As national and global media turn their attention to the small town of Burns in central-eastern Oregon, we here at KBOO are doing our best to keep up with events. By now you probably know the basic story: a small group of disgruntled Westerners, apparently mostly from Nevada and Arizona, split off from a larger march on Saturday and took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge facility outsid of Burns. Ostensibly in support of two local ranchers, Dwight and Steven Hammond, who were convicted on arson charges, but had five-year minimum sentences imposed under the draconian Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, the occupiers are linked to various "militia"/property rights/possibly white supremacist groups. Led by two sons of Cliven Bundy, who last year faced down federal agents with weapons pointed and suffered no legal consequences, the group of around 20 men wants to roll back the federal management of western lands and turn them over to counties and local people for cattle grazing, mining, logging, etc. Apparently starting with the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
The occupiers are clearly tapping into deep resentments and dissatisfactions in much of the rural West, but they are also repeating the same old story of colonizing and exploiting land expropriated from the Native Americans who had lived there for thousands of years. Guest Jacqueline Keeler is a Navajo/Yankton Dakota writer and activist living here in Portland and has been on this program several times. She is heavily involved in the movement against Native sports mascots and team names. Last year she wrote an article for The Nation, "On Cliven Bundy's 'Ancestral Rights' " (http://www.thenation.com/article/cliven-bundys-ancestral-rights/) and is currently working on a follow-up on the current situation.
The number to call in and join the conversation is 503-231-8187
- KBOO