By DR. LARRY MOSES
No one asked me but… After being confined in prison for two years, Cliven Bundy and his boys will finally go to their Constitutionally guaranteed “speedy” trial.
Oops, not quite yet, another delay. This time for only a week. During that delay “Judge Gloria” will decide if it is really necessary to protect society from the dreaded Bundys. One must wonder how much protection we need from a family that grows melons, cattle, and kids.
Evidence would actually suggest we are more likely to be assaulted by a BLM agent than a Bundy. If one studies the actions of the Bundys versus those of BLM agents during the illegal round-up of cattle at Gold Butte, they will find that all of the violent acts that took place were instigated by the BLM agents. There was no retaliation on the part of the Bundys.
It was the violent action of a BLM agent in the capture of a Bundy on a state highway while he videoed the roundup that caused the call for support for the Bundy family that led to the “standoff”. A BLM agent’s act of violence against a 60-year-old Bundy female led to the tasing of a Bundy boy. Even with this provocation, there was no retaliation on the part of the Bundys or their supporters.
If you review the footage on the retrieval of the rustled cattle, you will find that while there was a large display of American flags and a relentless move to the staging area by a number of cowboys, no guns were brandished and no threats made on the part of the cowboys. In the face of threats of being fired on from the BLM mercenaries, the cowboys merely stated that they would retrieve the cattle.
I am not going to rehash the many violations of federal grazing laws on the part of the BLM. I have outlined those a number of times in previous columns. I would merely direct you to Nevada Revised Statues that contain the federal Taylor Grazing laws. However, I will once again state if the BLM had followed the law in rounding up the cattle, I would be in full support of the federal government. I firmly believe that the government is not above the law and that is what makes America different from other countries.
This issue is not about saving Gold Butte and the mythical endangered tortoise. It is about whether or not the law is the law. Cliven Bundy’s family has grazing rights under the law that date to the early 1900’s. Mrs. Bundy’s family has grazing rights within Gold Butte that go back as far as the 1880’s. Maybe “Judge Gloria” does not recognize family rights based on the female part of the partnership. Maybe “Judge Gloria” doesn’t accept the equality of a woman’s status under the law.
The legal dilemma causing the postponement of the trial now is the fact that a retired National Park Service agent testified that the FBI had set up a video camera for surveillance of the Bundy home. This camera was in action for at least four days according to her testimony.
This is information that was known but not disclosed by the prosecuting attorney. U.S. Attorney Myhre told the judge that the camera was used but did not record anything. He indicated that the camera only functioned for a short time and was knocked over and damaged.
When the judge surprisingly did not buy that explanation, the next day Myhre changed his story. The camera, he said, was not used for surveillance of the Bundy home; it was positioned to overlook the staging area closer to the highway. He further stated the camera was used for only livestreaming and that there is no evidence that recordings were made. Key words here is no evidence that recordings were made.
“Judge Gloria” bought that argument. She apparently also believes Santa lives at the North Pole and unicorns run the grazing lands of Nevada. One must ask when was the last time anyone ran a video camera but did not record with it?
This is what one would expect from the judge who has ruled that the fact that the BLM has shredded documents dealing with the Bundy case has no relevance to the case against the Bundys. “Judge Gloria” ruled that those documents would have been of no benefit to the defendants; therefore, the fact the BLM has destroyed evidence is of no consequence. Apparently the judge is a clairvoyant who can determine what is relevant and what is not without seeing the documents.
I find it interesting that the judge found time to review the video issue but has not had time to rule on whether or not the Bundys should be released from custody during the trial.
The most disturbing facet of the whole Bundy issue is not the grazing of cattle on BLM land or their illegal round-up. The most important fact is a judge has apparently decided it is necessary to use the courts to intimidate American citizens who peacefully oppose government actions they deem to be in violation of the constituted law.
One government lawyer stated that it is important to punish the Bundy’s so that other citizens would think twice before opposing government actions they feel are illegal. No American should have to think twice about holding government officials responsible for their actions. That accountability is the reason America has survived as the freedom loving country that it is today.
No one me asked but… It is time for Americans to standup and defend their country from those who would allow the government to become something other than a tool to keep America and Americans free.
We are quickly becoming a nation of sheep. We are looking to the government to house, clothe, and feed us. In so doing we have sold the nation’s soul for a bowl of porridge.
There is a reason the first Ten Amendments were added to the Constitution and those were all designed to protect the governed from the government. When we weaken any of those, we weaken the nation.
While I abhor the rhetoric of the far right and the far left, I will defend the free speech of both of those groups. All one must understand is: if you eliminate the extremes you merely move the extreme toward the center. As you do so, you may become the extreme that is eliminated next.
Thought of the week… I could agree with you, but if I did we’d both be wrong.
