Operation Wildlife Rescue (Heartbreaking!)
Originally conceived as “Operation Rancher Rescue,” this project soon morphed into “Operation Wildlife Rescue.” At present there are three videos in the series and it sounds like more may be in the works. This should be good outreach to those folks who love animals (maybe even people too) but may not understand how destructive many policies of the BLM — and other agencies — are here in the rural west, and may even think government is the solution.
Go here to watch the videos, and here to read a short article on the project.
The first video, with Scott Raine, is 26 minutes long — Scott points out western ranchers are not only victims, but they’re also being used as scapegoats by the media and government. It’s a shameful injustice. 🙁
The second video, “Mustangs Being Slaughtered! They Need Your Help!” (14 min.) should horrify any animal lover. This good-hearted rancher is risking jail — to take care of these mustangs (BLM has prohibited him even from giving them water) — the very mustangs to which he’ll almost surely lose his cattle ranch. Another shameful injustice. 🙁
The third video (23 min.) makes the poignant statement: “They (BLM workers) DON’T become a part of the community.” Increasingly, that seems to be the case with people who presume to govern us — they grow increasing distant from, and unaccountable (even adversarial) to — communities they refuse to be part of. THAT is ‘unsustainable.’
I look forward to seeing more videos in this series, and hope you will too! These stories deserve to be heard far and wide.
Oh . . . and Happy 4th of July. 😉
July 6th, 2016 at 5:50 pm
It’s not just the BLM that does not become part of the community. You need to look at the communities in question and observe the interactions.
You will find in many small communities a sort of “inferiority complex” (“IC”) exists. You will find it in many areas, but predominantly in small towns/communities. When people exhibit this IC it will distance those that feel threatened by those with the IC from the community. They do so out of self-defense.
It is not a matter of “small towns are like that”, because it’s not.
July 7th, 2016 at 1:51 pm
Just watched the ‘Mustang’ vid… Horrible. Thing is this also seems to be a worldwide agenda. In The Netherlands, ‘Staatsbosbeheer’ (literally: state forest management) has declared a ‘natural park'(how that for an oximoron) and put ‘wildlife’ in there which are left to provide for their own. In winter, there was insufficient food, so those animals were starving, and people who fed them were fined for doing so.
The ‘argument’ is that it’s a wildlife reservation, and if there’s not enough food, the weakest will die, as that’s nature. Except that it’s not. In nature, animals wil move and find new area’s to feed, and in a fenced ‘natural park’ there’s nowhere to move to. Only recently, a judge has ruled that indeed those animals do not have to be fed: http://www.ad.nl/nieuws/bijvoeren-hoeft-niet-in-oostvaardersplassen~ae72633c/ (you’ll need Google Translate)
It’s horrible, it’s criminal, and it’s unbecoming of civilized people. But again, a state agency is protected by a state mercenary, and it’s called ‘justice’. Indeed, it’s heartbreaking.
This is from teh Organization page http://www.staatsbosbeheer.nl/over-staatsbosbeheer/organisatie (through Google Translate):
independent administrative
Forestry Commission is a legal entity with a legal task (RWT). The organization was established by law and, as such, an independent administrative body of the national government, falling within the domain of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The statutory task is to bring the management and sustainability to social benefit of the assigned areas. This process is guaranteed in the Law Privatisation Forestry Commission (1998). Forestry Commission has a wide role in society and is not a conservation organization par excellence but rather characterize as a green utility in this regard.
Sounds somewhat like the BLM…
July 9th, 2016 at 9:39 am
“c”, “Inferiority Complex” might apply to certain individuals, but trying to apply it to entire communities?! — that’s a stretch. Rather, it seems to me that bureaucrats — as individuals — are prone to something like a SUPERIORITY COMPLEX: Convinced that they are wiser, smarter, superior, “better educated.” Unwilling to listen to others with REAL experience — like the ranchers and farmers whose lives you may see it as your job to make miserable, for their own good . . . that’s a (bitter) laugh. 🙁
If staying away from the community is an act of self-defense for you, perhaps you should reconsider WHO is being the aggressor, and WHO is acting in self defense.
Interesting insight into the mindset and linguistic tricks of the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), etc., BTW. 😉
July 9th, 2016 at 11:31 am
René, that IS sad . . . and horrible.
And where are all the animal rights activists? Going after hardworking ranchers to “get those cattle off the land.” They apparently have zero interest in the truth, or they’d be up in arms at the injustices — even atrocities — being committed. I’ve never liked the term useful idiots at all, BUT . . . sometimes it fits. Even when everything they ‘protect’ turns to dust and ashes, STILL they don’t see it. Don’t WANT to see it. 🙁
Bad enough to think it’s happening here, but if this sort of thing is widespread, I don’t see how the term ‘civilized’ applies at all. Your ‘Staatsbosbeheer’ does sound a lot like the BLM. 🙁