A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Occupation
may end, but
issues remain
F
HGHUDODQGVWDWHRI¿FLDOV
effectively altered
the occupation of the
Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge Tuesday, arresting eight
protesters and killing a ninth.
The protesters had demanded
that two Harney County
UDQFKHUVVHUYLQJ¿YH\HDU
sentences for burning federal
land be released, and that
federal public lands be turned
over to the state, the county
and to private ownership. It
was a futile endeavor from
the start that lacked any legal
basis.
For better or worse, the
occupation did draw some
national attention to legitimate
issues concerning the U.S.
government’s management of
its vast holding of public lands.
Now what?
It will be all too easy for
many casual observers east
of the Rockies, and even a
good many in the liberal
urban centers of the West,
to dismiss all of this as the
machinations of a half-cocked
collection of religious zealots,
disenfranchised Reubens
and anti-government nuts
with too many guns and a
crazy interpretation of the
Constitution.
Unfortunately, that would
miss the real underlying issues.
The standoff is diminished,
but the anger and frustration
of many farmers, ranchers and
lumbermen in Harney County
and throughout the West
remains unchanged. Their
interests must now be pressed
in the court of public opinion,
and non-Westerners made to
understand the real issues.
The federal government
holds more than half the land
in the West. The economic
and civic fabric of rural
communities depends on trees
cut from the forest, livestock
grazed on the range and
minerals gleaned from the
mining claims.
The government once
encouraged these activities in
the service of the country’s
growing population and in
IXO¿OOPHQWRILWVPDQLIHVW
destiny. Now, policies have
changed and that same
government seems to be
draining the lifeblood of the
rural West.
Many in the rural West don’t
think their government listens
to them and that their concerns
are given short shrift. They
believe that their livelihoods,
their very way of life, are
in the hands of bureaucrats
controlled by interests outside
their communities.
They don’t understand
how the government can
claim to be a good steward
while it lets its forests fill
with fuel that feeds ever
more terrible wildfires that
destroy the very habitat it
seeks to protect. They bristle
at what they perceive to be the
mismanagement of these fires
that causes their own property
to be damaged or destroyed.
They are stymied at
every turn by the inertia that
attends every decision, every
necessary action on a grazing
allotment or timber harvest.
They are tired of the endless
environmental litigation that
seems bent on driving even
the most conservation-minded
producers off public lands.
They watch as their
government adds to its empire,
XVLQJWD[SD\HUPRQH\WR
outbid local buyers and take
PRUHODQGRIIWKHWD[UROHV
and erode private economic
opportunities.
They want to be good
stewards, to do the right thing.
But they want a fair shake.
Now is the time to tell these
stories, to tell America that
rural Western lives matter.
W HERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
/ong CreeN — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityoÀong-
creek.com.
Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monu-
ment 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-
2025. Email: monument@oregontrail.net.
Mt 9ernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: cityseneca@centurytel.net.
SALEM
Gov .ate Brown D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes
Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised
Statutes).
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
State Rep CliII Bent] R-Ontario (Dis-
trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900
Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.
or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/
home.htm.
State Sen Ted )errioli R — (District
30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem
97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen.
tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@aol.
com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www.
leg.state.or.us/ferrioli.
Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol or
messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The :hite +ouse 1600 Pennsylva-
nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500;
Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch-
board: 202-456-1414.
US Sen Ron :yden D — 516 Hart
Senate Of¿ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email:
wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website:
http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717.
US Sen Jeff MerNley D — 313 Hart
Senate Of¿ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email:
senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-
228-3997. Oregon of¿ces include One
World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St.,
Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; and 310
S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR
97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278-
1129. Fax: 503-326-2990.
US Rep Greg :alden R — (Second
District) 1404 Longworth Building, Wash-
ington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730.
No direct email because of spam. Website:
www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225-5774.
Medford of¿ce: 14 North Central, Suite 112,
Medford, OR 97501. Phone: 541-776-4646.
Fax: 541-779-0204.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
‘Buck up and be
counted!’
