‘I didn’t come here to shoot, I came here to die’
Via Pharyngula.
While headliners from the national media are either en route or remaining in their studios to cover the militia takeover of a federal building in Burns, Oregon, local reporters are working the front lines and tweeting updates as the armed “patriots” settle into what they say will be a long occupation.
On social media, many have complained about the big networks either passing on the militia takeover story or soft-pedaling it. Local reporters, who covered the Hammond trial and saw militia members begin to gather in the small town, have set up their own camp outside of the occupied Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to report on their doings.
Writing for OPB, Amanda Peacher stated that early estimates of 150 occupiers are wildly inflated, saying, “only a few dozen men are occupying the federal building.”
According to Peacher, federal employees were advised to stay clear of the refuge, in a memo that read: “Our top concern is employee safety. All employees are accounted for, and the Refuge will be closed until further notice. Employees of all land management agencies in the area will operate from alternate worksites, telework, or administrative leave.”
Outside of the refuge, she interviewed one militia member — identifying himself only as “Capt. Moroni” — who told her, “I didn’t come here to shoot, I came here to die.”
Oh great, militia fanatics with a martyr wish. Unfortunately for them, not only are they all white, but they’re also doing this in Oregon, so that deathwish is unlikely to be fulfilled.
So here’s to the FBI and state police ending this peacefully, by starving them out, and hopefully this will finally trigger a long needed crackdown on militia groups.
[edit] derp - forgot to mention the source.