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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 2017)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2017 4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS Opinion — Guest Opinion — Attending the meeting that never happened By Jake Brown of Halfway Special to The Baker County Press A group from Baker County at- tended a large public meeting at the fairgrounds pavilion in John Day last Saturday on the anniversary of the political assassination of Robert “La- Voy” Finicum. Finicum was ambushed and shot three times in the back by state and federal law enforcement at an illegal roadblock on a remote section of state highway 395 on January 26, 2016. He was on his way to John Day from Har- ney County to meet the Grant County Sheriff and to educate a waiting crowd about the strict limits imposed on the federal government by the Constitu- tion. After crashing into a snowbank in an effort to avoid colliding with the “deadmans” road block set up on a blind curve, he exited his vehicle and tried to divert bullets and attention away from the women in his truck that had already come under fire. Ryan Bundy was also shot in the arm with what has been presumably identified as a .308 caliber bullet. The FBI is still being investigated for their role using excessive force and the subse- quent cover up of these events. Finicum’s widow, Jeanette, has gallantly stepped into LaVoy’s empty boots as a big part of the growing movement to educate the public of the overreach of the federal government and its violations of the public trust and assault on traditional freedoms and property. In a re-creation of “The Meeting That Never Happened,” Saturday’s gathering lasted nearly six hours. With over 700 tickets sold, the packed house of emotionally charged supporters were educated with inspir- ing lectures on the importance of the Constitutional Sheriff, Property and States Rights, media propaganda and “fake news.” The line-up consisted of speakers from three different states and included three attorneys, a prop- erty rights expert, and a radio person- ality. There was also testimony from some of the acquitted “occupiers” involved in last years’ Malheur Refuge events in Harney County. Defendants Jeff — Guest Opinion — Banta, Shawna Cox, Kenneth Meden- bach and Neil Wampler were all pres- ent. Also discussed was the upcoming trial for the other patriots charged in that refuge incident and what could be expected. Attorney Morgan Philpott reported on the nature of the corrupt justice system, and the conspiracy of the highest Oregon officials to “stop the virus [liberty education] from spread- ing.” Also discussed was the pending federal court case to be filed in the wrongful death of Mr. Finicum. Around 15 members of the Finicum family were introduced to the sup- portive and highly vocal crowd, along with several members of the Bundy and Hammond families. Jeanette Fini- cum spoke about LaVoy’s exemplary character and deeply-held beliefs and his high moral and ethical standards. She spoke of her commitment to carry on his legacy and to educate others. See https://www.onecowboystandfor- freedom.com. Dinner, drinks, and snacks were sold and items were raffled as a fund raiser for the seventh and eighth grade class in John Day to visit President Trump in Washington DC. The high note of this visit will be to personally deliver a request to Presi- dent Trump to champion the people’s rights to their state land as well as freeing Dwight and Stephen Ham- mond from wrongful incarceration. The meeting was streamed live to a national audience by OregonLive, but was terminated when fiery constitu- tional attorney KrisAnne Hall took the stage for over an hour. She gave her inspirational presen- tation on State Sovereignty and the meaning of the text in the supreme Law of the land, the Constitution. She delivered a strong and impres- sive closing with, “Your state will not stand against the federal government until you stand individually.” The federal government’s morphing over the past two weeks is a breath of fresh air compared to what we’ve experienced over the past eight years. And for the first time in a while, it feels like Salem is actually more cor- rupt and more morally bankrupt than Washington DC. But by individually caring and learning, we can insist that our local leaders are grounded on our founding principles; principles espoused by Jef- ferson, Madison, Henry, Adams, and Washington. We can take Oregon back, county by county,by ensuring that our state protects our traditional and God-given rights and values. Direction on treating addiction needs changed By Steve Culley of Baker City Special to The Baker County Press There is a revolution waiting to hap- pen. For too long the real victims of the drug epidemic have essentially been a prey base for the state. The real front line of the so-called war on drugs has been the parents and ex- tended families of the drug addict. Our numbers are legion. We have been called upon to fund the rehabilita- tion of kids who have gotten hooked on drugs as teenagers and take care of their children. We are a nation of grandparent parents. I just read a in “Prison Legal News,” there is a report out that charges criminal justice fees perpetuate mass incarceration. The United States has 5% of the world’s population and has 25% of the world’s prisoners. Prison is the third largest spending category in most states after education and health care. 11 states spent more money on corrections than higher education. Oregon is among those states. It’s expensive. To try and pay for this system law- makers have sought other sources of revenue. By forcing felons to pay for such things as for probation, defense, transportation, electronic monitor- ing, drug tests, and even pay to stay. Sounds great, doesn’t it? The trouble is that felons have no jobs, no pros- pects, no money, a dim future. To get them started again it falls upon the families to finance it. If the families don’t pick up the costs of fines and fees the felon might incur more fines when they can’t pay. I get different opinions of how it is now but at one time Oregon, and my own Baker County would turn over unpaid fees to private collection agen- cies. This takes it out of the hands of the courts. Really dumb stuff like having driver’s licenses revoked if not paid only makes it assured that the felon trying to get back on their feet can’t find a job. Drive without a license or uninsured and you might be Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker County Press reserves the right not to pub- lish letters containing factual falsehoods or incoherent narrative. Letters promoting or detracting from specific for-profit business- es will not be published. Word limit is 375 words per letter. Letters are limited to one every other week per author. Letters should be submitted to Editor@TheBakerCounty- Press.com. Advertising and Opinion Page Dis- claimer: Opinions submitted as Guest right back in jail. Families affected by the drug epidemic can attest to this. The prison industry can screw you with high tele- phone rates, fees for sending money. It cost me and my ex-wife $200 for a one-day class on how to direct traffic: a potential job when my daughter got out. My half, $100, cost me $110.25. I asked what the extra was for. “A courtesy fee,” they said. I have only scratched the surface of abuses of the families by the state. It is my considered opinion that those in the legislature lack any will to change things. Maintaining the status quo is the vision they have. I have written legislators, the governor and talked with many in law enforce- ment and am left with the reality that unless you can threaten a job or the wallet you are going to get blown off. In reading through this publication my idea that lawsuits are in order are confirmed. Class action and personal suits seem to get some action. Back in the fall I asked people who want a change to come into the library and see if we could start doing things differently. Six people showed up. Apathy runs rampant. Those who are getting screwed by the prison indus- try need to rise and decide you are not going to take it anymore. In the meantime, I will continue to look for legal help. Fair warning if you show no interest in helping to change things don’t whine if I get into your bank ac- count. I have already discovered that this kind of talk will get me and few questions rather than a quick nod, now go away. The HBO movie, “American Gang- ster” had a quote from the central figure whose job it was to hunt down the major supplier of heroin into the United States during the Viet Nam war. Drugs were coming in concealed in caskets that were supposed to have the bodies of fallen soldiers. During one discouraging phase of the movie he said, “I don’t think they want to stop this, a hundred thousand jobs would be lost.” That was in the sixties. Now that the system coexists with the drug industry and associated prison industry I would guess those numbers have risen dramatically. The war on drugs isn’t being won. Time to fire the generals and take a new direction. Opinions or Letters to the Editor express the opinions of their authors, and have not been authored by and are not necessarily the opinions of The Baker County Press, any of our staff, management, independent contractors or affiliates. 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