Dwight Hammond, 73 and his son Steven Hammond, 46, are ranchers in Burns, Oregon. In 2001 and 2006, they lit fires on their ranch property to reduce the growth of invasive plants and brush and to decrease the likelihood of wildfire enveloping their ranch, a common activity among ranchers throughout the West. Unfortunately, the fires expanded beyond their ranch to Bureau of Land Management property, but they were able to extinguish the fire without outside help, and it appears that the land thus cleared is flourishing and has benefited from the clearing of overgrowth.
However, the government is choosing to tutor those in the Western states by showing that the long arm of the Federal government is ever watchful, powerful, and vengeful, and they are determined to make an example of the Hammonds. The Federal government owns well over 50 percent of the land in western states, and it is a wonder that the states have not risen up to demand greater local control and management. One Bureau of Land Management official stated that it was because the issues were too complex and difficult and the states were not capable of managing the lands properly.
In the case of Dwight and Steven Hammond, they were convicted of arson, which carries a minimum sentence of 5 years in federal prison. The judge at that time said it would be outrageous to apply the full sentence, given the circumstances, and father Dwight ended up serving 3 months, while son Steven served one year. But the Feds are back demanding their pound of flesh, and insisting that the Hammonds serve at least the minimum sentence. They will be returning to prison this week to serve their time.
However, supporters of the Hammonds, along with ranchers and other interested parties, have gathered to protest this miscarriage of justice and the overly aggressive application of law. They have taken over a closed wildlife center to demand justice and to criticize the Federal government for their “land grab” policies.
Ammon Bundy, the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 standoff with the government over grazing rights — is among the people at the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
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Funny, the Hammonds have said they have nothing to do with the Bundys, et. al., and that they aren’r represented by them….Brilliant.
Funny, the Hammonds have said they have nothing to do with the Bundys, et. al., and that they aren’r represented by them….just brilliant!
Good luck to all you folks !
ART 1 SEC 8 CLA 17 / ART 4 SEC 3 CLA 2 CLEARLY SHOWS, THE US GOVERNMENT IS IN THE WRONG!!!
F**k the feds. Keep up the patriotism! !!
We’re behind You
Praying for y’all!
Sad to say that the laws mean nothing in this country anymore since they voted a muslim into office.
This is outrageous and very wrong, Our GOV. is out of control! I hope everyone will stand up to them and hope we can get back to what matters. That would be Ranchers, Farmers, and we the people!!! I know of may who have lost there fight to the Gov. over ranch land!!
Blame Obama for everything that’s intelligent. This has been going on for over 40 years. Learn to read. There are darker forces at work here from within our government. Corruption that has gone unchecked for decades. God bless these men and women who have the fortitude to Stand Tall when the time has arose. Pray for them yes, but stand with them for that time has come. The line must be drawn, here and no further. Not one more acre of ground to be stolen. Not one more constitutional right to be walked on. Here we all can make the difference we must not let the light fade and force us into the darkness. There has got to be Lawyers like Jerry Spence and others who can come to their aid and set things right again. If not now then when?