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Tag: Ranchers

  • Oregon Standoff Comes To An End As Last Protesters Surrender

    The Oregon standoff finally came to a conclusion after 41 days of occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Following a rather dramatic exchange between the militants and FBI agents, the last four protesters surrendered Thursday morning.

    At one point, one of the four holdouts refused to follow his comrades and continued conducting the Oregon standoff by his lonesome.

    The last holdout named David Fry initially insisted that he would not leave before airing his grievances about religion, occupation, America, and even marijuana.

    “I declare war against federal government,” said Fry from inside the refuge. “There’s no way to beat this anymore. Liberty or death.”

    After more than an hour speaking with negotiators, Fry emerged from the refuge and entered the custody of authorities.

    “I heard hallelujahs from the SWAT team. I heard hallelujahs in unison from an entire building that was watching that, hoping to God they could get everybody out alive,” said Harney County sheriff Dave Ward.

    A video of the surrender has been uploaded on YouTube, and shows supporters of the protest coaxing Fry to come out of the refuge and give up to the police.

    Just hours before the protesters emptied the refuge, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy was arrested in Portland. The 69-year-old Bundy, whose son Ammon spearheaded the Oregon standoff over cattle grazing rights, previously announced on Facebook that he was heading over to Burns, Oregon to join the militiamen.

    As a result of the Oregon standoff, the elder Bundy was charged with a slew of offenses, including assault on a federal officer, conspiracy, and other weapons-related counts.

    Before his Oregon standoff surrender, 27-year-old Fry admitted to authorities that he was having suicidal thoughts and allegedly even held a gun to his head. He was also said to have demanded pizza and marijuana, both of which were not granted.

  • Nancy Pelosi Challenged by Ranchers: Come to Border

    Nancy Pelosi kicked up a bit of a fuss when she went recently visited a Border Patrol facility in Brownsville, Texas. The facility that she was visiting houses unaccompanied children that have managed to come across the U.S. border. While there, Pelosi talked about the humanitarian crisis in Central America that is driving children across the U.S. border.

    The issue about how to handle this influx of children in accordance with the law signed by George W. Bush has been a major hot topic lately. But it is not the only factor in the immigration conversation.

    A pair of outspoken ranchers in Arizona say that Nancy Pelosi needs to come see the border where they live. Fred Davis and John Ladd are no doubt telling the truth about the flow of illegal immigrants across their land along the border.

    “I want to invite Nancy Pelosi down,” Ladd said. “She went to Texas to see the kids. So come here and see where the dope and bad guys are coming through the border … It’s an invite. It’s sincere.”

    “Half of the people and half of the drugs are smuggled through the Tucson sector,” says Fred Davis. “Come see why your $2 million-per-mile fence is trash.”

    The fence in question is supposed to keep people out. But smugglers just cut huge sections of the fence out and go right on through. When locals complained about the holes, the gaps were strung with a few lengths of barbed wire, hung loosely and eaesly cut back out or even just stepped over.

    “Pelosi doesn’t have a clue,” Davis said. “She’s seen pictures of our fences and thinks that will keep them out. But if there is nobody there to watch the fence, the cartels still come through.”

    Image via YouTube

  • California Gray Wolf: Decision Delayed on Protecting Rare Breed

    The gray wolf endangered species was considered by The California Fish and Game Commission Wednesday in an effort to protect the rare breed.

    After failing to come up with a unanimous agreement, the commission of five members decided to delay the decision.

    A gray wolf-known as OR-7-that crossed into Northern California from Oregon is the only known breed of his kind in the area.

    The state board wants to ensure that the population of the gray wolf is legally protected from threatening situations.

    More than 50 people attended the gathering including rancher Kirk Wilbur, who is the director of government relation for the California Cattlemen’s Association.

    He told the commission that the gray wolf is dangerous by nature.

    “Wolves directly kill livestock and in addition to that they can cause disease and other harm from stress,” he told the Associated Press.

    Another attendant at the meeting also agreed.

    “Wolves are beautiful animals,” said Ventura rancher Mike Williams. “But they’re also vicious, brutal and efficient killing machines and a threat to people, livestock and pets.”

    Many ranchers and farmers are quite disappointed that the commission is pushing forward an agenda that would include wolves on the California endangered species list.

    A past report about a man accidentally shooting a gray wolf:

    However, the Center for Biological Diversity says that their sudden disappearance in Northern California proves that they are going into extinction.

     

     

    According to CBS Sacramento, the gray wolf population made a sudden reappearance after its massive slaughter in the 1920s. In the 1980s and 90s, wolves were near extinction until federal protection laws were passed in their favor.

    Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and the Great Lakes are some of the main regions where wolves can be found. However, these areas do not grant wolves federal protection. Forty-eight states have also considered removing their protection laws.

    Advocates hope that the best decision will be made for OR-7 and other wolves alike.

    The commission plans to officially vote on the matter in 90 days.

    A past report about OR-7’s travel to California:

    Image via YouTube

  • Joan Jett Upsets Ranchers And Farmers?

    The veggie-eating hit-maker Joan Jett (along with her Blackhearts) has been selected to play atop a particular Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float, and some ranchers and farmers don’t seem to be too thrilled about the idea. Actually, they’re pretty ticked off.

    What could possibly go wrong with the lady who helped produce hits like “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Crimson and Clover”? Well, aside from being able to totally rock out, Joan has also spoken out about animal rights and is known to be a vegetarian.

    Jett was selected to sail atop the South Dakota float, which is meant to boost tourism for the state and also help promote its Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

    Some farmers and ranchers of South Dakota disagree with the decision to place Joan Jett on the South Dakota float. Corey Eich, the president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, expressed his opposition to the choice:

    “Her stands don’t mesh with South Dakota,” he said. He further added, “To me, it seems like a huge blunder. I guess I couldn’t disapprove more. I don’t understand what they were thinking.”

    Cory Eich continued to throw it on and expressed his belief that PETA wanted to destroy animal agriculture. He defended the industry by adding that animals are treated well: “You don’t mistreat your livelihood,” Eich stated.

    As Macy’s gets ready for its 87th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, Jim Hagen, South Dakota’s Tourism Secretary, reported that a lot of people thought the state officials had chosen Joan Jett for the float. Hagen reported that some of the other artists they had chosen were not available for the float, and so Macy’s made the decision. Hagen seemed to be understanding about Macy’s decision to use the singer:

    “It’s not because of any ill will Macy’s is trying to create or anything. They were just trying to do what they thought would be a great artist for us.”

    Sources via CBS News

    Images via Wikimedia Commons