Outpost of Freedom blog

Burns Chronicles N^o 8
Active Patriots v. Passive Patriots

image © 2016 Militia News

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 16, 2016

“…As to the history of the revolution, my ideas may be peculiar, perhaps singular. What do we mean by revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution’ it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 to 1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington. The records of the thirteen legislatures, the pamphlets, newspapers in all the colonies ought to be consulted during that period, to ascertain the steps by which the public opinion was enlightened and informed concerning the authority of parliament over the colonies”.

John Adams to Thomas Jefferson      August 24, 1815.

I believe that Adams’s description of the Revolution, being the period in which the populace transitioned from faith in government to distrust of government, is probably appropriate for the 18th century as well as today.

Since Ruby Ridge, Idaho and Waco, Texas, we have seen a very substantial change in the attitude of large portions of our people, with regard to the government. The recent murder of LaVoy Finicum, with the full knowledge that those who murdered him will have absolute and complete protection from the government, is indicative of that distrust. The question, however, is not about that distrust, rather, which of us are truly Patriots, and which are only pretend patriots?

There was a transition, 241 years ago, where those who were loyal to the Crown and presumed that they would never fight against their government, found a moment in time had come to decide as to whether to maintain that obedience to the government, or take up arms against it.

On April 19, 1775, that time had come. Those within a reasonable distance of Lexington and Concord, thousands of them, picked up their arms and ventured out into the beginning of a struggle that would last for another six years. They left home and family, not knowing if they would ever return. They crossed the line, not because of what had happened to them, but rather what had happened to their neighbors, many of them from other colonies.

As word spread through the other colonies, many thought the problem was only between Massachusetts and the Crown. In time, they realized that the violation of the British Constitution and the loss of their “Rights of Englishmen” were in jeopardy, just as in Massachusetts. They, then, chose their course. They became Active Patriots.

The passive patriots that had not bought or drunk tea were split. Some became Active Patriots, while others remained passive patriots, throughout the Revolutionary War.

We are at that point in our history where we are facing quite similar circumstances. Some have already become Active Patriots, while others, though appearing to be active patriots, are, in fact, passive patriots, or worse.

The passive patriot simply needs to sit back and watch the world go by. Perhaps he might express support for the Active Patriots, or for their cause, or even make contributions to that cause, financially, or otherwise. But at best, he is a sideline supporter. Some might be more active by participating in interim forms of government, such as Committees of Safety.

Some of those passive patriots went to Burns, Oregon, recently. They were willing to demonstrate, carry signs, sound off in public meetings, and show support for those Active Patriots who had taken a step in Civil Defiance by opening the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge administration area to the public.

Of course, the Active Patriots went armed; the Second Amendment does provide for the “security of a free State”, which they had declared the Refuge to be. However, they made clear that the arms were solely for self-defense, and those who had the opportunity to visit the Refuge during these events found that the people inside were peaceful, unoffending, and courteous to all who visited them. They were not the haughty bureaucrats who normally occupied those buildings. And, those who visited them, without nefarious thoughts on their minds, were clearly passive patriots.

Now, there is a third side to this equation. We don’t find them in the historical context. But, we find them in proliferation in our current era of “revolution”. These are the ones that would have traveled to Concord to discourage colonists from firing on the Redcoats, diverted them to another activity (perhaps carrying signs or pitchforks), or perhaps even have told the British what the Active Patriots were up to.

Today, however, they are comprised of people who want to take charge; they want to control the situation; they may even want to help save the lives of Active Patriots by convincing them to submit to arrest. And, they will tell others that they were simply trying to avoid any bloodshed — even after blood had been shed. Let’s refer to them as false patriots. (See The Burns Community)

Those who went to Concord knew that blood was to be shed. The idea is to shed the blood of the enemy, and endeavor to keep your own from being shed, however, that consequence was a part of the effort.

During the course of events in Burns, there were many who contacted me, and others, asking whether the time had come. These were Active Patriots, simply waiting for that day we all know was coming, but not wanting to simply go to an event (Sugar Pine Mine; Montana Big Sky Mine) and camp out, away from family and digging into their own purses to act out a role. They really wanted to know if the British had fired on colonists, and if the colonists were going to fire back.

Some went to Burns. Some remain, and some have since left. They were insufficient in number to have any effect, because the false patriots had done everything that they could to divert as many as possible in the wrong direction.

If others are ready to go to a barricade and protest, or possibly for other purposes, they might divert them to over fifty miles away in a gesture of sympathy for a life lost. So, let’s look at the three, and put them in rather simple terms.

Active Patriot — One who is ready and willing to take up arms, regardless of costs, affect on family, or fortune, and is committed to the cause to that extent. These would properly be considered the real III% that are willing to take up arms.

Passive patriots — These are those who will go to varying extent to support the Active Patriot, by any number of means. They are the support every army needs, and they do so, willingly. Often, their activities might put their lives at risk, but that is inconsequential to the completion the efforts that they have begun. Time and money are their primary contributions. These are the Supporters of the III%.

Finally, we come to the false patriot. His actions tend to support the enemy, whether through disruption, diversion, intelligence gathering (frequent communication with the enemy), and often the attempt to discredit or ridicule those who are of the other classes. These people are not patriots; rather, they are, in fact, simply false. In years past, they would be referred to as “culture vultures” or “patriots for profit”, if their concern was primarily their monetary gain. However, others might be more accurately defined as “snitches”, “informants”, “spies”, or worse.

Since we have progressed from Civil Disobedience, where one might get arrested and spend a few hours or days in jail, to Civil Defiance, where we stand, firmly, against the enemy, and endeavor to turn the continued encroachment of our rights, then we can fully expect that the time will come, soon, in which the line is drawn and the point of no return has been reached. It behooves us to identify which role our neighbors will take. If they are to be Active Patriots, or passive patriots, then we are in need of both. However, if they are false patriots, then they need to be excluded from any aspect, no matter how mundane, of our work. They need to be expelled from our community, for they serve no useful purpose, except that purpose which serves the enemy.

Burns Chronicles N^o 7
What is Brandon Curtiss?

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 15, 2016

I received a phone call from Ryan Payne, shortly after the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was entered by nine people, and restored to ‘open to the public’. Ryan indicated that there was a need for others to come join them, as they were concerned for the safety of such a small crew.

Now, many will question why they might be concerned for their safety, however, we need only consider the last few weeks to understand, as many patriots do, that the federal government tends to solve problems with bloodshed, unless all parties come out with their hands up, and submit to arrest whether there is a real crime, or not.

With the understanding that those who might enter the Refuge, since renamed Harney County Resource Center (HCRC), might find that the government would want to arrest them, it was felt by the Operation Mutual Defense Advisory Board (OMD-AB) that a caveat regarding that possibility be included in a call out.

Upon being advised, through other sources, that Brandon Curtiss, Idaho III%, had secured a 40-acre parcel for visitors to camp on, this seemed to be the solution to an alternate location for those who might otherwise not show up because of the caveat.

However, one of those inside of the HCRC expressed his concern that Brandon (“Brandon” will be used as a collective name for Idaho III% and Pacific Patriot Network (PPN), and the individual, as appropriate to the context), had stated that he was there, along with his following, to assure that there would not be another Waco, and suggested that “he would probably drop his gun and run, should things change for the worse”. It was with this in mind that I sought to contact Brandon, on behalf of OMD, and managed to do so through Pete Santilli, on January 10.

When I told Pete that I was trying to reach Brandon, he said, “just a minute”, and he handed his phone to Brandon. Brandon was cordial in the first part of the discussion, though he was rather assertive. “Any militia that come to Burns are under my command”, he said. That sounded like a sort of militia martial law, and Brandon, with 8 or 9 years of law enforcement experience, but no military experience, has taken command. But, then, I knew this was the “prime directive” when I called for Brandon. He also claimed to have secured forty acres for camping purpose, directly across from the Refuge, though I found out later that it was directly across from the Narrows, about six miles from the Refuge. Perhaps he “secured” it, or perhaps it was a fantasy, as he did not even know where it was.

I had been directed by the OMD-AB to ascertain whether, if Brandon decided to order everyone to go home, would he release those who came under the OMD banner? For him to understand what this question was being posed, seeking a solution, I prefaced it with the “drop guns” concern.

Can I say that I was surprised when he “dropped the phone and ran”? Well, I wasn’t as surprised as I might have been, since the first few minutes on the phone, I was mostly listening, while Brandon appeared to want to both ask and answer his question as well as the reason for my call.

Pete, endeavoring to get patriots to work together, reestablished communications by having Brandon call me. This time, however, it sounded as if we were on speakerphone, and additional parties were present, including Eric Parker and Brooke Agresta.

I tried to explain that I am old school, and when you seek a solution, you must understand the problem. I don’t believe that they ever fully digested that thought, as they spent quite a few minutes berating me, telling me what I said, which is not what I said, since I didn’t have the opportunity, and finally concluded with Brooke telling me that she would destroy me in the patriot community if I didn’t do something (I don’t recall what) in the next three minutes, as she spoke for the next two minutes and then hung the phone up.

Well, that discussion didn’t go to well, so I had to find an alternative for those who didn’t want to risk the possible consequences of staying inside of the HCRC. That, however, would have to be put off to another day.

That was my first ‘introduction’ to Brandon Curtiss, though his name had come up earlier. In a report given by Ryan Payne to an OMD-AB special meeting, November 19, nearly two months before the above incident, Ryan Payne explained some circumstances surrounding the meetings held with both the Hammonds and Sheriff Ward. The report, though second hand, bears out what subsequent events tend to substantiate. The pertinent part of the report can be heard in this 12: 30 – clip, Ryan Payne speaking.

The foundation for subsequent activities by PPN, Idaho III%, and to some degree, OathKeepers, is clearly established.

My next dealing with Brandon Curtiss occurred on January 28, two days after the murder of LaVoy Finicum. Due to the arrests made during the Ambush, I no longer had access to people and information that were necessary to what I intended to write. Though my room was booked for another night, I had decided to return home where I am accustomed to writing. So, I began loading my truck for the return journey.

The evening before, I had written a call out (explained in Stand Up; Stand Down). In that call out, I had recognized the necessity of an immediate response, and that response would have to come from the Harney County area, to be effective. What it said in part, was:

“Attention all Oathkeepers, Idaho Three Percenters, Pacific Patriots Network, especially Brandon Curtiss, Joe Rice, Eric Parker, and Stewart Rhodes.

