-By Warner Todd Huston
As patriots gather outside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon, all eyes are on the activists gathered there to protest what they feel is a government gone wild. Many of the activists are armed raising some fears that bloodshed could result if Obama’s government sends armed officials to clear them out. But one activist has a warning and a promise for officials.
In a video posted to Facebook, activist Jon Ritzheimer told those watching his video that he and his fellows have gathered to defend their Constitutional rights.
Close to the end of the video the activist explains one of the reasons that he and his fellows are protesting. He says that the refuge is “swallowing up ranches.”
On the video Ritzheimer continues saying, “this refuge here we found out is also the largest and it’s getting bigger and bigger. It’s swallowing up ranchers. It’s already kicked off over 100 ranchers from this land.”
Still, Ritzheimer goes to pains to point out that the land they are camping on is public land and that they aren’t breaking any laws. He further points out that there has been no vandalism of the park. He insists, “there’s nothing illegal taking place here.”
“This land belongs to ‘we the people.’ It’s outlined right here in the Constitution,” Ritzheimer says.
“Although a lot of people may disagree with the way that this was handled,” Ritzheimer added in the video, “right now we need to come together and we need to make a stand. OK, patriots need to come together regardless of your opinion of how this happened. We are within our Constitutional rights and we all want to go home to our families.”
The videographer wants to assure America that the media is distorting their actions.
“The media blowing it up and making it sound like a lot of illegal activity is taking place couldn’t be further from the truth,” the activist says. “We have lots of Oregon county residents coming up here bringing supplies and food a lots of them coming here and camping on the land with us.”
The activist also wants to make sure that everyone knows that he and the other activists want their protest to be a peaceful one.
On the other hand, Ritzheimer says, “But, yes, there are some people that are armed. We need to defend our rights.”
Even as they desire their protest to remain a peaceful one, Ritzheimer warns they won’t be bullied.
Ritzheimer goes on to warn, “if they try and come in here fully armed and create another Ruby Ridge or Waco event we can be right there to put the truth out and hold them accountable. but we do not want it to come to that–nobody wants it to come to that–and I don’t think they want it to come to that on the other side, either. We all want to go home to our families. We need to keep this peaceful. We will not fire unless fired upon. But we will stand and defend the Constitution. We are within our rights.”
At this point the ball might have landed in the federal government’s court.
Update on Oregon from Jon Ritzheimer.
Posted by Melvin Lee on Sunday, January 3, 2016
Here is the full transcript of Ritzheimer’s comments.
Hello everyone, Jon Ritzheimer here, I’m armed with the Constitution and with a camera. I’m here parked outside of the Malheur Refuge.
This land belongs to ‘we the people.’ It’s outlined right here in the Constitution. Article One, Section Eight where the government is allowed to own land and it’s all the way on the other side of the country, a little place called D.C.
Although a lot of people may disagree with the way that this was handled, right now we need to come together and we need to make a stand. OK, patriots need to come together regardless of your opinion of how this happened. We are within our Constitutional rights and we all want to go home to our families.
There’s Oregon county residents coming in here, the refuge is open, and there’s zero ‘no trespassing’ signs, we’re breaking no laws, we’re out here on public land. OK? So, again, there’s nothing illegal taking place here.
The media blowing it up and making it sound like a lot of illegal activity is taking place couldn’t be further from the truth. We have lots of Oregon county residents coming up here bringing supplies and food a lots of them coming here and camping on the land with us.
As I said, I’m parked right here outside right here at the gate and I’m armed with the Constitution and a camera so that if they try and come in here fully armed and create another Ruby Ridge or Waco event we can be right there to put the truth out and hold them accountable. but we do not want it to come to that–nobody wants it to come to that–and I don’t think they want it to come to that on the other side, either. We all want to go home to our families. We need to keep this peaceful. We will not fire unless fired upon. But we will stand and defend the Constitution. We are within our rights.
OK, again I’m calling for all patriots to come here, stand with us, if you don’t want to go into the refuge you can still be right out here on this open, public land. There’s no vandalism taking place. All that’s been done is an American flag has been put up over their sign to show that this is the American people’s land. It belongs to Oregon, it belongs to Harney County. And the ranchers need to be allowed to come here and ranch and enjoy the fruits of the labor which they are being deprived of doing.
This government is and–this refuge here we found out is also the largest and it’s getting bigger and bigger. It’s swallowing up ranchers. It’s already kicked off over 100 ranchers from this land. So, please come out and take a stand with us for the Constitution–a peaceful stand.
But, yes, there are some people that are armed. We need to defend our rights. That’s what the Second Amendment is there for, people. Please come out and join us, thank you.
____________
“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson
Follow Warner Todd Huston on:
Twitter
Facebook
Tumblr
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer. He has been writing news, opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and before that wrote articles on U.S. history for several American history magazines. Huston is a featured writer for Andrew Breitbart’s Breitbart News, and he appears on such sites as RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, Wizbang.com, and many, many others. Huston has also appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and many local TV shows as well as numerous talk radio shows throughout the country.
For a full bio, please CLICK HERE.
NOTE: If you want to comment, for some reason our Facebook comments section takes a bit of time to load. It’ll pop up soon. Thanks