I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Americans are fair, freedom-loving humans.
The only problem with that statement is where I confess that we are human and capable of every flaw known to, well, humanity.
It is virtually impossible for us to read a story like the one of the militiamen in Oregon outside of the context of our preconceived notions.
If you believe the government is on the doorstep of tyranny, then it was the murder of a patriot.
If you believe these men to be nothing more than common criminals, then you believe the media story at face value.
The truth is likely somewhere in between. But let us not kid ourselves — this was the way this was always going to end.
Nobody Likes You
By any poll, observation, or reading of the tea leaves, it was abundantly clear that the militiamen who occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge this month did not have the support of the American people.
If you are unconvinced about that, let me remind you that when these men appealed to the public for support and donations, they apparently got more dildos in the mail than they did checks or cash.
Literally, they asked for cash and got dildos in the mail. I’m not lying.
It is hard to claim to act on behalf of the American people when despite national press coverage, you can hardly muster 100 men or so to begin your revolution.
It is hard to claim to act on behalf of the American people when they would literally rather spend their hard-earned money on sex toys and shipping than actual fiscal support.
It is hard to claim to act on behalf of the American people when they literally, figuratively, and morally oppose you.
The problem with the armed militiamen holding up in Oregon is that they don’t realize this.
They have clung to the notion that only 3% of men fought during the American Revolution, and they believe themselves to be the modern equivalent of the 3%.
Except they are the 0.000001%… and that is being generous.
An Armed Road to Conflict
On an Oregon highway, the police stopped Bundy and few of his militiamen in what was either an intentional or routine traffic stop, and when it was done, Bundy was in handcuffs and one of his men was dead.
The details are unclear at this point, but I never really thought there was any other way this was going to end.
From the first time these militiamen insisted on enforcing their will under the force of arms, they were on a collision course with law enforcement.
No one else could have done what these men did and stayed alive this long.
They are the exception, not the norm.
If the Black Lives Matter movement had occupied a federal building under the force of arms in Baltimore or St. Louis, this would not have dragged on for a month.
If Muslim-Americans decided to occupy a piece of federal property in protest of the no-fly list, it would not have dragged on for a month.
This was inevitable, and every day it dragged on, the odds of armed conflict only increased to match the norm.
So What Now?
The only thing left for America to decide is what we do now.
Do the militiamen deepen their 3% belief and decide to up the ante now that their leader has been arrested, or do they simply allow the due process of law to take its course?
Will they become emboldened to strike at law enforcement, as they believe them to have made the first strike?
What takes place over the next month will determine the next chapter in the saga of rancher versus government.
This might seem like a small matter, and because they are the 0.000001%, it might very well be.
But while they don’t have enough support to start a revolution, they do have enough support to wreak havoc on American tranquility and end the life of a law enforcement official desiring nothing more than to do their job and head home to their family at night.
Shots have been fired, but then again, it was only a matter of time.