. . .

You have an obligation to proceed to the Harney County Resource Center (the wildlife refuge), immediately, in order to protect the patriots still there. If you fail to arrive, you will demonstrate by your own actions that your previous statements to defend life, liberty, and property were false.

As I was carrying some things to the truck, a man walked up to me. I recognized him as Curtiss, and I noticed that there were 4 other men with him, all in their twenties or thirties, and 3 of them quite husky. Brandon introduced himself, and as is my habit, I extended my hand. He replied that he would not shake my hand and then accused me of calling him a coward. Now, the circumstances didn’t warrant, in most cases, my attention to exact words, however, my reply was something along the lines that I did not call him a coward, only his action, or lack thereof, would make that determination.

One of the, let me call them, “goons”, was taking video with his phone, so there exists a record of these dealings. So, if I am in error, let them come forward with the entire video.

As I continued to go to the room and return to the truck to load it, Eric Parker challenged me, as well. They tried to block my passage, and I had to walk around them. At one point, I was putting things in the back seat (4-door) and when I turned around, Curtiss had blocked as much of the area between the door and bed of the truck as he could block. There is no doubt that he wanted me to “push” my way through, and then claim that I had assaulted him. However, I turned sideways and managed to slide out and go about my business.

During the course of my coming and going from the room, I called the manager and asked him to call the cops; that I was being threatened and harassed. It might seem ironic to some that I ended up calling the cops on someone who spent 8 or 9 years as a cop, but why not give him a taste of his own medicine?

While the harassment continued, and threats were being made, I heard a voice from behind me saying, “Leave him alone!” One of the beefier goons went up and faced this rather short, wiry guy. When I glanced back over that way, a few seconds later, the goon had decided not to take on the little guy.

The manager walked by and told me that he had finally gotten through to the police. Just a minute or so later, Brandon offered me his hand. I told him that he had his chance, and chose not to take it. At about the same time, the little guy said, quite loudly, “Don’t do it”, meaning don’t shake his hand. I was really beginning to like this guy.

When I had the truck nearly loaded, I went over to see who this supporter was. I asked him if I knew him. He simply replied, “Wolf”. He explained that he was a friend of KC Massey, and it struck me that I had interviewed him when I did the story of the shooting by the BPS agent. I couldn’t recall, at that time what his real name was, and now that I do, I think I’ll just leave it at “Wolf”.

He told me that he had been asked to go to Burns to protect me, though he refused to say who gave him those instructions. So, that will remain a mystery to both the reader, and me but it was nice to know that someone, besides my family, was concerned for my safety.

While still talking with Wolf, the police finally arrived. I explained what had occurred to the officer. In the meantime, another patriot that I had met the night before had been watching from the second floor balcony, and he came down and joined us. Both he and Wolf confirmed what I told the cop.

Meanwhile, other cops were interrogating Brandon and the goons, so that head cop, the one that I had spoken to, went over to put the pieces together. Soon, he returned and said, “Everything has been taken care of. You have nothing to worry about. If there is a problem, call us and we well be here, right away.” I thanked him and wished him a good day.

Meanwhile, the second floor patriot was joined by his girlfriend. I offered to take all to breakfast, but Wolf decided it would be his treat. We went to a local truck stop and had a great breakfast, and a wonderful conversation between real patriots.

Interestingly, my dealings with Brandon Curtiss were not over. On February 4, just after 11:00 AM, I received a Facebook PM from him. It started out, “All bullshit aside with our differences, I am not planning on storming any barricades. That would be insane. This is getting spun up and out of control.”

This led to a rather extended PM exchange, and a phone call (identified in the PM), that led to what I thought would be a resolution of our differences and beginning to work together. It had to do with a conversation that I had earlier with someone who contacted me as he was traveling to Oregon.

The post in question, which will also appear in the PMs, states that PPN “will march through the barricades and through the FBI.” This information was passed on as unconfirmed, but would be necessary for the person to get to the Narrows and be prepared to bring those who were not affiliated with PPN to join them, if it were true.

My team continued to track the source of that information in an effort to confirm, or deny, the “information”. It had become quite apparent that many absurd stories had been circulating, by that time.

At 11:03 AM, February 4, I get a Facebook PM from Brandon Curtiss.

At 11:27 AM, begins the explanation as to what had occurred, and what the OMD position was in the matter. To aid the four inside (Fry, 2 Andersons & Banta), we wanted to see if we could get them some relief so that we could be sure of “holding the fort” long enough to put out a general call, hoping for many more to come to Burns to assist in keeping the public lands open to the public.

At 11:32, I suggest that we begin working together. Brandon agreed. Then, I indicate what the OMD position is, that we need the relief to get in to the Refuge.

At about 12:30 Brandon wanted to go telephonic. Not yet being sure that I could rely on what he said, based upon the previous experience, I recorded the call. A timeline to key parts of the conversation follows:

0:24 – 4:00: Explanation of how we can hold the ground. Brandon builds obstacle to discourage any real action. Then, he explains that he got a call from Oregon State Police (OSP) — based upon what he had sent me (in PM at 11:18 AM). So, I have to wonder why they called him. They didn’t call me, though I appear to be an instigator. Does Brandon have some special relationship with the OSP? Did they call him to get him to thwart any action that might provide relief to those inside?

5:06 – 7:50: He suggests that this would be a “point of no return”. Darn, someday, if we want constitutional government restored, there will be a “point of no return”. He thinks that we would need a thousand “well trained patriots”. To form the battle line that has been suggested would only require discipline. If we cannot get our country back without “well trained patriots”, then we just might as well put our hands behind our backs and back up to the nearest FBI agent. That is nothing more than an obstacle, really, an obstruction — which has little merit. When you have to fight, you fight with what you have. Patriots have been training for many years. Do we train into oblivion? However, I continued to discuss a tactic that has been presented, as that tactic would be both unanticipated and difficult to defend against.

8:29 – 9:00: Brandon talks about the call outs that they have done. Those call outs will be discussed, elsewhere, but they have been absent any show of force, rather, they are intended to just get people to Burns and let them be a burden on the town (See The Burns Community). Quite frankly, what he had, and continues to call for, has hurt far more than it helped those in the Refuge. He then states that those who had come to Burns, and the Refuge, scattered after LaVoy was shot. The cause and effect of that reaction is discussed in “Stand Up; Stand Down“, and there were persistent phone calls and text messages, from PPN, to those inside, to abandon their positions. This resulted in only 8 or 9 defenders by the next morning.

9:01 – 10:29: Discussion of passive and active support. Brandon seems to prefer passive (demonstrations), though he is Idaho III% (III% is the John Adams estimate of how many colonists FOUGHT, like with muskets, against the British). This is also the difference between Civil Disobedience, which might get you arrested, and Civil Defiance, which is defying the presumed authority with arms, as at the Bundy Ranch in April 2014. Then, he mentions LaVoy, and says that he doesn’t “want anyone else losing their life.” So, now we step into the world of “peaceful resolution”. That was the mantra of the FBI, Sheriff Ward, Judge Grasty, and, apparently, PPN, Idaho III%, and the OathKeepers.

13:40 – 16:40: Brandon explains that he spoke with Ammon and Ryan about letting them (Brandon) know when they were going to be “out and about” so they could be “over watch and scouting around”. So, they (Brandon) took a lot of hits since they weren’t there (at the shooting). However, the run into town has no good place for an ambush. It is wide open. Now, if someone wanted to provide “over watch and scouting around”, there was no reason for Brandon to drop that mission, since he should have known that the road to Grant County went through the Malheur National Forest, with plenty of trees, rolling country, and many curves — ideal for an ambush. As far as not being notified, the meeting in John Day was well advertised as much as a week, or more, before that fateful day. However, it is probably much easier to be sitting in a restaurant, enjoying a meal paid for by contributions made to support the operation, than to take the initiative and scout the route. If they had done so, it is quite apparent that the ambush location was established at least a day before, when branches were cut from trees to facilitate firing positions, snowmobile tracks, and the entire ambush area prepared, and probably quite obvious, at least to someone who could “scout” an area — before, not after, the fact.

18:25 – 19:10: Brandon has both numbers and was going to give them to B. J. Soper, presumably to let him know that we are “working together”.

21:44 – 22:04: Here, Brandon includes the FBI, along with OSP, as having contacted him. Why they have so much faith in getting answers from Brandon is a matter for speculation, at this point.

22:32 – 23:22: Brandon says, “Well, we will work through it. It’s okay. And the, by all of us coming to gather, and then working together, it just makes us stronger”…. We then, finally, “shook hands”, over the phone — that is the honorable thing that real men do. Then, he says, “This is what we all need to be doing, working together and building our network, you know, larger.”

So, we end the conversation with what should be a good and honorable working relationship.

On the morning of February 5, I discovered that, without notifying me, nor having received that call that Soper was supposed to have made to me, the “Call to Action” at the blockade had been changed to a demonstration at the site of LaVoy’s murder. Though I don’t have the original message that I received that morning, the following is the wording from pacificpatriotsnetwork.com:

So, what had been discussed (above) was simply tossed out the window, the location changed, and raises the question as to the sincerity of Brandon Curtiss, as we have learned to expect from government officials.

My comment, with regard to this “working together”, then continues the PM conversation. Needless to say, Brandon Curtiss’ true colors were amply demonstrated, not only by this most recent episode, but not in the least, inconsistent with what was reported by Ryan Payne, Brandon’s asserting authority over any militia that came to Burns, his abrupt rudeness and unwillingness to talk in the early conversations, and finally, this attempt to obtain information, suggest that he was honorable, and then assigning the responsibility, not on himself, as leader of Idaho III% and PPN, but on Soper, who was probably never informed of the telephone conversation and the agreement to work together.

NOTE: Though one of the comments (Matt Grove) below links a questionable business practice, reports at the following link refers to Brandon Curtiss’ business, Curtiss Property Management, where there are two other reports filed explaining his character. They are not inconsistent with what is presented, above. He is, it appears, simply a “con man”, both in real life and as a “patriot”.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/specific_search/Brandon+Curtiss

Burns Chronicles N^o 6

Is There a Peaceful Solution?

