Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Weekend Contributor
It appears that the militia groups who arrived in Nevada to support Cliven Bundy with his standoff against the Bureau of Land Management have become a cause of concern for some residents, workers, and businesses in the area surrounding Bunkerville.
Horsford talks Bunkerville militia presence with Rachel Maddow
KLAS-TV/News NOW (Las Vegas) reported on April 29th that hotels in Mesquite had suffered financial losses of more than $100,000 due to concerns about armed militia groups patrolling in the area. News NOW learned that Mesquite police were investigating death threats made to hotel workers following a bomb threat earlier in April.
Evidently, the threats multiplied as armed militia groups continued to pour into the area surrounding Cliven Bundy’s ranch. One city leader in Mesquite said that “the entire Holiday Inn Express was evacuated for hours following a bomb threat related to the Bundy saga…” News NOW obtained a police report which showed that the Holiday Inn Express had received at least nine threatening telephone calls after the hotel allowed BLM rangers to stay there. Hotel workers were told to kick out the BLM or they “would not be standing in the morning.” One hotel worker, who refused to go on camera, claimed that he was told by an anonymous militia member that he would be “dragged out in the parking lot and shot”.
“We are not a playground for armed militias,” Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., said during a meeting with area leaders about the militia. Horsford said that he had been contacted by residents of his district who were concerned about the armed militia groups from out of state who were still present in their area. Horsford was told by residents that militia groups had set up checkpoints where residents must prove they live in the area before they are allowed to pass…” He was also told that they had set up a “persistent presence” along federal highways, and state and county roads.
Rep. Horsford wrote a letter to the Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie asking him “to look into complaints that militiamen had been present in Bunkerville-area schools and churches and had set up armed checkpoints on state, federal and county roads, seeking proof of residency from motorists.” Horsford said in his letter, “We must respect individual constitutional liberties, but residents of and visitors to Clark County should not be expected to live under the persistent watch of an armed militia. Residents have expressed their desire to see these groups leave their community.” Horsford added that his constituents were being forced to “‘live under the persistent watch of an armed militia,’ that answers to no particular authority other than its own, and is accountable to no one.” He urged the sheriff “to work with local leaders to ensure that their concerns are addressed in a manner that allows the community to move forward without incident.”
Note: A News NOW crew that was in Bunkerville last Tuesday said it did not find any roadblocks in the area “with militia members checking on people trying to pass.”
The StarTribune reported that Bundy’s neighbors and local authorities have grown weary of the Nevada rancher’s unresolved dispute with the BLM. Bundy has denied that any militia members had set up checkpoints on public property. A group of militia members, however, was reported to have stopped a neighboring rancher who was trucking cattle to Arizona. Bundy said the milita members were just helping his son. “They wanted to ensure that Bundy cattle weren’t being rustled.”
Militias’ Ongoing Presence in Nevada Creates Fear and Friction
Cliven Bundy’s Home on the Range (A Mark Fiore Video)
SOURCES
Concerns growing about militia members at Bundy ranch (KLAS-TV)
Businesses lose thousands in Bundy ordeal (KLAS-TV)
Congressman: Bundy Militia Has Set Up Road ‘Checkpoints’ In Nevada (Talking Points Memo)
Bundy Ranch ‘Militia’ Considered Using Women As Human Shield (Talking Points Memo)
Businesses lose thousands in Bundy ordeal (KLAS-TV/News NOW)
Neighbors grow weary of ‘militia’ remaining with Nevada cattle rancher in federal land dispute (StarTribune)
Nevada Congressman Seeks Probe Of Armed Militia Operations At Cliven Bundy Ranch (Reuters/Huffington Post)
Sheriff urged to clamp down on armed militiamen around Bundy ranch (Las Vegas Sun)
Bundy’s ”Militia” Is Lawlessness of a Different Color (Truth-Out)
Ongoing Militia Presence Raises Fears Among Locals Near Bundy Ranch (Southern Poverty Law Center)
NV lawmaker presses sheriff to probe Bundy militiamen (FOX 5/KVVU-TV)
Nevada lawmaker: Cliven Bundy supporters are setting up ‘checkpoints’ against residents (Raw Story)
The Dark Side Of Cliven Bundy’s Conservative Media-Approved Militia (Media Matters)
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Perfect!
Backtracking on your comment is a good thing Spinelli. I stand by my “lone loon” description. I plan on being in Madison tomorrow, I’ll discuss your allegations with my relatives and see what they say.
Elaine, I just found it “a tell” as they say in poker that you felt compelled to offset in your mind a Dem president killing many citizens w/ a Rep killing 4 @ Kent State. As I’ve said, I learned what people think as much by what they don’t say as what they do. You have not even said Waco or Ruby Ridge in this exchange.
