The Feds have been harassing this family for years in order to drive them off their land, as they have done to so many others. In addition there is an element of inhumaneness attached to this story in that Mr Hammond the elder is 73 and his sentence has been increased to a 5 year term. If he survives he will be 78 before he gets out of jail, and it's all over a backfire that burned just over 100 acres of federal land (which, by all accounts, was actually improved as a result).

The Hammonds have publically repudiated the militia members who have come to their aid, but it is quite obvious that at root their problems arise from policies imposed by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), policies designed to drive them off their ranch and add their land to the federal fiefdom they rule over like medieval potentates.

I recommend the Conservative Tree House link provided by Algernonpj for the complete story on this confrontation.

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh provides more information relative to the BLM harassment of the Hammonds.

Zitat

---

1) No matter how you feel about the armed protesters, let's not lose sight of the injustice that sparked all of this. The Hammonds have owned a large plot of land adjacent to this bird sanctuary for a few generations. The government has been trying to chase them off their property for decades to no avail. If you research the long and complicated backstory of this dispute, which I highly recommend, you'll find that they've long been the victims of bullying, harassment, and abuse by bureaucratic tyrants from both the BLM and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Finally the government sensed an opportunity when the Hammonds accidentally burned a portion of federal land on two occasions. In both instances they started the fire on the their own land, once to prevent the spread of invasive species, and once to control a wildfire that was threatening to destroy their home. Eventually -- like 5 tears later, actually -- they were arrested and charged with arson under the Anti-terrorism Act. Sentencing guidelines require at least FIVE YEARS in prison for anyone convicted as a "terrorist," but the judge said 5 years would be cruel and unusual for such a minor offense. They served a much shorter term and were released.

However, a field manager for the BLM decided they should do the full five years, because apparently pencil pushers at the Bureau of Land Management can make those kinds of decisions now. The bully filed an appeal, and next thing you know the Hammonds were re-sentenced, and must now report to prison for another 4 years. That seems awfully close to something called double jeopardy, but what do I know?

There's a lot more to this story, but suffice it to say that the feds have been trying to chase a family off of their own land so they can expand their habitat for birds and other woodland creatures. If that means sending a father and son to prison, so be it. Part of the sentence, coincidentally, requires that the Hammonds sell their land to the feds, if ever they decide to sell at all. Of course all of this legal trouble, and now 5 years in prison, can be quite costly, meaning the Hammonds might have no choice but to sell -- and guess who ends up with the land when that happens?

It's outrageous. Our government is run by a bunch of petty, power hungry dictators, and it's about time we all realize it.

---

I wondered how it was the Hammonds were resentenced. Now I know. Despicable. Equally despicable is the law they were charged under. Obviously intended to severely punish regardless of the circumstances.

The entire piece by Matt can be read here: https://www.facebook.com/MattWalshBlog/?fref=nf , but I want to make it clear he opposes the current armed protest taking place. Protest yes, but not with arms. That just plays into the agenda of the anti-gun forces.

I love how the Libs are ready to send in the troops to shoot and kill these dudes hanging out on a piece of remote barren land but rally around the Black Lives dopes when they are inciting riots and destroying shit.

Zitat

---

Equally despicable is the law they were charged under. Obviously intended to severely punish regardless of the circumstances.

---

This is slightly off topic, but it reminds me of things like the Tax Code. If there is such a thing as a written tax code manual, it's probably large and heavy enough to sink a battleship. No one has read it all, and likely there are rules, laws and regulations in there that contradict one another. It's my contention that ALL OF US (unwittingly, to be sure) have violated some tax law or regulation.

But the gov't leaves us alone. Why? Because most of us are small fish and we're not making any waves (as far as the bureaucrats are concerned, anyway)

But if we DO cause problems, well . . . it's not very difficult for someone somewhere to rifle through our records and find SOMETHING we've violated. And then, throw the proverbial book at us.

We all hate the IRS because it affects all of us - but really, is it no different than any other of these gov't alphabet agencies? BLM, FWS, DEA, etc etc etc? All of them are regulation happy and mostly exist to provide jobs for lawyers who could not make an honest living in the private sector.

This is part of what an "out of control, corrupt government dictatorship" looks like.