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 09, 2016

I have heard professed patriots, such as Melvin Lee (especially, beginning at the 19:27 mark), on behalf of Pacific Patriot Network (PPN), claiming that what was accomplished by Ammon Bundy and others was wrong, that there is a peaceful way to achieve what they were trying to achieve. When what Ammon did is compared with our own history, they argue that there was no Constitution then, but there is one now, and we must abide by it.

So, let’s set the record straight by starting with the Constitution. There was an English Constitution, however, it was a compilation of acts and court decisions, beginning with the Magna Carta, and insuring the “Rights of Englishmen”. It was the Crown’s refusal to recognize the rights of the colonists, as they were enjoyed in England that led to the Revolution.

Our Constitution is written in a single document, with amendments in addition to the original. However, the Supreme Court will not pass on the constitutionality of a matter before it “unless absolutely necessary to a decision of the case”. In other words, only as a last resort. This was explained to the country in a 1936 Supreme Court decision, Ashwander v. T.V.A.

Lee also claims that there is a peaceful solution, suggesting demonstrating, petitioning politicians, etc. Well, those are fine words; however, they are nothing more than words. But, I don’t want you to take my word for it. I think that the best source would be a person, Representative Greg Walden, who had firsthand knowledge of the abuse by the administrative agencies, even though an act of the Congress was passed to set some rigid rules against such abuse. If our lawmakers pass a law and the agencies ignore, or circumvent, the law, perhaps you can explain to me just how a peaceful resolution can be achieved. Listen to the entirety of his Speech on the Floor of the House of Representatives (Published January 8, 2016 – 24 minutes).

So, what can we do to change things, peacefully? To get government back to being the servant rather than the master? I have read the OathKeepers post where they are trying to get Ammon and his people to leave. They suggest that a “lateral move” to another, friendly, county, would solve the problem. Well, it surely would have gotten them off the Refuge. And, we heard both the Sheriff and the FBI constantly touting that they were seeking a “peaceful resolution”, but, then, we have the aerial footage showing just how that turned out for LaVoy Finicum, Ryan Bundy, and the others who are currently facing 6 years of “peaceful” solitude.

Surely, had Ammon done so, they would have gone directly into the hands of the feds, or ended up being murdered, as happened to LaVoy Finicum on the 26th. So, words, whether from the feds, law enforcement, or professed patriots, mean nothing. Only actions speak loud enough to generate the attention, and the support of other freedom loving Americans. Consider, too, that we have passed the point of even thinking that words, unless backed up by the threat of defensive force, are worth any more than the words of those who are destroying our country, and those who seem to, under the guise of “patriotism”, support those deceptive words.

Burns Chronicles N^o 5
The Burns Community

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 8, 2016

I arrived in Burns, Oregon on Sunday evening, January 24. After checking into the Silver Spur Motel, I drove down to the Refuge. At the gate (a truck blocking the roadway into the building complex), I was questioned. I mentioned both Ryan Payne and Ammon Bundy, as they both knew that I was coming up to write some articles about subjects peripheral to the story that was currently hitting the news, social media, and anywhere a listener or reader could be found. Unlike Waco, where fax networking was the patriots’ media, this modern age has made information access a whole new world. I was more interested in the back stories than what was readily available.

After a few radio calls, I was escorted down to the Admin building, then directed to MOB (Militia Operational Base), where I found Ryan. I was welcomed, warmly, and assured that access would be less difficult, in the future. It was mid-evening, so I returned to Burns and got a good night’s sleep.

I had picked up an ATT phone on the way up, but was unable to “initiate” it, so the next morning, having learned that only Verizon service is available at the newly named Harney County Resource Center (HCRC), I went to the local Verizon store and purchased a phone and a month’s worth of unlimited calls.

While waiting for nearly an hour to get my phone, another man that was waiting for service went outside to have a cigarette. I joined him and asked if I could interview him regarding what was happening in Burns. He agreed, so I got my recording out of the truck, and began my first, and only recorded, interview. His name is Chuck, and he had lived in and around Burns for over forty years. He drives a truck for a living.

When asked what he thought about what was going on down at the Refuge, he said, “I think those guys are on the right track.”

What about what is going on here in Burns? “I stopped at the airport yesterday and got treated like I was flying the ISIS flag, when I drove up there.”

Same thing when I went to the Courthouse. All I wanted to do was talk to a state cop. I had a horse missing. I had guys pointing guns at me; FBI agents pointing guns at me. I said, ‘Guys, I’m not packing’. They wouldn’t back off. You probably won’t print this, but they are a bunch of assholes. They need to back off from treating us locals like we’re gonna shoot them… I don’t want to be treated like an outlaw just because I live in this town.”

I asked him about the influx of Oregon State Police and the Sheriff’s deputies from other counties. He said, “They need to go home. I don’t want to be paying these federal agents and all these extra County Sheriffs and all of the State Police, when those guys out there are on the right track. All they need to do is go out and talk to them. We just don’t need them.”

I asked him if he believed that the federal government ever gave in, once they had made up their mind. He answered, “I don’t think so. If the jerk-off in the White House would just release the Hammonds, like he has done with all of the drug dealers and all the other federal prisoners — just sign a pardon. All they did is light a fire to protect their ranch. Just sign a pardon and let them go. This would all settle down.”

What about the aspect that those at the Refuge want the land to go back to the people? “I think that is where it ought to be. Not only in the Refuge, but in the Forest Service, and the BLM. I go out here and try to ride my 4-wheeler, I can’t. Cause every time I jump my 4-wheeler out of the back… Here’s the BLM cop telling me he’s gonna write me a ticket; because I’m going to ride me 4-wheeler on public land.”

You’ve seen the signs that say, ‘Enjoy Your Public Lands’, haven’t you? “No, no, not in this county. I’ve seen them. They’re bullshit. You wanna camp, you have to camp in one of their campgrounds that you gotta pay them to camp in. Then, they come and harass you. You can’t go to the woods anymore, cause they burned all the timber off, so now they got it all blocked off so they can do their experiments, or whatever the hell they are doing up there.”

Did they burn some timberland here, in Harney County? “Oh, hell yea. They let the first get away, and then they come in and build backfires twenty miles away from the fire that was going. And, the two fires never, ever, got together. Thousands of acres have been destroyed by the Forest Service. One time, they brought in firefighters out of Georgia and they went out and built backfires along the roads, twenty miles from the original fire. They didn’t even fight the fire. And, they burned all of the timber off. I think they burned the timber off because they don’t want any logging. It’s not job security for these loggers to go out and log it. If they log it, we don’t have wild fires. We used to log this country and keep that timber thinned out and moved back, and the brush was kept down. Them loggers would replant, but they never clear cut. They go out and selective cut after the Forest Service marked the trees they wanted out. And, they would go out and they would cut them, drag ’em out, knock the brush down. We didn’t have fires. Now, we don’t have loggers, but we got fires everywhere; All the time.”

He continued, “There was a big fire out here towards John Day. It burned all of that country off, cause it hadn’t been burned in fifty years. The Forest Service just won’t sell the timber. If they won’t sell the timber, the loggers can’t have it. What’s the Forest Service got to do with selling timber? They don’t own those trees. It belongs to us. They won’t sell the timber. The timber revenue used to pay for our schools. There is no timber sold, anymore. There ain’t no logging goes on here. The mill is shut down, it’s gone.”

What do you know about ranching and cattle?

“I know a little bit about it. Most of the ranchers around here, they deal with them, because they have to.

I’ve lived here my whole life. I like to take my 4-wheeler out and ride. And, I can’t, anymore. That’s what’s got me siding with the guys at the Refuge. The Forest Service and the BLM are the gardeners that we hired to take care of our garden. They are not the law enforcement, they don’t own it. And, they need to quit telling me what to do on our property. They should just go out there and tend to our trees, go out there and tend to our water holes, make sure that grass is growing, and shut the hell up.

“It’s really not just my 4-wheeler, it’s that they think they own it. Many years ago, the first Forest Service cop I saw, she was in the county parade. She’s riding a horse and all Ramboed up; guns, tazers, all the Rambo BS, and she’s setting on a horse, and I asked her, what the hell does the Forest Service have that’s worth shooting somebody over. And, she says, ‘Well, I have to protect myself.’ So, I said, ‘Well, if you weren’t an asshole when you walked up to someone in the woods, you wouldn’t need protection. You wouldn’t need a gun to protect yourself. If you walked up to someone who was cutting a tree down, to burn in their house, and you weren’t a jerk about it, you wouldn’t need protection, you wouldn’t need a gun.

“It’s like these jerks up here. You know, treating me like I’m an outlaw walking up to the Courthouse. That’s my Courthouse up there. I paid for that Courthouse and the Sheriff’s Office. I can’t even go to the Sheriff’s Office. Can’t get anywheres close to it. I pay that guy’s wages. I pay for his building, I pay for his heat, we pay for all of that. But, we can’t go up there, because that idiot FBI agent has got it all surrounded. They challenge me with automatic weapons. They’ve got it surrounded up there. You can go to the Courthouse, but you got to get through FBI agents to get into the Courthouse. The Sheriff’s Office is right behind it, but you can’t go to the Sheriff’s Office. That’s my Sheriff, and I had a horse out. I went to the Sheriff’s Office to see if see if I could just get somebody on patrol to just watch out for it. State cops, and the Sheriff’s deputies. I wanted to talk with the State Police, but I had to have the cop come outside of the barricades to talk to me because I couldn’t go inside of the barricades to talk to him. A cop that I’m paying for. It’s horseshit, it is all horseshit!”

What about Judge Grasty? “He needs to be in the Sheriff’s jail. I don’t know him all that well. I know who he is.”

I did interview others, though more informally. At restaurants, standing in line at the Safeway, and a couple of them just stopping someone on the street.

The interview with Chuck is consistent with most of what I heard. There were some common aspects, as everybody I interviewed had no problem with what was happening 30 miles away, whether they agreed with what they were doing, or not. Thirty miles distance had no effect on the Burns community, except a little additional business, such as more outsiders in the motel and at the local diners.

Their concerns, apprehension, and “fear”, as expressed by Sheriff Ward, had nothing to do with those at the Refuge. There was concern over the FBI and multitude of Sheriff’s deputies from other counties coming into their community, setting up barricades, and otherwise the presence of so many law enforcement people in town. However, the greater concern seemed to be the number of people walking around their otherwise peaceful community, armed. These would be those who professed to keep things peaceful, and avoid another “Waco” at the Refuge, while arrogantly walking the streets, almost like the gunfighters of the past, though holstering automatic pistols instead of Six-guns.

