Shot in the Dark

What Happens In Nevada Used To Stay In Nevada

 31 years ago last winter, a shootout between US Marshals and neo-Nazi tax protesters brought an avalanche of federal law-enforcement to rural North Dakota. 

Even then, long before the rampant militarization of federal law enforcement, the feds stomped about the place like an occupying army:

The police – and, as I recall, a North Dakota National Guard armored personnel carrier – had surrounded the farmhouse. A dog darted from an outbuilding; a policeman shot the dog dead. The gunshot sparked more gunfire, and before long the farmhouse was completely riddled with bullet holes. Finally, the police moved in…

…to discover the farmhouse empty.

Now, there was a “happy” ending; the manhunt ended with Gordon Kahl and an associate dead, and his family and accomplices serving long jail terms. 

But I’ve wondered over the years – what if that manhunt would have happened at a time when everyone had the ability to publish, and broadcast video, in real time? 

Ditto controversial federal law enforcement actions like Waco? 

I ask because the alternative media played a vital role in last week’s Nevada range war:

In another era, Bundy would likely have been quietly run out of business and – literally – lost the farm. Now, thanks to his own efforts in reaching out and the participation of media watchers around the nation, along with volunteers who showed up to help, he and his family may actually get a fair hearing and a chance to keep what they have worked so long and so hard for. But, as I said above, this one will be developing for some time to come if I’m right.

If nothing else?  Today, if the government wants to do things in the night and fog, it has to stay in the dark and fog to do it. 

Which may be good news, or it may be bad…

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Mitch Berg

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14 responses to “What Happens In Nevada Used To Stay In Nevada”

  1. Chuck Avatar
    Chuck

    And this all started with the federal gov’t, which owns 75% of Nevada land, trying to ban (via backdoor methods) ranchers/grazing on the lands. When Clinton was President and he had the fed’l gov’t acquire huge amounts of land, I said this will lead to that land be taken out of productive use (mining, logging, ranching). As usual I was right.

  2. Scott Hughes Avatar
    Scott Hughes

    Think of it about every Federal government agency has a militarized component, I’ve read that the number of sworn (armed) agents is in excess of 25K. The scary part is that there’re those (on both sides) that would have been OK with bullets flying during the Bundy confrontation. Not Good !!

  3. Joe Avatar
    Joe

    The whole thing is a mess. However, I see to recall that the Feds were criticized, correctly, for engaging in a broad daylight, face-to-face confrontation when they should have executed in a “night and fog’ or similar maneuver to capture Koresh.

    Hannity had the senior Bundy on his radio program (and later his TV show) the other day. Hannity seemed a bit dismayed by the elder gentleman’s inability to keep on track.

    I sincerely he isn’t just being manipulated by others. I can’t help but wonder how many of the “militia” members showing up are really there to help? Or, are undercover cops or random goof-balls who got tired of waiting for the dead to rise up and start the zombie apocalypse? I hope that there is someone on his side screening the support forces. I also wonder how Bundy would react if another free man shows up with his herd of about 500 sheep to also enjoy the fruits the liberated public property?

    However, he did say that he did not obey “most federal laws”, but does follow those of the county. Good luck with that. Most of the situation is way over my head. I hope that no one on either side gets hurt and that the MSM can provide a clear narrative of the actual facts. Right now, all sides seem a bit selective in their reporting …

  4. justplainangry Avatar
    justplainangry

    Riddle me this: Why does Post Office, POST OFFICE! need $15MM in ammo?

  5. kel Avatar
    kel

    Riddle me this: Why does Post Office, POST OFFICE! need $15MM in ammo?

    so that they can “go postal”?

  6. justplainangry Avatar
    justplainangry

    Ha!

    Anybody else here concerned with new regulation mandating all cell phones to have a remote kill switch?

    Am I the only one who sees a shadow of a totalitarian regime falling over the country?

  7. Dog Gone Avatar
    Dog Gone

    The feds are restricting land use, where necessary, because of long term drought conditions, because that land use harms the land during such periods.

    This guy didn’t pay his bills; other ranchers DO. He’s just a moocher and a taker, a dead beat.

    His politics are linked directly to the same radical right wing domestic terrorists who sent pipe bombs to BLM and forestry offices back in the 90’s — that’s why they are terrorists. They are also directly linked to Timothy McVeigh and the Murrah building bombing in OK City in 1995, and his political associates, and they have direct links to white supremacist groups as well, who committed murder.

    These are not heroes, they are not patriots, they are domestic terrorists — and apparently you identify with them in a positive way, so what does that say about you and YOUR politics?

    Our constitution allows for peaceful protest, not protests which threaten violence and attempt to make political points by intimidation. I applaud the Obama administration for not engaging in a shootout, and for not creating martyrs for the other extremists to use to rally around. But don’t think those puny fools, armed equally with ignorance, guns and hatred, will win. It’s just a question of when and how they will lose.

  8. Bill C Avatar
    Bill C

    Actually 84.5%, Chuck: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MC64R_FiYHQ/UeWfXdb4ZcI/AAAAAAAAY0Q/ka-4Dz1MZ54/s1600/map-owns_the_west.jpg

    And that was back in 2004. I am sure it is even higher now. I’ve read accounts how counties in Nevada are completely broke because the feds control up to 98% of county land and don’t pay property taxes.

  9. kel Avatar
    kel

    once again DG proves the need to seriously rethink the 19th amendment.

  10. thorleywinston Avatar
    thorleywinston

    Riddle me this: Why does Post Office, POST OFFICE! need $15MM in ammo?

    I dunno, is this another piece put out by the Infowars crowd that misreported the upper limits on a ten-year option contract as if it were a single purchase?

  11. justplainangry Avatar
    justplainangry

    Winston, why does Post Office need a single round?

  12. thorleywinston Avatar
    thorleywinston

    Winston, why does Post Office need a single round?

    Probably because the United States Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over “crimes that may adversely affect or fraudulently use the U.S. Mail, the postal system or postal employees.” By statute some of their employees are required to carry and remain proficient in the use of firearms just like other law enforcement agencies.

  13. Joe Avatar
    Joe

    The US Postal Service has had an armed branch for many, many years; possibly from it’s inception. One of their long discontinued training guns, the S&W Model 45 and pre-model 45 (K-framed M&P chambered in .22LR) is on my wanted list.

    There was a time the mail was a prime target for the cash, etc. contained in it. I suspect that checking, electronic transfers and such have made it a less lucrative target, except for identity theft-related data, and that stuff can easily be obtained directly from the homeowner’s mailbox.

    While this still doesn’t necessarily justify the tons of ammo they have, it does establish that this isn’t a new practice related to the militarization of law enforcement.

  14. justplainangry Avatar
    justplainangry

    Thank you for clarification.

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