"Defenders of the short-sighted men who in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of half its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild things sometimes seek to champion them by saying the ‘the game belongs to the people.’ So it does; and not merely to the people now alive, but to the unborn people.
The ‘greatest good for the greatest number’ applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction. Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wild life and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method."*
-Teddy Roosevelt. A Book-Lover’s Holidays in the Open, 1916
I think what he means is that people like me, whom are lucky enough to pay way more than even the median US salary in income taxes are more are more equal than others.
I only ask that your mandatory tribute comprise of non GMO, organic white people blood. I don’t want you to offer me any of those lesser improvised soles.
D’Anconia looks quite tasty choice and and trust me with absolute certainty that D’Anconia has not paid as much to buy their rights in this country as I have. D’Anconia claimed the standard deduction and thus is a far lesser citizen and patriot than I!!! All citizens are equal, but some citizens are more equal than others, especially if they buy their fundamental rights like I did.
The US was founded on the ideals of the capitalist and we need to ensure that the right to due process, or the freedom of religion is not squandered on the free loaders!!!
There is good reason Teddy Roosevelt signed the law to establish this wildlife reserve.
It is critical habitat for Snow and Ross’s Geese, American Wigeon, and Tundra Swans regionally significant numbers of the American White Pelican, Great Egrets, and White-faced Ibis and the highest numbers of breeding Greater Sandhill Cranes of any refuge in the western U.S.
While some issues with an invasive carp infestation have limited some of the bird populations in the area it is only 1 of 3 available areas for migratory birds on that side of the cascades. The absurd call to return it to mining and other destructive uses by the Bundys demonstrates that they are the worst form of rancher. Most men of the land actually do care about the land that they work on and to be honest cattle could be a very positive contribution to that effort with the correct management.
If the Bundys honestly cared about their children and grand children’s future they would work towards this goal. There are many ranchers and farmers in the world that have done so, and they have reaped the benefits of good stewardship. But just as they demonstrated in Nevada long term goals are unimportant to them and they only have an interest in grabbing as much as they can as fast as they can. It must be frustrating for other ranchers, whom may have very valid concerns to watch the Bundys cheapen their cause in an attempt to selfishly grab as much as they can.
I wonder though if it’s about greed or if it’s more about principle (fucked up principle, but principle they believe in).
They don’t like the damned federal gub’mint, and they don’t like them damned lib’rul environmental laws. They don’t like that the Hammonds are being punished for exercising their God given right to hunt deer and set fires anywhere they damned well please.
They can’t really believe that they’ll succeed in getting the Hammonds released, can they? This is about “taking a stand, dammit!”, and dying for that stand if necessary. This is what real men do!
Neither. I guess you must not be aware of how dangerous government concern for children can be. Their rescue of the Branch Davidian children certainly resulted in a a lot of crispy critters, but few happy, smiling, grateful children.
On NPR’s top-of-the-hour news summary this morning, they referred to the “militants” occupying the building. I thought that was kind of interesting. I hadn’t seen or heard other mainstream sources use that term for them. I like that better than “occupiers” or “protesters”. Maybe we can start adding “extremists” and “terrorists” to the mix now.
They won’t stand and watch. They’ll communicate with the guys and see how the kids are doing, ask them to send the kids out for their safety, and maybe negotiate sending in some food if things look bad. It will become a de facto hostage situation and be handled as such. Even if they don’t overtly threaten the kids, holding them in that situation would be a threat to them and the authorities would handle it like a hostage situation.
(As another person who pays more than the median salary in taxes, and doesn’t mind a bit when I consider the idea of taxing someone who is trying to get by with a kid on $24k a year, I completely approve of this message).
I haven’t read about a Bundy I’ve liked yet. And pretty much everything I have “heard” them say is IMO stupid as fuck. And note there is a difference between disagreeing with a point and thinking it is stupid as fuck (would be nice if some posters here could figure that out too but that is a different thread I suppose).
However, at this point and time, I am hesitant to actually call them terrorists. Much like I wouldn’t call a protest that turns into a riot or a bank robbery a terroristic act either.
But pretty much every other bad label probably fits
I wonder how Bundy reinforces his position as dominant chimp. I don’t know if this occupation will ever deserve a book, but a comedy movie might work- civilization breaking down as cold sets in and food runs out. And the feds not cooperating by just ignoring them.