To the Editor:
On Saturday, Jan. 23, three of us
traveled to the refuge where the land
rights group had set up to protest the
double jeopardy jailing of the Ham-
monds and also discuss the taking
of our land by the obtrusive federal
government. We wanted to query
the participants as to the purpose
and intent of the group and, if favor-
able, lend our support (even though
none of us were ranchers).
To say we were impressed is an
understatement. We were warm-
ly received, and any and all of our
questions were politely and com-
pletely answered. We then felt we
should add our voice and support.
This was not an armed, ragtag
rebellion, but a peaceful demon-
stration against an ever increasing,
overbearing government bound and
determined to usurp our inalienable
and God-given rights.
We had a great presentation of
the Bill of Rights and the Consti-
tution, given by Ammon and Ryan
Bundy from Nevada (the organiz-
ers). Their points were well present-
ed and accurate.
It is important to note that the
Constitution, Article 1, Section 8,
Clause 17, limits the land that the
federal government can own, and
that does not include our public
lands (BLM, USFS, etc.). Until we
take these lands back to be man-
aged by the state and the counties,
we must rein in the federal land
managers and remind them that we
the people own the land, and they
are just the managers (poor ones at
that).
It is time we stood up for our
rights and stop being “sheeple”!
2XU ¿QDO WKRXJKW DV *HRUJH
Washington so aptly stated, “Gov-
ernment is not reason: it is not el-
RTXHQFH LW LV IRUFH /LNH ¿UH LW LV
a dangerous servant and a fearful
master.”
Buck up and be counted!
Herb Brusman
John Day
Jerry Larkin
Canyon City
Joseph Irwin
Prairie City
Constitution is a
living document
To the Editor:
I appreciate that our Constitu-
tion is a living document, that it is
broad enough to embrace a diverse
population and a vast territory. It
is a group of ideas and concepts
WKDW DUH ÀH[LEOH HQRXJK DQG ODUJH
enough to grow and adapt as tech-
nology, people and social struc-
tures evolve. I respect our Con-
stitution as something far greater
than a pamphlet to keep in a shirt
pocket.
I also appreciate that there are
people who dedicate their lives to
understanding, applying and grow-
ing the Constitution; making peace-
ful, educated decisions based on our
present time, and a history of les-
VRQVOHDUQHG,WLVIURPWKHVHH[SHUWV
that I would prefer to interpret the
rule of our land — over someone
with a gun and an agenda.
In addition, I appreciate that our
country has embraced our respon-
sibility to further generations. That
we have chosen the long view over
short-term economic greed. We em-
ploy people who dedicate their lives
Editor’s note: Tad Houpt, Can- to ensuring that our natural world can
yon City, said he invited the occu- live on in a healthy way, while still
piers to a lunch meeting attended by providing us with our necessities.
Palmer, who said he was unaware 7KHVHDUHHGXFDWHGDQGH[SHULHQFHG
they would be there. Houpt also individuals, who know the balance
said he invited refuge occupiers to necessary for continued environmen-
a planned meeting Jan. 26, which WDO KHDOWK DQG UHVRXUFH H[WUDFWLRQ
Palmer attended until shortly be- Because of this, I can go anywhere in
fore it was scheduled to begin when RXUFRXQWU\DQGVWLOO¿QGZLOGSODFHV
news broke the occupiers had been that are cared for and preserved.
arrested en route. Palmer has not
Not only that, but our local for-
responded to multiple requests for est service has received national
comment.
DWWHQWLRQ IRU WKH H[HPSODU\ ZRUN
they have done — for their ability
to listen to residents and to adopt
Crazy times in
local concerns into forest and range
planning.