Nick – Annie was just at a family gathering so she was able to do a survey on all relevant subjects.
The ‘Domestic Terrorists’ are the Progressives and the government.
This country will have either a Revolution or a Civil War. The Progressives have no respect for states rights or Republics. They want Progressive dictatorships. I personally cannot stand them any more. They are wrecking this country.
Annie, You have gone from only a “lone loon” considering the Armstrong’s heroes to a “majority of the residents of Madison” not considering them heroes.” All in the span of a few minutes! Well, I agree “a majority” do not consider them heroes, but a disturbing number of people do. However you then end w/ “Not one of my friends or family, who are liberals, consider the Sterling Hall bombers heroes.” I thought of all my family and friends and tried to think if there WAS ANY topic of which I knew ALL of their opinions. of course that’s ludicrous, I couldn’t know all of their opinions on any subject. Maybe it’s the polling numbers that make it ludicrous for me to ever have that metaphysical certitude. I have a big family and many friends. And, they are a DIVERSE group.
Paul Schulte @ 11:53
And armed society is a polite society. My next door neighbor is an arms dealer and I am glad of it. …and an “emoticon”
An Armed Society, Not So Polite As Terrified?
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2014/02/26/an-armed-society-not-so-polite-as-terrified/
“… “Stand your ground” laws, or at least the public conception of what they do, are changing the way the rest of us think about self- protection. This is, of course, exactly the world the NRA dreams of constructing: Everyone armed and paranoid that everyone else is armed. But the old canard that an armed society is a polite society is pretty much bunk. Ours is not a polite society; we are rude and hotheaded and terrified. Now we have guns to help us sort it all out.”
Nick,
I also wrote “should have been handled better”–and added that the killing of innocent students at Kent State was another tragedy. I guess you missed that part–or didn’t connect it to the previous sentence. It’s important to read things in context in order to understand what the writer is saying. I’m not going to get into a lengthy discussion over word usage. You didn’t like my response. So be it.
Elaine – I have to go with Nick on your “could have been handled better.” That is both vague and really non-committal. WHO could have handled it better and HOW?
The SPLC is a hate group unto itself.
Paul Schulte @ ?
SWM – The SPLC is a small group of wingnuts who somehow got everyone’s attention about their lists.
The good work of the SPLC speaks for itself.
http://www.splcenter.org/
Oh, I read your comment @ 11:20 Elaine. I read EVERYTHING. I was hoping I could get you off of the “could have been handled better.” It is quite tepid when 17 children are murdered by the govt. But, if that’s how you feel, c’est la vie.
Madison does NOT consider the Sterling Hall bombers heroes, again one may assert anything, anyone who spends any time in Madison will quickly see this is not true for the majority of the residents of Madison. Some members of my family live in Madison, received their degrees in Madison, work in government In Madison and are VERY active in Madison society. Not ONE of my Madison friends or family, who are liberals, considers the Sterling Hall bomber heroes.
Nick,
You can object all you want. I already responded to you with regard to my thoughts on Ruby Ridge and Waco. Check out my response at 11:20 am.
BTW, no one is required to respond to anyone else on this blog. People are free to respond–or to not respond as they so choose.
Ask the kids of the victim how the killers were treated compared to how they were forgotten.
One of the Sterling Hall killers, Karl Armstrong, is still a cult hero here. He opened a sandwich shop on State St. in Madison called Radical Rye. The name was offensive enough to me for me to never frequent it. But, it was the hot spot for several years for all the Progressives to gather and discuss the good old days. The Armstrong’s were supervised by my wife’s office and they saw, up close, just how “heroic” many saw those killers. This is common knowledge and unworthy of debate.
LBJ had business interest to follow in Vietnam, it made his family extremely wealthy. Lady Bird owed interest in Halliburton which owned Brown and Root at the time.
Elaine – were you against WWII? Do you know how many innocent people were killed by the American alone?
Objection, Non responsive, Elaine. What are your thoughts on Ruby Ridge and Waco?
There may a lone loon in Madison who considers the Sterling Hall bombers “heroes”. It’s a gross misrepresentation of Madison, WI to say that they are considered “heroes” by the residents of Madison.
Nick,
It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. The government does a lot of things of which I disapprove. That doesn’t make me want to join a radical group or a militia. I was against a preemptive war with Iraq. I’m against drone strikes. I think too many innocent people get killed. I’m against torture of suspected terrorists. I’m upset that the DOJ didn’t go after Wall Street banksters.