Environmental and wildlife groups are pleading to government to use force and possible violence to steal the Bundy’s livestock that could ignite another intense standoff between Freedom fighters and armed federal agents. A collaboration of environmental and wildlife organizations sent letters to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Monday demanding the federal henchmen to seize the Bundy’s cattle near Gold Butte, Nevada. The incarcerated patriarch, 70 year-old Cliven Bundy has let his cows roam and feed freely on public lands, while ignoring the unjust and unconstitutional claims of ownership by the federal government.
This slick underhanded move comes as Cliven and three of his sons are caged along with 18 others for being present at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada back in 2014. The Bundy’s and others have refused to give up their hard-earned income to pay grazing fees to the federal government who wants a large chunk for cows simply eating grass on american soil. The BLM has no right to ownership or to regulate any land. Years of litigation which led to almost endless court battles went on for several years. The brazen feds sent a slew of armed men to try to steal his cows in April of 2014, they were met by hundreds of volunteers, and armed supporters that succeeded in defending Bundy’s cattle. The government retreated in what was a new beginning for anti-government groups that started lighting brush fires all across the nation.
Mounted cowboys, militia and protesters advance on BLM agents, forcing a withdrawal of federal forces from the Bundy Ranch, April 2014.
Two of the Bundy sons, Ammon and Ryan went to Oregon back in January to attempt another successful stand-off but fell short when they made a few key errors. Since then Cliven and four of his sons have been rounded up and are in jail rotting away while they await trial for their roles in Nevada that held off the BLM with additional charges slapped on Ammon and Ryan for the Oregon conflict. Even though the Bundy men are imprisoned, the cattle continue to eat vegetation on wide open lands without restrictions. Some environmentalists and the government argue that the Mojave desert tortoise, are becoming a species that are being bullied by the cows in the competition for food.
The Nine wildlife and environmental groups scribbled a letter that showed a study about how livestock grazing on thousands of acres of land as far as the eye can see is causing a decline in tortoise populations. The letter read, “The BLM must not wait to act to protect the desert tortoise, the cattle should be rounded up and removed from these public lands no later than summer 2016.”
Jeff Krauss, a BLM spokesman said in an email: “Mr Bundy’s cattle continue to be in trespass. There are no plans for a gather at this time as we continue to cooperate with the Department of Justice on the ongoing legal matter.”
Ryan Bundy’s wife Angie, said that her family would not be shocked or surprised if the feds appeared again. “I really believe they’ve conveniently put our men in jails so they can come after our land and our resources.”
The youngest Bundy son, Arden, who is 18, has stepped up and accepted a multitude of responsibilities at the ranch, with other relatives helping out, according to Angie.
Angie said “Arden had to grow up fast,” she said, adding that the ranch is still running smoothly. “The cows should do well this year if people leave them alone.”
A court motion filed back in February, read that prosecutors claimed that the ranch contains about a 1,000 cattle and that they are spread out as far as 50 miles away and said that Cliven was purposely neglecting his livestock.
The prosecutors wrote: “While Bundy claims he is a cattle rancher, his ranching operation – to the extent it can be called that – is unconventional if not bizarre. Rather than manage and control his cattle, he lets them run wild on the public lands with little, if any, human interaction.”
Senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity, Rob Mrowka, said that along with the worries about the tortoise having to find food with Bundy’s livestock sharing the land, he’s concerned about the welfare of the cows. One of Cliven’s daughters, Bailey Logue, chuckled at those accusations, she said that the cows are in “great health” she continued, “Us women know how to ranch just like the guys do, the ranch is in great hands.”
Regardless of all these claims and concerns from the state that are telling them how to run their lives and their business, Bailey said that she predicts the family would be more fortunate and see far more supporters coming to their aid than last time. Angie exclaimed, “We’re not afraid, if you have a bunch of women and children standing out there and protesting, it’ll probably get more people out.”
The executive director of Western Watersheds Project, Travis Bruner, is urging the BLM to seize the family’s livestock to send a statist message to other ranchers or property owners that it would not tolerate these 1st Amendment and property rights protests. Bruner said with a indoctrinated tone, “If that doesn’t happen, livestock operators all over the west who graze on public land will feel emboldened to not adhere to laws and regulations.”
By Andre’ Gabriel Esparza – DontComply.com
