the article. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_int/int_gtr316.pdf
Cacti eaten during the drought were Opuntia basilaris,
echinocarpa, and Echinocactus sp. Also eaten were
Hymenoclea salsola, Cryptantha sp., dry grasses, (Hilaria
rigida, Festuca octoflora), and cow dung.
Cow dung was eaten by tortoises during a drought period
(Turner and others 1984).
In Yuma County populations are found on small mountain
ranges and occasionally in marshes where they are protected
from grazing and human activities. Most populations are less
than 50 tortoises/mi2 and are probably 0 to 25 tortoises/mi2
I conclude my rebuttal by saying, “Education before ignorance my fellow American”
Pickit the politicians you elected if you think america is being taken away. Leave the BLM guys alone they’re just doing their job. Your not changing anything and your going to get hurt for bundys dumb cows. Change America Change the politicians.
It is too bad these protestors weren’t in TN…Not one of them would have been walking away from that disgraceful behavior. That lot should be very glad it was the BLM they were dealing with, they showed a lot of restraint. Where else can you scream, threaten, point fingers, and completely disobey lawful orders from officers doing their job keeping a public road open? Suggestion, fly to TN, pick any road, and attempt to shut it down, while yelling, threatening, and disobeying officers. Ask an occupy nimrod how that went. We the people operate under a system of laws. Use your mind and communicate in a civilized fashion when you disagree. Oh yeah, I guess it doesn’t hurt to actually be following the law that we have all voted for in the first place, but in this case that seems to be a technicality.
The rest of the civilized world looks upon the Bundy’s for what they really are. A bunch of dumb, uneducated, hillbillies with a bad attitude. You people are not fighting for rights, you are fighting for the sake of fighting. This has nothing to do with a turtle or a cow. Pay the damn fees and be done. I don’t like taxes. But I better pay them.
Wow. If you people taking the video really want people to get on your side, then quit acting like such d-bags. You were the ones who were WAY out of line. Just saying. And I have no personal interest.
This came as a complete surprise- nobody thought the guys running the BLM would be so dumb as to attack a rancher with 200 armed men using Nazi Gestapo tactics. This is an example of a government agency over reacting. Obama should help by firing the guys running the BLM and having the BLM drop this issue.
Why would anyone protest the Government controlling all the land? This has never been a problem in the history of the world. People love living in a country where the government has all the power and you get executed if they even have the suspicion you think differently than they do. Maybe all of you who think so highly of the BLM, Forest Service, Natl Parks, EPA, OSHA, Dept of Education and all of the unelected oppressors should move to North Korea, Iran or Cuba and see just how wonderful it is to give up all your power, freedoms and private property to the government.
Here a what I see:
A family who broke the law for 20 years and is now in the process of getting what is coming to them.
I see a government that has tried to work with these people for over 20 years.
I see a family attacking police officers and officers defending themselves.
I see a member of that family kick a leashed dog then play the victim card when the officer holding that dog defends it.
I see a family using violence, threats and outright lies to try and stop what has been coming to them since they started breaking the law by not paying their grazing fees, the Sam fees that everyone else doing what they are doing have had to pay btw, almost 2 decades ago.
I see a family starting to pay for breaking the law,
Watch it again. The dog was ordered by his officer “bite bite bite” then Bundy protester kicked the dog. Everyone was yelling the man was not acting in a threatening way. The woman thrown to the ground was close to a vehicle not hurting anyone but maybe putting herself in danger. Maybe you need to watch it multiple times because you were biased before so you missed seeing that action as defense.
If this were Russia, the Bundys would be in a Siberia prison. If this were north Korea, they would’ve been shot on site.
Mr. Bundy claims he has water rights on this disputed “Fed Land” vs “Public Land” You can bet in the desert anything to do with water rights will get sticky. So I did a little research.
Mr. Bundy does indeed have water rights. The purpose listed for those rights is: STOCKWATERING. http://water.nv.gov/data/permit/results.cfm
His current status with those rights:
VESTED RIGHT http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vested%20right
Vested Water Right- A ground water or surface water right that pre-dates statutory water law. By virtue of their early pre-statutory nature, vested rights enjoy maximum protection against later appropriations and later statutory provisions. This protection does not extend to forfeiture and abandonment of ground water rights. (NRS 534.090)
http://ndep.nv.gov/bffwp/docs/hrbwa_vestedwaterrightsbook.pdf
NRS 533.085 Vested rights to water not impaired.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall impair the vested right of any person to the use of water, nor shall the right of any person to take and use water be impaired or affected by any of the provisions of this chapter where appropriations have been initiated in accordance with law prior to March 22, 1913.
Any and all appropriations based upon applications and permits on file in the Office of the State Engineer on March 22, 1913, shall be perfected in accordance with the laws in force at the time of their filing.
[84:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3247; NCL § 7970]
NRS 533.045 Right to divert ceases when necessity for use does not exist. When the necessity for the use of water does not exist, the right to divert it ceases, and no person shall be permitted to divert or use the waters of this State except at such times as the water is required for a beneficial purpose.
