Ammon Bundy and his land rights cohorts have been illegally occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon for days now. Among the groups fed up with this behavior are American Indians for whom the land Bundy is occupying is sacred. A Paiute tribal leader has told Bundy and company in no uncertain terms to leave.
The refuge is, among other things, home to the snowy bird, along with 319 other bird species. Not exactly the ideal destination for an armed camping trip. What Bundy has to complain about is not entirely clear. The ostensible purpose of his militia's standoff is the arrest of two ranchers who set fire to public land. But even those dubious characters are distancing themselves from team Bundy. Please join me in asking Ammon Bundy and his assembled militia to peacefully leave the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and go home.
Dear Mr. Bundy and Company,
We the undersigned believe you have no right to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Your presence there is potentially disruptive to 320 bird species, some of which are threatened with extinction. Not only that, but your occupation of land sacred to the Paiute is extremely offensive. You purport to be protesting the arrest of two ranchers who were arrested for very good reasons. However, there's no evidence to suggest that the arrested ranchers support what you are doing. Please leave the wildlife refuge quietly and peacefully and go home.
