Oregon militia requests food but gets something different

Pranksters around the country have responded to the militia in Oregon’s request for supplies by not sending toilet paper, shampoo, and coffee, but instead, phallic objects.

On Jan. 2, a group of armed men led by Ammon Bundy stormed a wildlife refuge 30 miles outside of Burn, Oregon. The group of men state that they are there to fight government tyranny and will not leave until the federal land is handed over to them. Bundy and his militia are ready to use firepower if police or military try to stop them. Both the governor of Oregon, as well as the residents of Burn, have publicly asked the group to leave.

The standoff resulted in schools in the district closing from Jan. 2 to Jan. 11. As of Jan. 12, the men are still occupying the land, however, Bundy announced that on Friday, Jan. 15, a meeting will be held where they will announce their plans to leave, according to oregonlive.com.

Originally, the group formed to protest the imprisonment of Dwight and Steven Hammond. The father and son team were convicted on a 2001 arson where they burned 130 acres of government land to cover up a poaching incident according to CNN. The Hammonds made a statement distancing themselves from the militia. They do not want Bundy, or his group, speaking for them.

Many, including Human Rights and Genocide teacher Karla Perez, feel that a peaceful solution such as cutting off their heat and power rather than attacking is probably the best way of dealing with the situation.

“We’ve seen that happen with Waco and Ruby Ridge. The possibility of that [attacking] going badly is really high,” Perez said.

The Waco and Ruby Ridge standoffs that Perez is referring to are two similar protests where the government’s solution was force, ending in the death of 76 people in the case of Ruby Ridge, according to pennlive.com.