More thoughts on the Oregon stand-off

Last updated on: January 5, 2016 at 10:25 pm by Dan Peterson

More thoughts on the Oregon stand-off 2016-01-05T22:25:21-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A map showing the distribution of federal lands across the United States of America
(Wikimedia CC public domain; click to enlarge)

I have ambivalent feelings about the Oregon stand-off.

I think, for example, that there are reasonable grounds for believing that federal officials have behaved far too heavy-handedly in the matter of the Hammond family and, more generally, toward the ranchers in the area.

And I’m not unhappy that this issue is being raised on a national level.

I think, though, that the brandishing of weapons in this protest has muddied the waters.

However, I can well understand the frustration of many citizens in dealing with overweening federal bureaucrats and impersonal government agencies. And I can understand why rural Americans and Westerners, in particular, might feel that they’re essentially being governed by intrusive and arrogant “foreigners.” (Consider, for example, the 2012 county-by-county presidential election map immediately below, in which blue represents Obama majorities and red represents Romney majorities, and compare it with the federal lands map above.)

2012 presidential election results, by county

(from http://www.outsidethebeltway.com)

And I worry lest Americans become too supine, too submissive to a government that is now far more expensive and far more invasive than that of King George III.

**“**I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing,” Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison on 30 January 1787, “and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. . . . An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions, as not to discourage them too much. It is a medecine necessary for the sound health of government.”

Finally, how do I feel about the Church being dragged into this matter and into the news stories about it? Well, I’m not particularly pleased. But I don’t know that I’m altogether upset, either. We Mormons have the reputation of being a boring and conformist group, “white bread,” uninteresting. But Mormonism is both theologically and socially radical, and I don’t mind the occasional reminder of that fact — for outsiders and for ourselves. We’re not just another denomination, with an extra book.

Would I have joined in this action? No. Probably not. And certainly not with weapons. Am I completely without sympathy for it? No, I’m not.

Here are some articles, in addition to those that I’ve already cited, that I’ve found helpful on this episode:

“Oregon Standoff Reveals There Is No Adult Supervision of Federal Agencies in the West”

On the federal prosecutor behind the Hammond case that’s behind the Bundy stand-off

“The Bundys’ Occupation of an Oregon Wildlife Refuge is Distasteful”

“The Oregon Occupation is Not Terrorism”

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 5, 2016

It's what you're looking for.

Next Post

January 6, 2016 BOM 1 Nephi 11

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Persian king allowed Ezra to take Jewish exiles and gifts to Jerusalem?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes Nebuchadnezzar