Ammon Bundy and his bullyboys aren’t trying to free federal lands
An Oregon citizen writes a letter to the Oregonian rebuking its recent headline on the illegal seizure of Malheur.
The Oregonian’s A1 headline on Sunday, Jan. 17, “Effort to free federal lands,” is inaccurate and irresponsible. The article that follows it is a mere mouthpiece for the scofflaws illegally occupying public buildings and land, repeating their lies and distortions of history and law.
Ammon Bundy and his bullyboys aren’t trying to free federal lands, but to hold them hostage. I can’t go to the Malheur refuge now, though as a citizen of the United States, I own it and have the freedom of it. That’s what public land is: land that belongs to the public — me, you, every law-abiding American. The people it doesn’t belong to and who don’t belong there are those who grabbed it by force of arms, flaunting their contempt for the local citizens.
Those citizens of Harney County have carefully hammered out agreements to manage the refuge in the best interest of landowners, scientists, visitors, tourists, livestock and wildlife. They’re suffering more every day, economically and otherwise, from this invasion by outsiders.
Instead of parroting the meaningless rants of a flock of Right-Winged Loonybirds infesting the refuge, why doesn’t The Oregonian talk to the people who live there?
Ursula K. Le Guin
Northwest Portland
H/t Chris Clarke & Lady Mondegreen
I was reading along, nodding my head, thinking Exactly!, and then reached the signature. Oh wow. Ursula LeGuin! She’s always been brilliant.
I saw her speak once on the subject of writing and it was one of my life’s peak experiences. Particularly memorable was her discussion of some (male) (famous) writer who was known for his total focus on his work. He would withdraw from all contact for months and concentrate like a laser on his writing. … Except that his wife brought him food, answered the phone, did the laundry, took care of the kids, etc., etc., etc.
“Heroic infantilism,” she called it. The phrase has stuck with me ever since when I hear about The Great and The Good (Men) accomplishing great things always somehow all by themselves.
(I guess I slid off topic. Sorry!)
If they’re loonybirds, maybe they belong on the refuge – but as subjects for study and preservation, not as adults occupying the buildings.
quixote, not off topic at all!
I left it to the reader to discover who the Oregon citizen is on purpose, to make it a nice surprise.
It was a great surprise. I value the fact that I once had the opportunity to tell LeGuin that as a native Californian whenever I packed to leave the state Always Coming Home was the first thing into the bag.
I can’t remember where I heard this, but I once told someone who interviewed me for a play he was writing that men like to flap their arms and shout ‘look at me, I’m flying!’ while women hold them up–he used the line, and the night I went to the play there was an audible gasp from the audience when one of the characters said it.
@ quixote
Mrs Alfred Tennyson
Answered
begging letters
admiring letters
insulting letters
enquiring letters
business letters
and publishers’ letters.
She also
looked after his clothes
saw to his food and drink
entertained visitors
protected him from gossip and criticism
And finally
(apart from running the household)
Brought up and educated the children.
While all this was going on
Mister Alfred Tennyson sat like a baby
Doing his poetic business.
Philip Larkin
Surprised, but not surprised. Le Guin is brilliant and has been a favourite for as long as I can remember. In fact some of the earliest books I remember reading were hers.
Interesting about Mrs. Alfred. I didn’t know that. One more example to add to the mountainous heap.
KB Player – sounds like me and my ex! Who once complained that he had to do half the housework (??? and what’s wrong with that?) after having washed dishes one time.
Please notice – he is an ex. My current husband is retired, and takes care of more than his share, because he feels since I am bringing in the bulk of the money, it’s only fair (and since I work 90 hour weeks, and he’s retired).
I blame law enforcement.
Please list the names of all people occupying the refuge so the rest of us can forever boycott their businesses and their livelihood.