Sen Reid: Backers of Rancher Are ‘Domestic Terrorists’

Blasts Rancher as 'Thumbing His Nose at Authority'

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D – NV) angrily condemned protesters who came out in support of Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy today, dubbing them “domestic terrorists” for supporting Bundy.

Reid insisted Bundy “thumbs his nose at authority” and doesn’t recognize the US government, saying it was an issue the US would never let go. He held his biggest criticism back for the protesters, however.

“If there were ever an example of people who were domestic violent terrorist wannabes, these are the guys,” Reid said of the protesters, saying they showed up with guns to protest the seizure of Bundy’s cattle.

Reid’s comments earned some angry criticism from other lawmakers, including Sen. Dean Heller (R – NV), who said the protesters included veterans and boy scouts, and that he considers them “patriots,” not terrorists, for standing up to the government.

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Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is news editor of Antiwar.com. View all posts by Jason Ditz

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Guest

USG don’t like to be cut red handed when they still people’s properties, so they do it in secrecy and if there secret is no longer a secret, then they use the word “terrorists” so they can hide behind the word and continue with their stealing.
- Guest
  
  They didn't steal Bundy's property. He's using our commons without paying the fees which have been there, and quite freaking reasonable, for quite some time. I can't believe BLM has let this farce continue for as long as they have.
  - El Tonno
    
    There is a native indian on the phone. We wants to get in on the "our commons" racket…
  - Mike
    
    I can't believe you're an idiot! Oh, wait. Yes I can.
  - Warren Bonesteel
    
    Politicians have used government to force people off the land so that the politicians can give it – or access to it – to their own supporters, families and friends. That is what the BLM has been doing for over twenty years, now, all in the name of environmentalism. (In one case, a federal judge has called the BLM a racketeering scam.) In the early 90's, politicians changed the law to make it easier to move ranchers and farmers off 'public' land. In many cases, the government also forced those American citizens off of their own land, as well.
    
    Mr. Bundy and his family now stand in the way of several large corporations as well as being in the way of corrupt state and federal politicians. Therefore, from their pov, he – and his family – has to go…whatever it takes. Up to and including sending several hundred well armed federal officers to his ranch, when a couple of county sheriffs with an arrest warrant would have sufficed.
    
    When laws are enacted that only benefit politicians, their families and cronies, and when they exempt themselves from laws which punish you and I, that, my friends, is called tyranny. This is what Bundy stands against – unjust laws and an unequal application of those laws, as well as against the political corruption that permeates our society.
    
    If you support the government and corrupt corporations against Cliven Bundy, you openly support tyranny and political corruption and in so doing, you declare yourself to be the enemy of freedom and liberty.
  - Survivor
    
    You should read article 1 section 8 clause 17 of the U.S. Constitution. BLM doesn't have jurisdiction over this land and more importantly the BLM cannot create laws which clearly they are. Bundy and his family's history was using this land well before the BLM was even thought of let alone before the BLM began to have an issue with them in 1993.
- Crawfisher
  
  By now, isn't if obvious that their definition of 'terrorist' is anyone who dares to stand up to them?
jtt

The word "Terrorist" always as a ring to it, so it is use by politicians to scare the daylights out of our un-inform masses.
Jay Hall

Clapper, Holder and the NSA, as well as Obama are the real terrorists, along with politicians like Rogers and Reid, feinstein etc. George Bush 2 has to be included for his rape of Iraq.
liberal

They might not be terrorists, but they're certainly criminals.
- El Tonno
  
  For thumbing the nose at authority?
  
  "Liberal" … clearly has the US-centric meaning here.
- richard vajs
  
  I wouldn't call Mr. Bundy and his followers, terrorists – sounds too grand – deadbeat and over-wrought patsies seems more appropriate.
kirk

with the introduction of the 'domestic terrorist' label, reid (small letter intended for the very small, faux human being occupying the carcass we see) has upped the ante. has reid, by doing so, sealed the fate of this protesting group and others after them?

'thumbs his nose at authority' tells the real story: the authoritarian reid and his plans have been scuttled, for the time being, anyway. how dare Bundy not roll over for one of the gods of the Potomac? how dare one of these minions question the power of the gods of the Potomac? and most importantly of all: how dare a mere peon interfere with the money acquisition of one of the gods of the Potomac?

reid is a very small man with a monstrous ego who will squash anyone, or anything, that gets in his way. in short, he is just another sociopath put in a position of power by people who seem to not care that such an individual 'represents' them. we know about reid. what shall we think of those who put him there…and keep sending him back?
Valerianus

Reid is just angry because his plutocratic real estate deal isn't going off too well.
Aireck

So, who do these terrorists instill terror?
The government?
1966VietnamWarVet

The FACTS – Reid and his Son have a sales agreement with a Chinese company to turn that land into a solar farm.
- El Tonno
  
  References?
- Crawfisher
  
  Interesting since that's publicly owned land. That Chinese company must awfully gullible to sign an agreement with people who don't own the land.
El Tonno

Reid specifically criticized Bundy supporters for bringing guns and their children to the ranch to defend him against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). BLM officials and contractors started rounding up Bundy’s cattle last week because of his refusal to pay $1 million in grazing fees, but they backed down Saturday due to safety concerns.

Bundy does not recognize the federal government’s authority over the land and said his family’s cattle have grazed there for generations, before the bureau existed.