[5:140:1913; 1919 RL p. 3226; NCL § 7894]
NRS 533.503 Restrictions on issuance of permit or certificate regarding appropriation to water livestock.
3 This section must not be construed to impair the vested right of any person to the use of water for the purpose of watering livestock or to prevent any transfer of ownership of a water right for the purpose of watering livestock.
(Added to NRS by 1995, 2522; A 2003, 3411)
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-533.html#NRS533Sec005
Grazing Act of 1934. Purpose of which was to thin herds.
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/grazing.html
The conflict between grazing rights (getting more and more limited) and vested water rights seems to be of a single purpose of getting rid of ranchers who have these pre-law rights.
Pretty sure NRS 533.045 is what they will use to steal the water rights once the cows are removed even though Mr. Bundy’s rights are supposedly grandfathered in before NRS 533.503 which they are using along with the later Grazing Act of 1934 to steal his cattle.
I have read (not researched) that Mr. Bundy had gone to court over his water rights and won. Yet the BLM enforcers have been ripping up Mr. Bundy’s water system! – See reports of what was in the dump truck that was so heavily guarded.
Please ask State of Nevada officials why they are not fulfilling their legal obligations to protect Mr. Bundy water rights? Or even investigating the claims from the family?
It is clear most people choosing sides are biased and ignorant to all of the issues.
I ask these simple questions food for thought.
1. Should we be protecting human’s Viable food source (cows)?
2. Should we move tortoise sites to build human developments?
3. Should we protect a habitat for a endangered species that has already adapted to it’s current conditions?
4. Should we change that habitat?
5. Should the Federal Government charge fees claiming to be protecting that environment? (Think about this one for a second- this whole mess would have been avoided had Bundy paid those fees, right? so, is this protection or making money? because if it was protection there would be no way to pay a fee to keep the livestock on this land)
I lean to the Bundy side as I have researched more than enough to do so. I do see both sides of this argument, through my own beliefs and my researched truths. I still side with Bundy.
Erwick thanks for proving the stewpittiy of the new human species. If you don’t want to infringe on any animals life’s or area please don’t . If fact since some form of animal life is present in the all water, on all plants, in the air and also on other animal life. Please stop eating and drinking. You living is a very negative influence upon all the earth. If you have family, friends, or any other human being that would spend as much as 1 second listening to you, have them do the same. As you starve yourselves you all become heros to the rest of us living. You will make your carbon foot print smaller, if you start today. In a few weeks you yourself will help feed those precious animal lives in which you have entrusted
JUST ME, since you love to post obscure paragraphs from scientific literature to try and make your point valid here is a paragraph from the same the same publication that proves your point to be invalid. “Desert tortoises have food habits that are the result of thousands of years of adaptation to their environment. Grazing has
brought about drastic environmental changes in 100 years
(about a lifetime for a tortoise). Tortoises lack the genetic capability
to adapt to these new conditions so rapidly (Coombs 1979). If that doesn’t do it for you here is another one, once again from the same publication. “Livestock grazing is the biggest problem facing desert tortoises
in Arizona. In many areas where populations are declining, it is
the only possible cause (Johnson 1986). I agreed with your claim that desert tortoises eat cow dung. However they only do so on rare occasions during periods of drought when vegetation is not available due to cattle grazing. Tortoises do not rely on cattle or their dung whatsoever for any part of their survival success, in fact the opposite is true. Desert tortoise survivorship is lowered in the presence of cattle grazing. One more thing, just because the habitat the tortoise calls home is the desert doesn’t mean it is a drought area. The desert receives an average amount of precipitation each year over a span of time. If there is a period of time where an area receives less precipitation than the average then that is a drought area.
Erik W. I will repeat from my previous comment since you apparently don’t read my comments well.
You should probably educate yourself before saying someone else knows nothing about them. *This article not only debates both sides it explains in detail the findings for each geographical areas studied. I will say “Yes, Overgrazing can be problematic to the desert tortoise habitat in some locations’* However, everyone needs to realize one thing- AS ANIMALS ADAPT TO CHANGES CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS OR OTHERWISE NOTHING SHOULD BE DRASTICALLY CHANGED. Cows have grazed these lands for many many years and these desert tortoise have adapted to them being in the area, moving them now becomes problematic as the tortoises have depended and relied on their presences.
Dick, first and foremost do you own the only computer in existence that lacks the spell check and grammar function, geesh! Secondly I wasn’t aware there was a new human species. Where can I find one of these new humans? You obviously missed the point I was trying to make with my comment. I agree with you to a certain extent. We humans definitely have a negative impact on other living things around us but we can also avoid those negative impacts in certain circumstances. For instance not allowing cattle grazing or urban development on critical desert tortoise habitat because of the direct negative impact it has on the survival of the species.
I see the paid posters are coming out trying to turn opinions and change the dialogue. Obama’s False Hope and Change for the worse… making its way to a little St. George paper. The agenda and style of this orchestrated media disinformation campaign mirrors what Obama has done with the Washington Post and the New York Times.
The many pro big government pretenders need to go home to their welfare checks and leave the desert South West to the hard working folk who made it what it is.