Eastern Oregon
To replace teams of botanists,
To the Editor:
biologists, hydrologists, geologists,
Regarding all the craziness of engineers and others with the anec-
Tuesday afternoon and evening (Jan. dotal information of a few vested
26): After looking at different images individuals is foolhardy.
on the Internet, I was disturbed to see
I appreciate that over the past
Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer two and a half centuries, our democ-
armed to the teeth and helping run a racy has stood, rewarding peaceful
roadblock near Seneca. What struck progression over hostile force, with
me is that I believe that Palmer had a system by which all voices can be
more loyalty to the Bundy gang than heard. I sincerely hope we can stand
KH KDG WR RWKHU ODZ RI¿FHUV DW WKH DVDQH[DPSOHRIZKDWDQHIIHFWLYH
scene.
GHPRFUDF\SURYLGHVDVDQH[DPSOH
I have to wonder how uncomfort- of the power of listening, discussion
able that made those Oregon State and understanding over the use of
What happened to
RI¿FHUV ZKR ZHUH SUHVHQW force, tyranny, terrorism and threats.
constitutional rights? 3ROLFH
I am certain that I would not have We have come too far.
To the Editor:
wanted that radical individual behind
Mytchell Mead
Is it illegal to drive down a public me with a shotgun.
John Day
Moving to the community meet-
road to a public meeting? What hap-
pened to our constitutional rights as ing at the John Day Senior Center,
Americans? The grassroots move- I want to commend Grant County ‘When is our next
Commissioner Chris Labhart for
ment people are not the terrorists.
Mary Carr having the courage to pack a pro- election?’
Seneca test sign. And I really respect Gor- To the Editor:
don Larson for standing up in the
What does Sheriff Palmer’s de-
meeting to tell some of the Bundy scription of a “patriot” sound like?
Sheriff should resign if gang that we’ll take care of our own :KHQLVRXUQH[WHOHFWLRQ"
problems in Grant County; we are
Mark Murray
he cannot enforce laws not intimidated by them, and we do
Prairie City
not want them here.
To the Editor:
Terry Steele
According to the Grant Coun-
See LETTERS, Page A5
Ritter
W\ VKHULII¶V RI¿FLDO ZHEVLWH WKH
L
etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world
issues. Brevity is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not
the person. No thank-you letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for
length and for content. Letters must be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include
a telephone number so they can be reached for questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline
is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to
541-575-1244.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM
E DITOR .................................... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM
A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ K RISTINA K REGER , KRISTINA @ BMEAGLE . COM
E DITORIAL A SSISTANT ................ C HERYL H OEFLER , CHERYL @ BMEAGLE . COM
C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM
S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM
M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM
O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM
MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
VKHULII¶V RI¿FH ³WDNHV SULGH LQ WKH
delivery of security to its citizenry
to maintain a peaceful communi-
ty,” and strives for “professional-
ism” with the goal of delivering the
“highest quality service possible in
Grant County.” The actions and af-
¿OLDWLRQVRI6KHULII3DOPHURYHUWKH
past few years, however, call these
statements into question. His most
recent statements and actions with
regard to the armed occupation of
the Malheur Refuge by domestic
WHUURULVWVKRZHYHUÀ\LQWKHIDFHRI
those goals.
If Sheriff Palmer does not believe
that he can enforce the ordinances
and laws of Grant County, the state
of Oregon and the United States —
which he clearly does not, given his
support of the heavily armed thugs
occupying Malheur (going so far as
to invite them to Grant County) —
then he should resign immediately.
Frankly, I’m surprised he hasn’t, in
good conscience, felt compelled to
do so already, being, as he asserts,
such a strict constitutionalist.
The sooner the better, please.
Susan Hayes
Glorieta, New Mexico
1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES
(including online access)
Grant County .....................................$40
Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51
Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60
Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery
Periodicals Postage Paid at John
'a\ and additional Pailing oIÀces
POSTMASTER
send address changes to:
Blue Mountain Eagle
195 N. Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845-1187
USPS 226-340
wwwMyEagleNewscoP
Copyright © 2016 Blue Mountain Eagle
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication covered by the copyright
hereon may be reproduced or
copied in any form or by any means
— graphic, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, taping or
information storage and retrieval
systems — without written
permission of the publisher.
wwwIaceEooNcoPMyEagleNews
@MyEagleNews