“Clive Bundy does not recognize the United States,” Reid said. “The United States, he says, is a foreign government. He doesn’t pay his taxes. He doesn’t pay his fees. And he doesn’t follow the law. He continues to thumb his nose at authority.”

YOU MUST RECOGNIZE THE UNITED STATES!

That guy is dead as a doornail. I bet a Ruby Ridge or a Waco-style showdown is scheduled for the immediate future. Maybe even the first strike of a drone on on US soil.
- CAulds
  
  Just like the murder of Vicki Weaver, it will bring a massive public demonstration of rage against government tyranny!
  
  Or maybe not, huh?
Caesar_Saladin

If they are 'domestic terrorist wannabes' how is this materially any different from those whom the FBI has framed for being…… terrorist wannabes? Those stung terrorist wannabes are snatched up and disappeared and put on trial for their terrorist connections- so when can we expect the mass roundups of the militia to begin?

Somehow I don't think it's going to happen- the USG got caught with its pants down and it overreacted and now the law enforcement agencies are under the microscope again from all sides.
GeorgyOrwell

On one hand, and on the other hand.

Before I criticize Harry Reid, I sense a very cavalier attitude toward efforts to save endangered species such as the Desert Tortoise. Surely some kind of accommodation can be made that will protect these creatures. Also, elsewhere, the other side of the argument has been presented http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/04/19-7

What I have a big problem with is Harry Reid labeling supporters of Bundy as “domestic Terrorists”. So anyone who disagrees with or speaks out or protests the government, are now “domestic terrorists”. See how this works? This should be of grave concern to all Americans no matter what side of this debate you find yourself on.
DaddyDent

Most of the country is happy this didn't turn into another Waco. Mr. Reid on the other hand sounds rather disappointed that it didn't turn into another Waco.
HIDE BEHIND

Guest and many others here must be blind as bats, have an extra chromesone or just talking out their butts becsuse it is closest orifice to their brains.

While I am a staunch conservative and I fo not approve of the way Bundy raises cattle, he pretty well just free ranges them much as in days of longhorns, yet hos beef is beyyer for consumrrs ( lean ) it is a far tastier animal than your factoty berf.

When did Bundys stop paying grazing rights, was it before or after the told him to removes his cattle or face penalyys snf fees +fines..

Tjis was after over 200 other ranchers wrre driven out of hearth and buosness,a few whose familys had been there begore bundy clan and in fact ld bundy worked for their ancestors.

Where were the toryoisr being driven from so that other developerd who somehow had gotten title to what had once BLM and no one to this day has gound one red cent upon receiptb of purchace in tax logs

Reids kid used to be Vlark vounty commisioners and hrll for years members of their familys made millions by land swaps or setting up, as in near Bundy Ranch, 9000 acres for 3.5 million on land worth 34 million

The Chinesr firm haf to stpp for a bit until old man Reids state politicos proded Nevada power on state from govenor and Reid using Both the Drpt of Onteripr and BLM put pressure on Mevada to sigh dtayement of intent to purchasr dolat enetgy frpm ENN.

Tjis project had Wjite House Congress including jou rides to Cjins bybBoxer Feinstein and two top Republican elrcteds.

These latest are buy Nevada payyern dince statehood days.

As soon ad militis was committrd.ee began feeding the truth about Reids present and pasy dealings to press of alternative media on masdive numbers and then we ser tje gn crookrd fed media mumble on aytack of fees etv lying bastards and they have paid djolls runnong damage control.

Do some dighingbon owm and forget upur political party be leatn to thonk on pwn.
- paulBass
  
  man i thought my spelling and grammar were bad.
CAulds

It's a little late, isn't it, to take a stand in defense of liberty? About a decade late? They should've been reading antiwar.com in 2003.

These people are trying to change a precedent that was set years ago; in a new "post-9/11" world (that I would argue isn't "new" at all), most Americans adopted the view that said say the primary role of government is national security or enforcing the law, not protecting individual liberty, civil rights, or promoting justice in society.

Where were these great defenders of American liberty in 2003? More recently, where were they when Tennessee became the first US state to allow the federal government to perform unwarranted searches of vehicles on Tennessee highways in October 2011? http://bit.ly/1mpCnhp

Americans, in times of convenience, claim to put liberty above all else, but when forced to choose between security/safety and liberty, they chose their own personal safety. Most Americans have been only too willing to sacrifice any amount of liberty for the mere promise of safety (something no government can ever promise). And these protestors were no different than the typical frightened American ten years ago.

They made the wrong choice YEARS AGO, and they can't reclaim the loss now, at least not easily.
Danton

Mr. Bundy is the Che Guevara of the 1%
Guest

Life has become extremely difficult in the United States. I remember a time when a family could make it on minimum wage. People use to "drop out" and live off the land. The rich, greedy and powerful want to own every square inch of land and control every aspect of or lives.
oddie

i'm a former leftwinger, greens voter, now voting none-of-the-above but cannot understand how people commenting here are so ignorant of the complex facts (& implications) surrounding the Cliven Bundy ranch/BLM standoff.

the multiple incidents of injustice/violence perpetrated on the bundy family/supporters BEFORE ANY SUPPORTER WAS EVEN ARMED are rarely mentioned in the MSM, but i expect comments on a so-called libertarian website to have a clue. wouldn't hold my breath waiting for amy goodman to recognise all americans should be standing with bundy against the militarisation of federal/civilian bureaucracies – as promised by obama by the way, but antiwar.com?