The Paiute tribe, the Bundy militia, and the U.S. government are at the center of the Oregon Standoff. Anti-Media takes a deeper look at the controversy…

By Derrick Broze. Published 1-6-2016 by The Anti-Media

Photo: Free Thought Project

Since Saturday, January 2, a group of protesters calling themselves a militia have descended upon the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to occupy a federal building in a stand against federal tyranny. The incident stemmed from a dispute between rancher, Steven Hammond, 46, his father, Dwight Hammond, Jr., 73, and federal authorities. The two men were accused of setting fires in 2001 and 2006 to cover up evidence of poaching activities, however, the Hammond’s claim they were fighting off an invasive plant species.

The men were initially found guilty under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for arson on federal land. The Hammonds were sentenced to far less time, courtesy of U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan, who felt five years would be “grossly disproportionate” to the crime. However, shortly after the men were released from prison, the Department of Justice appealed the ruling — and won. The Hammonds were ordered to serve out the remaining time in the five-year minimum sentence. Both men peacefully turned themselves in on Monday. (For a great explanation of the problems with mandatory minimum sentences, see this piece) Continue reading →