#OregonUnderAttack, Ammon Bundy and militia take over Oregon wildlife park

Cue pandemonium, right? Well, not so much.

Despite the sensational actions of the group, the response from the American media has been regarded by many as tepid, disinterested and hypocritical.

The top trending hashtag on Twitter this moing was #OregonUnderAttack but the bulk of the activity has been from those lamenting the double standards shown by the American media and authorities, with many highlighting the hypocrisy of the reaction in general.

Here’s what happened:

Over the weekend, an armed group of American ranchers took over a building at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon and called on “fellow patriots” to grab their guns and join them in the fight.

The takeover followed a peaceful march held by the group in support for ranchers Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46, who are scheduled to report to federal prison this week after being convicted of arson.

The Hammond ranchers say they lit the fires — which bued 130 acres of federally-leased land — to reduce the growth of invasive plants and to protect their property from wildfires. But the prosecution alleged they did so to cover up poaching. The father and son were convicted in 2012 and have already served jail time (the father three months, the son one year) but now must retu for an additional term of about four years after a federal judge overruled the initial sentencing.

Among the militant group are three brothers from the controversial Bundy family. The patriarch of the family is Cliven Bundy who was at the center of a dramatic standoff with federal officials in 2014 over his right to allow cows to graze on federal land. Similar to the situation in Oregon, the Bundy family were joined by armed supporters and the incident tued into a national flashpoint for anti-govement sentiment among libertarians.

A Bundy family member told local media there are 150 people in the group occupying the wildlife refuge in Oregon, but nearby reporters say the number of men is likely closer to 15.

The men say they are willing to use force and violence if authorities try to remove them from their post.

“I didn’t come here to shoot, I came here to die,” one of the men told a reporter on the outskirts of the wildlife park.

A local school district has announced it will keep schools closed all week due to the standoff.

So far no substantial police force has been deployed to the area. Police sheriff Dave Ward told locals to stay away from the park as authorities work to defuse the situation.

“I haven’t seen a single law enforcement vehicle out here,” a local reported at the scene posted on Twitter this moing.

In response, social media has been ablaze with those flabbergasted by the tepid reaction from authorities and the media.

Much of the discontent has been around the language used to describe the group and the media’s reticence to label their actions as a form of terrorism.

WHO ARE THE MILITANTS?

The group responsible for the armed takeover are made up of several known anti-govement militants.

The most notable of which are not local Oregon residents, but rather a small group of individuals that travel the country and attach themselves to various local fights against the federal govement, typically over land rights.

Ryan Payne, an Army veteran from Montana, is among those in Oregon and was also a part of the 2014 Bundy ranch standoff in Nevada and was considered a leader of the incident.

Another former military man, Blaine Cooper, is among the group. He too was in Nevada and became known for criticising a fellow militant group known as the Oath Keepers after they left the standoff for fear of a drone attack by the govement. He has also reportedly been banned from Facebook in the past after posting videos of drug cartels crossing the US-Mexican border.

An ex-marine named Jon Ritzheimer, who is notorious for his hatred of Islam, is also believed to be involved.

The Oregon group appears to be led by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy. He posted a video on his Facebook page on New Year’s Eve asking for militia members to come help him. He said “this is not a time to stand down. It’s a time to stand up and come to Haey County,” where the federal wildlife park is located.

In an interview with reporters late Saturday night, Bundy said he and others were occupying a building at the wildlife refuge because “the people have been abused long enough.”

“I feel we are in a situation where if we do not do something, if we do not take a hard stand, we’ll be in a position where we’ll be no longer able to do so,” he said.

His conces were echoed by his brother Ryan Bundy who is also in the group occupying the park.

“The best possible outcome is that the ranchers that have been kicked out of the area ... come back and reclaim their land, and the wildlife refuge will be shut down forever and the federal govement will relinquish such control,” he told the Oregonian.

“What we’re doing is not rebellious. What we’re doing is in accordance with the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.”

A third Bundy son is also believed to be with the group.

Despite their stated desire to avenge the sentencing of the Hammond ranchers, the two men don’t welcome the help. They have deliberately tried to distance themselves from the family and the militant group.

“Neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group/organisation speak for the Hammond family,” their lawyer wrote to sheriff Ward, reports CNN.

The Hammonds are expected to tu themselves into the authorities and the standoff will continue.

US authorities say they are monitoring the situation and formulating a response, but the occupiers say they are willing to fight — and die — to reclaim the land they see as constitutionally belonging to them.

Ammon Bundy chats with a protester during a march on behalf of a Haey County ranching family in Bus, Oregon. Picture: Les Zaitz/The Oregonian via APSource:AP