Though both sides blamed the peaceful occupants of the Refuge, they chose to impose upon the community rather than direct their efforts at what they claimed to be the problem, or those to be protected.

When I asked if they had been to the Refuge, most answered that they already had, or that they intended to go down and meet the people that were standing up for their rights.

Burns Chronicles N^o 4
Stand Up; Stand Down

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 7, 2016

On the morning of January 26, 2016, I traveled to the Harney County Resource Center (HCRC), formerly known as the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, from Burns. I had arranged to get the necessary information for some articles I intended to write.

When lunchtime came, I went to the mess hall. The Sharp Family had just begun with one of their songs, and I saw Ammon Bundy sitting with others at a corner table. I walked up and asked if I could sit at that table, and Ammon, graciously said, “Yes, please sit down.”

I had spoken with Ammon a number of times, in the months prior, though we had never met. As I introduced myself, I realized that he had been looking forward to our meeting, as I had.

We discussed the stories I intended to write, and he was fully supportive of the story lines, especially the one that would be about the people of Burns and their reactions to certain events, both in and out of town.

Before I left, the Sharps began another song. I had heard audio tapes of their singing during the Bundy Affair, but they didn’t compare to the live performance I heard that day.

After lunch, I located Ryan Payne. We had spent over a week together in November finishing a PowerPoint Presentation for Committees of Safety (CoS). This presentation had been used to explain the concept of CoS to some of the residents of Harney County. They then formed their own Harney County Committee of Safety.

I gave Ryan an inscribed copy of a biography of Robert E. Lee, which now still sits where he placed it. I had also forgotten to bring long johns, and needed some bottoms. Ryan went to the storeroom and retrieved a pair, explaining that they were from the delivery made through III Percent Patriots, just a few weeks before.

Both Ammon and Ryan had expressed their interest in the upcoming meeting at John Day, Grant County, and another meeting with Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer. Little did we know, then, what was soon to come.

I returned to my room in Burns and began writing. About an hour later, I received a phone call that reported that there had been a shooting and that LaVoy Finicum and Ryan (later to learn it was Ryan Bundy, not Ryan Payne) had been shot. About 15 minutes later, after some confirmation of the shooting, I headed back down to the HCRC. Realizing that most of the leadership at the HCRC was traveling to Grant County, and recognizing that it was imperative that some additional forces might be necessary to retain the public lands open to the public, I picked up my role of Public Relations for OMD. We had previously discussed and approved a call out to bolster the efforts at the HCRC. We felt there was time to prepare a call out, but suddenly, that call out became imperative.

I contacted my team (not a part of OMD, rather some wonderful, unpaid, people that assist me in research, audio/video editing, and other mundane tasks) and began dictating a call out, as I drove the thirty-three miles to the HCRC. Though not properly proofread, it was prepared and the remaining requirement was to get affirmation from those at the HCRC — that they wanted their forces supplemented.

Upon my arrival, I found a number of team leaders and other higher-level members discussing the shooting, the determination to hold their ground, and a refusal to accept orders from outside. It seems that a lot of people calling the individuals tried to talk them into abandoning their mission. I asked if they wanted a call out, and to a man, they said, “Yes”. So, I instructed my team to spread that dictated call out around the Internet. It was sent out at 7:56 PM PST, January 26, 2016:

From Gary Hunt, Outpost of Freedom in Burns, Oregon.
Attention all Oathkeepers, Idaho Three Percenters, Pacific Patriots Network, especially Brandon Curtis, Joe Rice, Eric Parker, and Stewart Rhodes.

This is a call-out to the membership of Operational Mutual Defense (OMD) and friends.

You have an obligation to proceed to the Harney County Resource Center (the wildlife refuge), immediately, in order to protect the patriots still there. If you fail to arrive, you will demonstrate by your own actions that your previous statements to defend life, liberty, and property were false.

To members of Operation Mutual Defense, this is an emergency. The purpose of Operation Mutual Defense is to respond to overbearing actions by the federal government that has become threatening to life, liberty, or property. Lavoy Finicum has been murdered by the FBI, and Ryan Payne [Bundy] has been shot.

They were en route to a meeting where had been invited by the Grant County sheriff to address the citizens in Grant County, a peaceful mission.

The time for all good men to come to the aid of their country has come — to the Harvey County Resource Center, which is 30 miles south of Burns, Oregon.

Stand by your oath. God Bless America.

You will note that it was directed at certain organizations present in Burns since January 2, or earlier. Though we didn’t know what the government’s next step would be, time was of the essence. There were a number of members of those organizations just 30 miles away, and they were absolutely necessary if the HCRC was to be held. They were present in order to discourage a “Waco type” raid, according to all of their public statements.

In my haste to get to the HCRC, I had failed to take my computer. I had mail lists that went to upwards of 800 people, and getting the call out to them was imperative. The “hot spot” at the refuge was no longer active, but efforts were being made to get it reestablished, so I opted to return to Burns to get my computer. When I returned to HCRC, I learned that women and children, as well as many of the men, especially from those organizations, had left. However, there was hope that they would soon be replaced by some of those who had been staying in town.

I had stopped at the bridge on Sodhouse Lane (the road to the HCRC) where a front-end loader had been placed on the bridge to prohibit traffic. Jason Patrick was there, as was a wonderful “young” lady named Barbara Berg. I found that the hotspot had not been restored, so I decided to wait in the press area (west of the bridge) and assist Jason in coordinating interviews with the various press. This task ended up going until about 7:45 the morning of the 27th.

Shortly before, a press crew had come in and said that a roadblock had been set up on SR 205, the direct route to Burns and the last of the available roads out from the area. They had been told that once you go out, you could not return.

At about 7:45, a lady from ABC called the press together and explained that she had received a call from the FBI. They had told her that there were “armed forces” on each side of us, and that the FBI could not provide for anyone’s safety, unless they left the area.

About that time, a friend called and said that she had been told that I would be assassinated when I left. I knew that the government did not like my writing, but I shrugged off the warning. However, that message remained in my mind and created a bit of apprehension.

I had intended to go to the Narrows (restaurant, store, and campground) about six miles west and cover what I could from there. Instead, I decided that I might be better off returning to Burns, though I was still a bit anxious about the message. I determined to place discretion ahead of valor, and return to Burns.

I asked one of the press members who I had spoken with, before, if I could leave with him so that there was someone present if the rumor were true. He said that he could not ethically do so, but informed me that he would be leaving shortly.

Most of the press proceeded to the Narrows, where he and I also went. When he was ready to leave, I pulled out behind him. At the stop sign, he remained conspicuously longer than necessary, so I pulled around him as he nodded at me.

As I approached the checkpoint, I saw that the woman in front of me had gotten out of her car, held up her hands, and walked toward the motioning agent. I was behind her about 50 feet, where the first stop was implemented. I removed my bulky jacket, not wanting to appear to have any place in which to hide weapons.

Finally, her car was driven forward by an agent, and I was motioned to the next stop. I arrived with head and hands out the window, except to the extent that I had to steer the truck. I then exited, walked across the road, then forward, hands raised, to the awaiting agent. I was patted down, asked my name, did I have weapons, and showed identification. He asked if I was press, I told him yes, he asked for my press credentials, I told him they were on the dashboard of my truck. Another agent verified that they were there.

Then, on to what was referred to as “Clearance #1”, where I was again questioned. By then, I was shivering; perhaps both from cold and apprehension, and the agent asked if I wanted a coat out of the truck. I affirmed, and as the agent drove my truck by, I was able to retrieve both coat and hat.

My truck, again, left me, and I was escorted up to “Clearance #2”, where I stood and talked with the agent. He was from the mid-west, and I asked him where he was staying. He said he had just arrived and immediately went on duty.

Finally, he received a report that I had passed clearance at #2, and I was allowed to go to my truck and drive up to “Clearance #3”.

At #3, I found that the agent was from “up north”, and had not stayed in Burns. So, it appears that they were deployed from their home bases directly to duty. This would explain why there were so few battle dressed agents staying in Burns or at the airport.

While waiting for my final clearance, the reporter behind me was passed through, drove around me and up the road. About 600 feet up, he stopped, and both he and his partner got out and took pictures, showing that I was still alive at Clearance #3, and the last of the checkpoints.

However, his passing me was a cause for apprehension. This was heightened when the next vehicle behind him was cleared and drove by me. I had been at #3 for almost twenty minutes, when I was finally cleared when he repeated what had been transmitted through his radio, “White hat is cleared”, and allowed to continue on toward Burns. A total of fifty minutes, filled with rising anxiety, and finally relief.

I had agreed to an interview with a reporter, in exchange for lunch, but first, I had to attend a press conference at eleven o’clock. After the press conference, we did the interview, and I returned to my room and a mountain of phone calls. After returning the calls, I was finally able to, after 34 hours, lie down and get some sleep.

When I awoke, I found that nobody had shown up at the HCRC to bolster the force, and even worse, that more had left. Concerned that many might be driving toward Burns, and not sure how long the few remaining there (down from the 8 or 9 that had been there at last report), I realized that circumstances, as they were, could not be improved by additional people arriving, with no place to report to, and the final door being shut. That 12-hour window when people could easily enter the area was closed. So a stand down was in order. I sent out the following at 9:21 PM PST January 27, 2016.

From Gary Hunt, Outpost of Freedom
In Burns, Oregon

Based on existing circumstance, support is too late, and would be dangerous, or at least result in your arrest if you attempted to get into the Refuge.

As I left the Refuge, this morning, troops were still arriving, according to those I talked with were arriving from various points as far east as Iowa, and further north. They appeared to have been staged at their home bases until they deployed directly to their field assignments. My estimate of perimeter troop strength would be 200-300, and one of these that I spoke with explained that he was “external perimeter”; they had even developed a protective perimeter concept, so that there were two lines that had to be overcome to gain entry.

At this point any effort to provide support for those inside by joining them would serve no useful purpose, and would be a fool’s errand.

OMD is currently working with others to establish a foundation upon which to build, so that the work begun in freeing public lands can be completed.

Burns Chronicles N^o 2
Ambush

LaVoy Finicum’s last ride
“I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
                                                                                    Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 2, 2016

The Death of LaVoy Finicum

Note: Times given are referenced to the aerial time stamps, minus eight hours. Quotations are based upon the best recollection of the witnesses.

