A Big Fat Voter Rejection of Bundy-Loving Candidates in Oregon

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Thursday that “Harney County citizens voted decisively in this week’s primary for candidates who opposed the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge” and that “voters were clear they preferred candidates who opposed the occupation.”

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That’s not good news for so-called “Patriots” who believe the right to trample the rights of others. Unsurprisingly, the victims of the armed invasion by the Bundy insurrectionists went out and voted, OPB reporting that “Harney County had the highest voter participation in the state, with 72 percent of eligible voters submitting ballots.”

The men awaiting trial for their 41-day occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge would have America believe they are the victims and martyrs. Even during the occupation, the Bundy crowd were eager to appear the victims and did as much whining as threatening. Slain rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, killed while attempting to run a police roadblock, is already a martyr for the patriot movement, a victim despite being armed and reaching for his sidearm at the time he was killed.

One occupier has already pleaded guilty, Corey Lequieu, of whom U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel said, “Evidence at trial will show that he was a planner and organizer of the armed takeover.” According to OPB, Lequieu pleaded guilty Thursday “to a federal conspiracy charge to impede officers of the United States. Federal prosecutors said they would drop two other counts against Lequieu: possession of a firearm in a federal facility and the use of a firearm related to a crime of violence.” He will be sentenced August 25

The Oregon election results make a couple of important points to voters: If people are sufficiently motivated by the issues, they will vote and they will bring about change. This is an important lesson to Democrats, who frequently let these opportunities slide, conceding midterms and local elections to Republicans. Voters must take responsibility for what happens in their communities, states, and in the nation, and Oregon voters have clearly done that.

Photo: Courtesy of the Multhomah County Sheriff’s Office

Hrafnkell Haraldsson

Hrafnkell Haraldsson, a social liberal with leanings toward centrist politics has degrees in history and philosophy. His interests include, besides history and philosophy, human rights issues, freedom of choice, religion, and the precarious dichotomy of freedom of speech and intolerance. He brings a slightly different perspective to his writing, being that he is neither a follower of an Abrahamic faith nor an atheist but a polytheist, a modern-day Heathen who follows the customs and traditions of his Norse ancestors. He maintains his own blog, A Heathen’s Day, which deals with Heathen and Pagan matters, and Mos Maiorum Foundation www.mosmaiorum.org, dedicated to ethnic religion. He has also contributed to NewsJunkiePost, GodsOwnParty and Pagan+Politics.