Via
Resister In The Rockies
Vowing to take a stand for, “your
liberty and
freedom,”
Bundy says he is prepared to be killed as authorities surround a
600,000 acre section of public land as a result of Bundy violating a
1993 Bureau of Land Management ruling which changed grazing rights in
order to protect the endangered desert tortoise.
“With all these rangers and all this force that is out
here, they are only after one man right now. They are after Cliven
Bundy. Whether they want to incarcerate me or whether they want to shoot
me in the back, they are after me. But that is not all that is at stake
here. Your liberty and freedom is at stake,” Bundy said.
Bundy’s refusal to recognize federal authority over the
land under dispute and his failure to pay tens of thousands of dollars
in grazing fees stems from his assertion that his family’s history
trumps bureaucracy.
“My forefathers have been up and down the Virgin Valley
ever since 1877. All these rights I claim have been created through
pre-emptive rights and beneficial use of the forage and
water. I have been here longer. My rights are before the BLM even existed,” Bundy said.
Accusing feds of seizing Nevada’s sovereignty, Bundy says he has fought the battle legally, through the
media, and is now gearing up to fight it physically.
Bundy asserts that his case is emblematic of how
America has been transformed into a “
police state,” labeling the government’s actions “pathetic”.
Hundreds of federal officials, aided by helicopters, low
flying aircraft and hired cowboys, began rounding up Bundy’s cattle on
Saturday as Bundy accused them of “trespassing,” adding that the impact
will only serve to raise beef prices for residents of Las Vegas 80 miles away.
Feds postponed a similar raid in 2012 over fears the
action would spur violence. Bundy has drawn a lot of support from the
local community and protesters are heading to the area to demand
authorities back off. Officials have created a taped off “
First Amendment
Area” where demonstrators can voice their concerns. A sign placed
inside the area reads “Welcome to Amerika – Wake Up” alongside a hammer
and sickle logo.