I had lunch with Ammon Bundy while the Sharp family sang. It was the first time I had met Ammon, and we went over the articles I intended to write about the events that led up to the actions of January 2, 2016, with the investiture of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge administration complex, since renamed the Harney County Resource Center. The subjects for the articles were the misunderstanding of the people of Burns as to what source resulted in the fear and anxiety then extant in the town of Burns, and the information available in the “public” records contained in the filing cabinets at the refuge that might show the use of subterfuge in the obtaining of land to extend the federal “ownership”, not only in the Refuge, but throughout Harney County.

Ammon also indicated his pleasure for the upcoming meeting in the Grant County town of John Day, expecting to get additional support from Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer. As we discussed, it was to the backdrop of the Sharp family’s vary harmonious singing.

I then visited Ryan Payne, an old friend and fellow board member of the Operation Mutual Defense (OMD) Advisory Board. Ryan, too, was looking forward to a productive meeting with the Grant County community, hoping to establish a Committee of Safety to become a voice from the disenfranchised people of that County, as they had in Harney County.

The meeting was to begin at 6:00 PM on January 26, 2016. The drive, which in that part of the country, is a rather fixed route. From the Refuge, you go west on Sodhouse Lane to State Road 208, then North into Burns where you pick up US 395 North, through Malheur National Forest, through Seneca, and finally to John Day. The trip is just over 130 miles and is, unquestionably, the only practical way between the two locations.

Vehicle #1, the lead vehicle, LaVoy’s white 4-door pickup truck, contained Robert “LaVoy” Finicum driving, Ryan Payne at shotgun, and, from driver’s side to passenger side in the back seat, Ryan Bundy, Victoria Sharp, and Shawna Cox. Vehicle #2 contained Mark McConnell, driving his brown 4-door Jeep, with Brian “Budda” Cavalier at shotgun and Ammon Bundy in the rear. This was the position of all of the people as they left the HCRC, and the position of each until they left their respective vehicles. Thus, they began their 33-mile drive to Burns, which resulted in an unexpected and tragic termination.

After leaving Burns, they traveled up US 395 about 15 miles north of the intersection with US 20. As they passed National Forest Road 2820 (NF 2820) on their right, they noticed a line of trucks and other vehicles stacked up to enter US 395. There were at least eight vehicles, rather odd for the middle of a forest. This was about 4:25 PM, and about an hour out from their destination.

Once those vehicles turned north, the same direction they were traveling, it dawned on them that this might just not be a coincidence. However, optimistically, they continued on their way.

Less than a minute later, Vehicle #2 pulled over in response to flashing lights and sirens. Those who pulled over Vehicle #2 identified themselves as FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) with a loudspeaker. They then instructed the driver to exit the vehicle and walk toward them, hands on his head. He approached them, he was instructed to lie on the ground, head away from them, and “low-crawl” back to them, where they disarmed him, cuffed him and patted him down. The same procedure was then addressed to the man in the back seat (Ammon), and finally to the man in the front seat (Budda), until all three were “secured”. All three acted without resisting, and fully compliant with the instructions given. They were then placed on the ground with their backs against one of the FBI vehicles, where they remained until after those from Vehicle #1 were finally returned to that area. Ammon’s hat and briefcase were still in the Jeep when it was recovered from impound, two days later

Vehicle #1, realizing that Vehicle #2 was no longer behind them, and not wanting to separate from and abandon their friends, slowed to a stop just beyond NF 31, about 3/4 mile from where the ambush began. They were followed by two FBI vehicles that stopped about 40 feet behind them. Ryan Payne then stuck his hands and head out of the passenger side window and a single shot was fired, striking the truck near the outside rear-view mirror.

The first shot having been fired, Ryan’s concern was for the women who were well within that line of fire. He exited the truck, hands held about shoulder level, and yelled, “There are women in here”. Seeing the number of guns pointed at him, when the command was given, “hands on your head. Walk toward us”, he complied. He was then searched, handcuffed, and taken back to where the three from Vehicle #2 were detained, a few hundred yards behind Vehicle #1.

After Ryan left the vehicle, LaVoy, seeing laser dots around him, and the observers in the back seat seeing a laser dot directly on LaVoy’s hat, he sticks his head and one hand out the window and yells, “Go ahead and shoot me.” He follows that with, “We are going to meet with the Sheriff [Palmer of Grant County]. We have a meeting with the Sheriff. You are going to have to shoot me. We are going to see the Sheriff. We are going to see the Sheriff.”

LaVoy then turned to the remaining occupants and said, “We are going to see the Sheriff. If you girls want to get out, then you can.” Victoria then replied, “I am not getting out.” She was terrified because Ryan had been shot at.

Shawna, a grandmother herself, was not going to leave a little girl by herself, opted to go with the flow. So, the three in the back seat slid down, knees against the back of the front seat, getting their heads as low as possible. In the forest, there was no cell phone service, so efforts to call out were futile. Shawna, however, had her phone video camera on and was filming these events, as they happened.

At 4:33:47 PM, LaVoy accelerates and the chase was on. Shawna then asked how far they would make it before the tires would be shot out. Receiving no answer, she asked, “How far is it to John Day?” LaVoy replied, “Fifty miles.”

Just over a mile up the road, at the end of a left sweeping curve, three vehicles block the roadway. The roadside has a snow bank about 2-3 feet high. After just about 1 minute of flight, hoping to get to Sheriff Palmer at John Day, their hopes decelerate as rapidly as LaVoy’s truck before it turns slightly to the left and plows through the snow. As an agent runs into the path of the truck, LaVoy swerves further to the left, probably to avoid injuring the agent. The truck comes to its final rest. Although past the vehicles blocking the road to John Day, the failed momentum of LaVoy’s efforts to reach sanctuary with Sheriff Palmer.

Unknown to those in the truck, and those back down the road, an effort was made to warn them of what was to come.

Victoria and Shawna were last minute passengers in Vehicle #1 because Victoria was late in preparing for the trip to John Day. Her family had left more than ten minutes ahead of LaVoy, in that they were scheduled to sing at the Community Meeting, the destination of all.

When the Sharp family passed the checkpoint at Seneca, they tried to contact those behind them, but cell reception was non-existent where these events were unfolding. Any chance to forewarn them of what they might expect was not able to be conveyed.

Within seconds, LaVoy is out of the truck, hands raised, and observing where the agents are, walks widely away from the truck and towards its rear to assure that if gunfire begins, that the truck and those inside of it are not in the line of fire.

[Note: A Witness has provided a correction — that the gunfire started even before LaVoy got out of the truck, that being the shots fired at LaVoy’s truck while he was still on the road driving toward the roadblock. opf ]

The rear seat occupants slowly rise, after LaVoy exits. They are still trying to stay low, but also to observe, as best they can, what is occurring outside of the vehicle. They see LaVoy, hands in the air, trying to negotiate deep snow and probably uneven ground, stumbling, occasionally, probably because he was wearing his narrow cowboy boots.

[Note: Ryan Bundy is recording, verbally, on his cell phone, what is transpiring. Shawna Cox is taking video of the events, as they go down. Neither phone nor camera have been returned to their owners. opf ]

LaVoy then, probably still attempting to remove the threat from those still in the vehicle, yells, “Shoot me, just go ahead and shoot me.” As he is being shot, he turns back towards his friends, still in the truck, as if in a final good-bye. Just 13 seconds after LaVoy left the truck, he falls to the ground, dead. However, his arm does move, slightly, after he lay on the ground, perhaps as a last gesture to those still inside, perhaps a reflexive reaction.

Note: Second person information from one of the witnesses, indicates that LaVoy was shot

[Note: The witness has provided a correction to the article – that the witness observed at least three shots that hit LaVoy, though there may have been ore. opf ]

There is no reason to believe that he was shot in the face, only in the body-mass.

Those inside are terrified; they see that LaVoy is shot, while unarmed. In reflection, if soldiers (or Marines) in Afghanistan, had acted as the agents and shot an unarmed man, without provocation, would have violated the Rules of Engagement (ROE) of war, and would have stood Court Martial, then probably imprisoned or discharged from service. Unfortunately, the ROE do not apply here, in our own “free” country.

At the same time that the gunfire was directed at LaVoy, by two agents clearly aiming at him, those inside of the truck begin seeing laser dots, perhaps thirty or forty at any given time, and Ryan Bundy is shot in the shoulder. Bullets begin to pierce the truck; windows break, impacted by bullets. All hell breaks loose as perhaps hundreds of bullets penetrate the vehicle or hit the snow, outside, sending clouds of snow into the air. All of the windows had been broken by gunfire, which was described as “coming from every direction”.

Ryan and Victoria had gotten on their knees, ducking as low as they could while Shawna remained in the previously described position. They began to wonder if the gunfire would ever stop, and that eventually they, too, would be killed by the agents.

Laser dots were appearing on knees, seats, all over, inside of the truck and they realized that other agents had come out from behind trees on the left side, and perhaps the right side of the road, firing randomly into the truck and surrounding area. Whether through the grace of God, or simply poor marksmanship, after nearly six minutes, those inside began yelling, “Stop, stop”. Then, gunfire, flash-bang grenades, and tear gas projectiles, ceased.

During this ordeal, Victoria, who had, just finished EMT school, said, “They shot him. I want to help him”, though she was restrained from doing so by Ryan and Shawna. At eighteen years of age, gentle Victoria had seen war come to her own country.

The right side of the truck had plowed snow, so the occupants were told to exit the left door, Ryan Bundy, being first, walks, with hands up, onto the paved roadway and is secured. Next comes Victoria, and finally, Shawna. With no female agents present, Shawna watched very closely as an agent simply ran his fingers around Victoria’s waistband of her pants.

The three were then detained, but allowed to lean against a van, in an effort to stay warm, as opposed to those from Vehicle #2, where they were forced to sit on the cold ground.

After a while, Shawna and Victoria were loaded in a van (not sure of the vehicle type) and driven back to pick up Payne, McConnell, Ammon and Budda. Ryan Bundy was transported by ambulance back to Burns.

They were detained at that location for what seemed like hours. Ryan Payne, after learning of LaVoy’s death, berated the forty, or so, agents, calling them murderers and that they had blood on their hands — something that those who took over the refuge had attempted to avoid, since January 2. However, those who had constantly expressed a desire for a “peaceful resolution” had, finally, drawn first blood in a contemptible act against American citizens, thereby proving the assertions made by Ammon Bundy throughout the course of the occupation of the refuge.

