Update: WorldNetDaily has a good background on this story. Regardless of how one feels about all that; this is not the way to solve this issue, at all.

Update #2: Taylor Millard over at Hotair.com offers his thoughts on the situtation

I hate to sound like a pessimist or even an Eeyore, but I have a really horrible, sinking feeling about that standoff up in Oregon. I’ve seen this before, back in the 1980’s and 1990’s and it didn’t end pretty. I hope cooler heads prevail and nothing happens. However, if I know these people; something bad is going to happen. 🙁

The story via OregonLive.com:

Update at 9:15 p.m.: Statement from Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward: “After the peaceful rally was completed today, a group of outside militants drove to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, where they seized and occupied the refuge headquarters. A collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution. For the time being please stay away from that area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please maintain a peaceful and united front and allow us to work through this situation.” The Bundy family of Nevada joined with hard-core militiamen Saturday to take over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, vowing to occupy the remote federal outpost 30 miles southeast of Burns for years. The occupation came shortly after an estimated 300 marchers — militia and local citizens both — paraded through Burns to protest the prosecution of two Harney County ranchers, Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond, who are to report to prison on Monday. Among the occupiers is Ammon Bundy, son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, and two of his brothers. Militia members at the refuge claimed they had as many as 100 supporters with them. The refuge, federal property managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was closed and unoccupied for the holiday weekend. In phone interviews from inside the occupied building Saturday night, Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, said they are not looking to hurt anyone. But they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them, they said. “The facility has been the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds,” Ammon Bundy said. “We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely,” he added. “This is not a decision we’ve made at the last minute.”

The problem is that the Hammond family says that they did not even invite these people and they really do not even support them at all. This is why I agree with Jazz Shaw over at HotAir.com:

This is crazy. (And I know that’s not going to sit well with those regularly spoiling for a fight with the feds.) Taking armed troops in to seize control of a federal building and essentially daring the government to come get you is pretty much the course of last resort. This is the fight you choose to draw the line in the sand over? If the Hammonds aren’t seeking protection and are planning to continue their appeal through the normal legal channels, this armed insurrection isn’t being done for their benefit. If you’re doing it to try to stop the feds from exercising control over a wildlife refuge, well… nope. Sorry. Still crazy. Harness all of that energy and enthusiasm into getting a legal team to begin challenging the federal government in court over it. It will be a long, hard slog, but you’ll garner a tremendous amount of support around the nation, particularly among conservatives and libertarians. Taking up arms over this will produce just the opposite result. It’s time to get the troops out of the building before somebody gets hurt and this turns into a literally bloody debacle.

I also happen to agree with John Hawkins:

Intelligent people can differ over whether the sentences are fair and of course, a peaceful protest is always fine. However, taking over a government building and trying to provoke a violent government response is so irresponsible that it borders on insane. It would be nice if the people involved came to their senses and called this whole thing off before anyone gets hurt, but common sense doesn’t seem so common in the age of Obama.

I could not agree more. This is not going to end good. When the Government shows up Monday, this is not going to end well and it is going to nothing for the liberty movement, at all. It is only going to paint anyone, who believes in the Constitution, in small Government, and in personal Liberty as far right-wing nut jobs.

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