Victoria was extremely upset and constantly expressing her outrage over what the government had done. Mark McConnell, surely upset himself, took it out on Victoria, for her vocal expressions, until quieted by the others.

Somehow Ammon, when searched, managed to sneak his cell phone past the pat down, and as they drove towards Burns, the interior lights of the vehicle being left on, was able to call his wife, Lisa, and began telling her what had happened, including the first outside knowledge of LaVoy’s death. As they approached Burns, the interior lights were turned off, probably so that those on the street could not see who the occupants were. The glow from the phone face now showing brightly on Ammon’s face. They then stopped, pulled them out of the vehicle and found the cell phone.

Next stop was the hospital to check on Ryan Bundy, who still had a bullet in his shoulder, then on to a rest area west of Burns, where everybody was removed. About the same time, Ryan Bundy was also delivered to the rest area.

All were given their Miranda Rights, and it is unknown whether anybody answered any subsequent questions. They were then advised that they were being charged with “conspiracy to impede officers”. The document, the Criminal Complaint, must have been prepared after the arrests were made. A nefarious practice, and probably illegal even by the standards of justice that were intended by the “due process” concept of law. This is abundantly clear by the fact that “Robert ‘LaVoy’ Finicum” is not listed on the Complaint, for if it were prepared before the arrests were made, his name most surely would have been included, unless they had already intended to kill him. More logically, the Criminal Complaint, a requisite for this type of arrest, was prepared after the FBI Special Agent, Katherine Armstrong, signed the Complaint, and Stacie F. Beckerman, U. S. Magistrate, signed the document, purportedly in Portland, some 300 miles away by road. Certainly, not what we should expect from our government.

Finally, all were together, though, then, each was placed in a separate vehicle for transport to their final destinations. Two vehicles transported Mark McConnell and Victoria Sharp back to Burns, where they were released. The remainder went in the opposite direction, presumably directly to Multnomah County Jail.

As far as firearms, one witness said that LaVoy had a 9-mm in his shoulder holster, well under his armpit, and there is no indication that he reached high enough or deep enough under his jacket to even get his hand close to it. With the exception of Shawna and Victoria, all were probably armed, as was the practice. Ryan Bundy appears to have dropped his firearm into the snow as he exited the vehicle. Mark McConnell had his taken when he was “apprehended” at the first stop. LaVoy’s well recognized revolver was left beside the seat when he exited Vehicle #1 to draw fire away from the remaining occupants of that vehicle.

Burns Chronicles N^o 1
Introduction

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
February 2, 2016

This is the first of a series of articles about the events surrounding the investiture of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge administration buildings by a group headed by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven and Carol Bundy. The Bundys are well known for the events in Nevada that played out in April 2014. In that incident, the Bundys, along with hundreds of other patriotic Americans, went beyond “civil disobedience” and entered the realm of “civil defiance”, defying, with arms, the intrusion of the Bureau of Land Management into the long time operation of the cattle part of the Bundy ranch operation – denying rights that had existed for years and denying them their pursuit of the family business.

Though this writer only spent five days in Burns, he was able to meet many of the key players on the side of the patriots, some townspeople from Burns, and some of those who gathered, on one side or the other, to observe, or attempt to affect, the ongoing activities.

As the world knows, the events neared completion when the motorcade, on a peaceful mission to a community meeting in John Day, Grant County, Oregon, met the undue wrath of the federal government, and local and state law enforcement, resulting in the death of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum and the arrest on rather interesting charges of 11 participants of the activities at the refuge.

In an effort to be as factual as possible, many witnesses still have to be interviewed to ensure that what will be written is as factual as possible. Due to the rampant, and most often unsubstantiated, rumors in social media, those stories that will follow should finally put to rest many of those false claims.

Every effort will be made to corroborate the factual aspects of these stories, which will result in each story only “going to press” after exhaustive research and interviews have been completed.

Due to the nature of the interdependence of some activities, conjecture may be used to bridge gaps. This is deemed necessary as the government, at all levels, is notorious for misrepresentations, omissions, concealing evidence under the guise of “ongoing investigation”, or simply to cover their misdeeds. Absent available facts, though circumstantial evidence tends to support conclusions of that interdependence, such conjecture will be appropriately indicated.

If subsequent evidence becomes available, the original article will have an addendum, at the online site, rather than revision of the original story.

Barbeau Qued in Seattle
Terrorists at the Ranch

With Carrie Aenk’s Statement on the Raid

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
December 14, 2015

On November 14, 2015, when Schuyler Barbeau and a friend dropped off a case containing a rifle receiver, an 18″ barrel, and a 10.5″ barrel, the government had all they needed to bring charges against him — for having three legal items in close proximity. Though not seen by the friend, the contents had been described on the way to Oliver Murphy’s house.

Later, according to the Criminal Complaint, the case and contents were turned over to the FBI. According to the Complaint, “the CHS contacted the FBI” to turn the “evidence” over to them, though it appears that the Complaint is in error — that the FBI was staking out the house, as that date had been set up for the drop off, and he was not “contacted” by the FBI, rather the FBI just showed up, got the evidence and then “secured” it.

The evidence is claimed to be an Short Barrel Rifle (SBR), however, it was a receiver, and two barrels, but, let’s not quibble over reality when the government has other objectives.

However, since that time, the FBI has gone on a local television station and let local news agencies know that they have a “domestic terrorist” in custody. So recently after the shootings by real terrorists in San Bernardino, California, it makes them look good if they can now capture a terrorist, even before he terrorizes anyone.

Now, as far as changing the nature of what they were doing, which was to punish Schuyler for not having registered and paid the $200 tax on a SBR, we can rest assured that the FBI will, undoubtedly, put together the chosen pieces of the “secured” hoard to resemble the SBR, long before it is introduced as evidence in court.

However, we must go one step further in the “integrity” of the FBI, or lack thereof. The Constitution affords us protection against “unreasonable searches and seizures”. Specifically, Article IV, Bill of Rights, states:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

So, not only does the object of the search have to be “particularly described”, it must be “supported by Oath or affirmation”.

Now, the Criminal Complaint makes only two allegations in the single “Count 1”. Those allegations are about “violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d) and 5845(a)(3)”. Title 26, by the way, is the Tax Code, not the Criminal Code.

However, on the Search warrant, that is supposed to be supported by Oath or Affirmation, we find those two sections of Title 26, but we also find “possession of stolen federal property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641; and (c) possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o)”. However, there is no “Oath or affirmation” to support these charges. Quite simply, they were probably inserted to demonize Schuyler Barbeau and make him look looked something that he surely is not — a terrorist.

So, let’s look at one of the many definitions of terrorism, as defined in the same United States Code that has already been referenced:

Title 18, United States Code, Section Sec. 2331.

(5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—

(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;

(B) appear to be intended—

(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or

So, we have “acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any State.”. Title 26, the Tax laws, are not criminal, they are, well, “taxes”.

Now, in paragraph (B), it qualifies the act as one intended “to intimidate or coerce a civilian population”, or, “to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion”.

With the television show, the press coverage (the source had to be the government, as Schuyler hasn’t even been able to speak to family, let alone the press), there is no doubt that the efforts were to coerce the population and to influence the policy (jury) by coercion. I think that there can be little doubt as to that affect, as we have already seen the press, and can fully expect the jury, to follow suit.

So, let’s look at paragraph (A). “Violent acts or acts dangerous to human life” that would be criminal acts under our laws. So, absent lawful authority (as per the 4th Amendment), the acts, if they are violent and dangerous to human life, they surely qualify as terrorism. At best, Schuyler may have said some things, but he never acted anything out. That is Freedom of Speech, and is far less offensive that “Kill Whitey” or “Kill cops”, but only one person has been arrested, though the news has shown many dozens of protestors with words and signs to that effect.

But, I digress. Carrie Aenk was home, alone, on the Aenk ranch, some 280 miles from where Schuyler was arrested and Allen Aenk detained for hours. The government knew that she was home alone, and the warrant was daylight only, and no provision for “no-knock” entry. That is not how it played out

Carrie Aenk has written a statement about what occurred. I will leave the reader to judge whether they (the People) would consider these activities to be “domestic terrorism”, or not. Below are some excerpts from that statement:

“I have been raped without them touching my genitalia. I no longer feel safe or secure within the walls of my home or boundaries of my property. They have taken from me what I can never get back.”

* * *

“The Agent sees a sweater just inside the door, grabs it from the hook and drapes it over my shoulders when I see one of my dogs that was supposed to be kenneled in my peripheral view, and then he’s gone. I run to the edge of the porch and down the steps to get my dogs back inside their kennels but I’m thrown to the ground before I can go any further, landing in the icy mud.”

* * *

“When I get back to the house, I walk straight over to the phone and turn my back to it so my fingers can call my attorney’s cell phone. The Agent sees what I’m doing and takes the phone out of the cradle so I can’t use the phone.”

The entire statement (pdf) is at “Carrie’s Statement“. When you are finished reading her account of this ordeal, you may want to consider, based upon the information above, just who the real terrorists are.

Barbeau Qued in Seattle
The Arrest of Schuyler Barbeau

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
December 8, 2015

In the late morning of December 6, 2015, Schuyler Barbeau had been helping Allen Aenk by rescuing service dogs as a business service run from the Aenk family Ranch, in Stevens County, Washington some 280 miles away from where the following events begin to unfold.

At the Weigh Station

After dealing with the dogs, Schuyler wanted stop to collect some money owed him by Oliver Murphy. Murphy texted to Schuyler to meet him at a weigh station at Interstate 90 and Washington Highway 18 (between Preston and Snoqualmie). When they arrived at the weigh station, Oliver’s car was there, but Oliver was nowhere to be seen. So, they parked next to Oliver’s car and Allen got out of the car, cell phone in hand to call his wife and to take the dog to the Dog Walk.

Before he could complete his intended tasks, he saw between 10 and 12 battle dressed people encircle the him and the car. He was told to lie down on the ground. He complied, though he questioned why they were being treated this way. They then handcuffed Allen, and since Schuyler was on the other side of the car, he didn’t really see what happened to him. Allen did note that he saw FBI, US Marshalls, and Coast Guard, though there were no apparent BATF agents on the scene. But, we’ll get to the charges shortly.

The agents were going through his car, but they had no warrant with them, they simply stated that they did have one (There was a warrant to search the car at the premises – ranch, but nothing identifying the car specifically).

They then moved Allen away from the car and began asking questions about Schuyler, but were told to ask Schuyler, not him.

After they had searched the car, one of the agents, acting rather rudely and assertively, asked Allen to sign a “Receipt for Property Seized”, which Allen refused to sign, and Special Agent Kera O’Reilly (did you ever wonder why gimp kids are special, and so are FBI agents?) affirmed that he refused. However, he was provided a copy, and it shows the following items seized from the car:

— Green “Bad Inc” Vest with visible firearms magazine with unknown contents inside pockets, bags, etc

— Grey “Universal” bag with yellow straps, with green sunglasses on strap and unknown contents

— FNH VSA pistol (FNX-45 Tactical Serial # FX3U025994) w/ [intelligible]

Inforce tactical light

1 round loose, 15 in magazine full metal jacket 45 cal

— Cellular telephone, Android platform,

Droid Turbo, w/ other box (grey w/ yellow outline)

Allen was not allowed to verify some of those seized item, in particular, the “Grey Universal bag with yellow straps”, so the feds can do anything they want with the contents. It was Special Agent O’Reilly who, rather rudely, refused Allen’s request to review the contents.

Just so we know who the rather rude agent that dealt with Allen is, she was Kera Wulbert, and may have been Kera Wulbert Wagner, prior to that. Around 2013, she married Brendan Gerard O’Reilly (age 46) and quit-claimed her house at 2914 S Hill Street, Seattle, to herself and her new husband. Enough of that, so, on with the show:

The other Special Agent was Matthew Acker, who acted courteously, as we should be able to expect our public servants to act toward us. These two agents were, apparently, assigned to Allen, while we can suppose that the rest of the jackboots were needed to assure that Schuyler did take over the surrounding forces, though we will have to get that information from him, when he is removed from sequestration and allowed visitors and phone calls.

The Criminal Complaint

Though we have no proof of the existence of an Arrest Warrant being issued prior to the arrest, we do have the Criminal Complaint that resulted in the arrest, as well as the search warrant.

The only Count in the Complaint says that Schuyler “knowingly possessed a firearm which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law, namely, a particular black, semiautomatic AR-15 5.56 mm caliber assault rifle with a 10.5 inch barrel and holographic sight, a rifle having a barrel of less than 16 inches in length”, for which the government wants a $200 tax The refer to Title 26, US Code, §§5861(d) and 5845(a)(3) as the violations. Title 26 is the tax code, so they are assuming that Schuyler owes a tax, and that he failed to pay it. Can you imagine how much it cost the government to persecute Schuyler, as opposed, say, to sending him a bill?

It appears that what he had was a Rainier Arms UltraMatch .223 Wylde Complete Upper – 10.5. This is advertised by Rainier Arms, and the add states that “ALL NFA Rules Apply”.

So, we know and understand that a Class III license holder has, by obtaining the license, agreed to do certain things. Among them would be to verify that if he sold such an item, alleged to be illegal in the Complaint, he would have to run a background check, provide the necessary paperwork to the purchaser, submit the paperwork, and fulfill all of the duties that the regulations require of him. But, that is because he contracted, by obtaining the license, with the government to perform those tasks required by those regulations. This would include 18 USC (criminal) and 26 US Code (tax), and perhaps others. But, it is only the licensee that has agreed to abide by those regulations.

However, the Second Amendment has confirmed our right to bear arms, without infringement. This leaves the government with only limited jurisdiction, via the Commerce Clause (interstate commerce) and the taxing authority, as the means of the government to try to circumvent the limits imposed upon the government by the Constitution. However, if someone hasn’t contracted with the government, they, as well as the government, should be bound only by the Constitution. Schuyler’s right to possess that firearm is sacred; there is no justification for the government to attempt to, by force of arms, pay a tax on that right — regardless of what the government thinks. And, it is his right to do so that we, the People, need to “support and defend”.

Back to the Complaint. Special Agent Michael Baldino executed the Complaint. He is a member of the Seattle Division’s Domestic Terrorism Squad of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Those are the guys that let Muslims kill people in California, while they mess with Americans that are intent on defending America against those Muslim terrorists, and BLM wannabes.

In paragraph 5 (page 3/6) we see that a Confidential Human Source (CHS) provided information (snitched) to the FBI about Schuyler. The Complaint is a substitute for the constitutionally required affidavit, and a poor substitute, at that. An affidavit is sworn as to personal knowledge, and is not supposed to give any validity to hearsay. However, since Baldino didn’t “swear” to the document, well, he can say anything that he wants.

Back to the CHS. It has been confirmed that the CHS in the Complaint is none other than Oliver Murphy. Yes, that is the one that baited Schuyler and Allen to the Weigh Station, but it doesn’t end here. Before we proceed, perhaps we ought to look at Mr. Murphy. His father, Patrick Murphy, was Snohomish County Sheriff. He was appointed to that position in 1995, when then Sheriff Jim Scharf stepped down to become the Everett Police Chief. Murphy, however, didn’t stay long. He was charged with four counts of felony possession of prescription medication. Patrick died in 2006, so maybe Oliver wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become recognized in “law enforcement”. At any rate, Oliver was in from the beginning to the end of Schuyler’s ordeal.

Paragraph 7 (Complaint) tells us that CHS was invited to the trailer that Schuyler was staying in at the Aenk’s ranch, on October 19, 2015. The Aenk’s have confirmed that it was Murphy that stayed with Schuyler, on that date. There is only one CHS (if there are more than one, they are numbered), so it is Murphy in every instance in the Complaint.

Next, we have Baldino going to Facebook to see what “dirt” he could get on Schuyler. He found photographs where Schuyler acknowledged that he owned a “short-barreled rifle” (SBR), which would be the Rainier Arms UltraMatch. So, when Schuyler suggested that he wanted to sell it. Murphy, being such a nice guy, let Schuyler know that he had found a buyer for the SBR.

On November 22, Schuyler dropped the SBR off at Murphy’s “residence”. So now, Murphy possess the SBR, but he has not been charged, and, according to the available information, he is not law enforcement, nor is he exempt from any regulation that might be imposed, legally, or not, on Schuyler. But, Murphy was never charged with a crime, but, then, that is the nature of a police state, isn’t it?

Schuyler has given up the SBR, Murphy gives it to the FBI, but nobody has paid Schuyler for the purchase the SBR. That sounds awfully like what is commonly referred to as theft, fraud, swindle, or some other real crime that has an injured party, namely Schuyler. But, in this modern world where it is always somebody else’s fault, the only one that didn’t hurt anybody by stealing property was Schuyler.

It was probably to collect the money that Murphy was supposed to have sold the SBR for that was the enticement for Schuyler and Allen to go to the Weigh Station.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

About the same time that those events were occurring at the Weigh Station across the state in Springdale, Carrie Aenk was facing her own ordeal. The following is based upon an interview and documents that have been provided.

Thirty to 35 people showed up in 7 or 8 vehicles. Carrie, when she saw them driving in, tried to call Allen. There was no answer. however, the used a battering ram on the back door of the house. They also released some of the dogs from their kennel.

The search warrant is marked “X in the daytime 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.” (Page 1 of pdf). It says nothing about “no knock”, so it must be served in a civil manner. A battering ram at the back door of the house hardly satisfies that expectation, but, then, we you give thugs a license, they can do as they please — the Constitution notwithstanding.

I think we need to note here that the search warrant among other things, states that “I find that the affidavit(s), or any recorded testimony, establish probable cause to search and seize the person or property.” However, no affidavit, or recorded testimony, has been provided. And, if we were to assume that the Criminal Complaint somehow satisfies that requirement, then even more curious is the fact that the search warrant brings in charges that were not included in the Complaint, or anywhere else in any of the currently existing court documents.

As far as the Warrant, it gives permission to search for the person or property described in “Attachment A”. “Attachment A” says, “This warrant authorizes the search of Schuyler Pyatte Barbeau for any cellular phones. This warrant authorizes the search of any such phones for the items described in “Attachment B”. Then, it remarks that Schuyler resides in a trailer on the property. So, the warrant only allows them to search Schuyler for any phones, and then to search any phones for items in “Attachment B”. So, to make this clear, Schuyler can be searched for phones. Presumably, if phones are found, those phones can be searched for the items identified in “Attachment B”. There doesn’t appear to be any authority to search beyond that limitation. So, let’s look at attachment be to see just what might be found in the phones.

“Attachment B” begins with, “Items to Be Seized from the Phone Described in Attachment A.” Before we continue with Attachment B, let’s reflect on what they just said. The items to be seized are to be seized from the phone. I know that the concept of seizing items from a phone is difficult to digest, unless, of course, you are a government agent. I realize that smart phones are a bit over my head, but I still have a problem understanding how items can be seized from them. But, let’s continue and see just what those federal agents can “seize” from a phone.

Continuing in Attachment B, “All documents and items reflecting evidence and/or fruits of the commission of the crimes of (a) unlawful possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d) and 5845(a)(3); (b) possession of stolen federal property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641; and (c) possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o), including:”, then it goes on to list, not items, rather, telephone serial numbers; sent, received, and missed calls; stored contact information; and, any stored photographs or Facebook posts –that might show something illegal.

This brings to mind an important part of the Constitution, you know, where they itemized some of the inherent rights of the People, not as grants by the government, rather, prohibitions against the government violating them. Specifically, the Fourth Amendment:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

So, if information stored on a cell phone (since it can’t be the items that were to be seized) is simply a modern substitute for “papers and effects”, then it requires that the probable cause must be supported by “Oath or affirmation”. Unfortunately, the government has failed to provide such.

The Complaint was for a tax violation, only, and being singularly concerned with that SBR. If we assume that the “affirmation” (that is really stretching our language to an extreme), then the extent of that affirmation must be limited to the SBR and Title 26 (taxes). So, where the hell does “possession of stolen federal property” and “possession of a machine gun” come into the picture? Do this just make this shit up while sitting around the water cooler? Also, consider the judge, Thomas O. Rice; does he even read what he signs? And, all of these idiots, even the judge, probably make over $100,000 a year — of our money. It seems more like the Mafia than a government.

Just to throw a little confusion into the mix, both of these attachments mentioned above bear the case number directly below the title. There are two more attachment “A”s, but neither of them have a case number, so they are either sloppy, inserted these from some other source, or they could care less about the identification of legal documents. Take your pick, but when you are dealing with incompetence, it can only be a wild guess.

Given the limits of what could be searched for, let’s look at what they found “on the phone”:

1) Plastic bag with .223 ammo

2) Seven (7) 223 magazine

3) Verizon bill, ID cards, record book

4) Motorola mobile phone, model XT 912

5) Nylon bag with camping tool, tape (?)

6) Plastic box with gun parts

7) Large plastic bag with gun parts

It is hard to believe that any of those items, except No. 4, could satisfy the conditions of the warrant

However, the act of the service of this warrant, after the battering ram entry, gets even more interesting. After they entered the house, they flash-banged every room they entered. Carrie counted at least eight of them in the house. That’s right, they threw flash-bang grenades into each room, in order to clear it, perhaps, from evil spirits, since it would be difficult to otherwise understand the necessity of causing intentional damage, including gaping holes in walls, windows blown out, not to mention the back door that was battered open, and one helluva mess to prove that the government has come to “help you”. If there is an assumption being made here that the government will perform restitution for the damage they caused, especially if the charges are dropped against Schuyler, then you are sadly mistaken.

While this “search” (and destroy) was going on, Carrie was held handcuffed for about an hour and a half, and she was not allowed to contact her attorney. They also held a gun on Carrie throughout this entire ordeal. Perhaps there is reason for concern when there is just one pissed off woman, and only 30 to 35 armed men to keep her under control.

While searching the rest of the premises, they used at least ten more flash bangs, some of them apparently only to scare the dogs, which resulted in laughter by some of the agents, who apparently were enjoying themselves immensely while terrorizing Carrie. I will conclude by stating that this is, by far, the most egregious abuse of presumed governmental authority that I have seen since my visit to Waco, back in 1993.

Perhaps it is time to reflect on whether we are truly a self-governed nation, or have become subject to a government far more despotic that that one cast off by the Founders, 239 years ago. And, to reflect upon our obligation, as that “Posterity” identified in the Preamble to the Constitution, to assure that this once great nation returns to its intended object, for our own Posterity.

For the follow up; Schuyler’s description of what happened, see:

Barbeau Qued in Seattle – The Arrest of Schuyler Barbeau – Part II – In Schuyler’s Own Words

Rogue Infidel – A Working Vacation to New Hampshire

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
November 30, 2015

The Trip

On November 18, 2015, Jon Ritzheimer began a road trip to aid an old high school buddy, Tyler Zarr, in his move to New Hampshire. After they loaded the SUV with Tyler’s belongings, they set out on their cross-country journey.

Since this road trip was part vacation and part work, they decided to take some “tourist” pictures along the way. Rather than dwelling on natural history or historical monuments, they opted to take pictures of what they perceived as the intrusion of an evil element into our country. Like any good tourists, they made “selfies” in front of the following mosques or Islamic Centers: New Mexico; Amarillo, Texas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Springfield, Missouri; Illinois; Terre Haute, Indiana; Ohio; Reading, Pennsylvania; Lowell, Massachusetts; and finally, Manchester, New Hampshire.

Here, in Jon’s words, is his description of the trip (note: all italicized portions are from Ritzheimer’s statement to the Outpost of Freedom.):

“As we made our way cross country we stopped and took a photo at every mosque that was within our path during the journey. We also decided that since we were heading that way that it would be nice to give the Muslims at the Islamic Post a visit to simply give them a piece of our mind in regards to the article they publish back in June, [Where they accused Jon, Pam Geller, and others, of being “American Taliban“. See note at end.] calling me a terrorist because I organized a pro freedom of speech rally at a Mosque where now five terrorists have come from.”

The Video

Shortly after leaving Phoenix, Ritzheimer made a video explaining his trip to those who have been paying attention to what he is trying to oppose publicly, which in the past was focused on the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix (ICCP). An account of his recent “confrontation” there can be found in the press release for the event, Global Rally for Humanity – Phoenix.

Now, even prior to the Global Rally event, Ritzheimer had held a Freedom of Speech Rally (When did Freedom of Speech Become Hate Speech?), where false accusations of his intentions were prolific, even in the mainstream media. Ritzheimer had made it clear, though many choose not to hear it, that being armed is strictly for defense. After all, he served in Iraq, where it was Muslims, not Christians, that were hell-bent on trying to kill him. Based upon events in Europe, it is simply a precaution, for who really knows when the violence, which has already risen here, will escalate to the level it has on the other side of the Atlantic?

The Offended

Now, that video apparently offended those Muslims in Islamberg (Hancock), New York, the home of The Muslims of America and The Islamic Post. Or, perhaps their comprehension of English is couched in their perception of themselves. The video (slightly edited by the New York Daily News – used by permission from Mr. Ritzheimer) contains no threats, nor has Ritzheimer removed any heads or hands, stoned any rape victims, or otherwise suggested any such violence against Muslims. He has done nothing more than advise them that he is more than ready to defend himself, against any acts of violence directed at him, or any event he sponsors — including his road trip.

So, to make that clear, here is a transcript of the voice in the video:

What’s up America? Jon Ritzheimer here with my brother Tyler, one of my old high school brothers here, and we’re driving all the way across America, all the way to New York to go see those assholes at the Islamic Post that decided to publish a paper calling me, me, a fucking terrorist in this country.

Fuck you Muslims! Fuck all of you! We’re going to stop at virtually every mosque on the way, take a picture flipping them off, telling them to get fucked!

And Obama, you stupid sorry sack of shit, you wanna come out and say that we’re all afraid of these poor little three-year-old orphans and these widows?

Fuck you! That is not what’s coming over here. And you know what? I’m not afraid! I fear for my family’s safety, but I’m not afraid, because these guys are fucking cowards, and they have shown, time and time again, they do not come and attack hard targets.

Well, guess what? [shows pistol] We’re fucking ready for them! [racks pistol slide] Bring it on you Muslim fucks!

You wanna come fuck around in our country, we’re ready for you. So, I’m not afraid. I’m urging all Americans across the U.S., everywhere in public, to start carrying a slung rifle with you, everywhere. Don’t be a victim in your own country. Fuck you, Obama.

If there is any threat in what he said, it was that there would be that he implied retaliation, should they mess with him. However, the Islamic Post, perhaps presuming that Americans practiced Taqiyya, or that implied threats had a different meaning behind them, contacted the FBI and/or the New York State Police, claiming that the video was an open threat, and that they feared that there would be violence.

The FBI and the New York State Police

From Ritzheimer:

“After we crossed into Pennsylvania, on November 20th, I received a three-way phone call from Special Agent Bridget Walters of the FBI, and a Sergeant with New York State Troopers. The FBI agent was nice and respectful during our phone call and the Trooper started out respectfully. They then proceeded to tell me that they saw the video of me with a gun and if I cross into New York that I would be arrested. I asked them if I could surrender the gun at the state line to them and just get an escort through the state so I could make my destination and they said NO. I asked if I could leave it in Pennsylvania with a friend and they said that they would still search me, give me a hard time, and basically violate my rights because of the video of me with a gun.”

Ritzheimer had initially agreed to stay in touch with the FBI agent, However, as a result of the breakdown in negotiations (you know, when the government says we can negotiate — as soon as you agree to our terms), Ritzheimer had to develop a strategy that would allow him to get to his destination in New Hampshire. Since New York extends from the Canadian Border to the Atlantic Ocean, there is no means of land travel that will allow you to take a handgun from the Middle States to New England (General Gage knew that when he tried to take control of the Hudson River during the Revolutionary War).

In his words:

“Originally I told Special Agent Walters that I would maintain contact with her and keep her posted on my whereabouts but then after reading state laws and seeing that no matter what they were going to violate my rights I made the decision that we needed to change our course and shut our phones off and pull out enough money from the nearest ATM so we wouldn’t need to use our debit cards. We had to break communication with law enforcement because they were clearly not going to work with me.”

The Break

So, as reported in a New York newspaper when communications were cut off, it was Ritzheimer’s fault, and was sufficient for the FBI and/or New York State Police to perceive a threat against them. As stated in the article, “he got angry and cut off communication with them. At that point, the alert, citing a “potential threat to law enforcement,” was issued, sources said.”

Keep that in mind — if you won’t talk to the FBI and/or New York State Police, and they know that you have a firearm, they will determine that you are a threat to them (or their presumed haughty almightiness). So, now this has escalated to a point where some people in law enforcement might “shoot to kill”, since the subject is now “armed and dangerous”.

However, as Ritzheimer explained, he used a little common sense, whereas the New York State Police and the FBI are lost in even beginning to understand why communications were cut off, because they assumed that “going dark” was indicative of preemptive hostile action.

So, Ritzheimer and Zarr did get to their destination, with only a slight delay. Though, apparently, the search for Ritzheimer and Zarr continued, throughout New York, for the next few days.

As Ritzheimer clarified for this article:

If I was going to attack them as they claimed I was headed to do, I would have brought way more fire power, and they never would have known that I was coming. I am a law abiding citizen and it’s unbelievable what I had to go through due to false reports from Islamic Post and Law Enforcement Officers who claim to be “just doing their job” when threatening to violate my rights if I cross into their state. Shame on New York State Troopers and shame on the FBI agent who rather than protecting a citizen and their rights fell into the trap set-up by the Muslims who play the victim.

American Taliban?

So, let’s look at the Islamic Post’s effort to demonize Ritzheimer and others. They accused them of being “American Taliban”. Well, that is rather ironic, as that “label” was first applied to John Phillip Walker Lindh, who converted to Islam at age 16. Then, on November 25, 2001 (at age 20), he was captured while fighting with the Taliban, against American forces, when his unit surrendered (no virgins for them) at Kunduz, Afghanistan. Interesting that they would then accuse Americans opposed to Islam and attaches the moniker that was first given to an American who opposed Americans.

So, if two Americans, knowingly travelling across the country and communicating with the FBI as they travel, can elude being taken while travelling from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire, is it conceivable that a real Muslim terrorist could easily evade the web that they are capable of setting up?

Apparently, you are more likely to be protected by the FBI and the New York State Police if you are a Muslim than if you are an American.

(to be continued)