Bundy RanchWith debate raging over whether the Bureau of Land Management is overstepping its authority in stopping rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle from grazing on public land, one of Bundy’s neighbors offered to settle the question.
In an open letter, Bundy’s neighbor, Kena Lytle Gloeckner, explained why ranchers are supporting Bundy. Her letter, which has been posted on numerous blogs, said:
There have been a lot of people criticizing Clive Bundy because he did not pay his grazing fees for 20 years. The public is also probably wondering why so many other cowboys are supporting Mr. Bundy even though they paid their fees and Clive did not. What you people probably do not realize is that on every rancher’s grazing permit it says the following: “You are authorized to make grazing use of the lands, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management and covered by this grazing permit, upon your acceptance of the terms and conditions of this grazing permit and payment of grazing fees when due.” The “mandatory” terms and conditions go on to list the allotment, the number and kind of livestock to be grazed, when the permit begins and ends, the number of active or suspended AUMs (animal units per month), etc. The terms and conditions also list specific requirements such as where salt or mineral supplements can be located, maximum allowable use of forage levels (40% of annual growth), etc., and include a lot more stringent policies that must be adhered to. Every rancher must sign this “contract” agreeing to abide by the TERMS AND CONDITIONS before he or she can make payment.
In the early 90s, the BLM went on a frenzy and drastically cut almost every rancher’s permit because of this desert tortoise issue, even though all of us ranchers knew that cow and desert tortoise had co-existed for a hundred+ years. As an example, a family friend had his permit cut by 90%. For those of you who are non-ranchers, that would be equated to getting your paycheck cut 90%. In 1976 there were approximately 52 ranching permittees in this area of Nevada. Presently, there are 3. Most of these people lost their livelihoods because of the actions of the BLM. Clive Bundy was one of these people who received extremely unfair and unreasonable TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Keep in mind that Mr. Bundy was required to sign this contract before he was allowed to pay. Had Clive signed on the dotted line, he would have, in essence, signed his very livelihood away. And so Mr. Bundy took a stand, not only for himself, but for all of us. He refused to be destroyed by a tyrannical federal entity and to have his American liberties and freedoms taken away. Also keep in mind that all ranchers financially paid dearly for the forage rights those permits allow – – not rights to the land, but rights to use the forage that grows on that land. Many of these AUMS are water based, meaning that the rancher also has a vested right (state owned, not federal) to the waters that adjoin the lands and allow the livestock to drink. These water rights were also purchased at a great price.
If a rancher cannot show beneficial use of the water (he must have the appropriate number of livestock that drinks and uses that water), then he loses that water right. Usually water rights and forage rights go hand in hand. Contrary to what the BLM is telling you, they NEVER compensate a rancher for the AUMs they take away. Most times, they tell ranchers that their AUMS are “suspended,” but not removed. Unfortunately, my family has thousands of “suspended” AUMs that will probably never be returned. And so, even though these ranchers throughout the course of a hundred years invested thousands(and perhaps millions) of dollars and sacrificed along the way to obtain these rights through purchase from others, at a whim the government can take everything away with the stroke of a pen. This is the very thing that Clive Bundy singlehandedly took a stand against. Thank you, Clive, from a rancher who considers you a hero.
A letter from Bundy’s daughter can also be read on “Stand With Cliven and Carol Bundy.”
http://bundyranch.blogspot.com/2014/05/fellow-ranchers-viral-letter-explains.html?m=1
Thank you for posting this message. It is very important that every property owner in the USA read and understand that this BLM contract so-called, is a DIKTAT diminishing your rights under the Constitution. Moreover, as we are seeing, any and all flimsy excuses, mostly vague environmental, zoning, or health related are now being used to seize land or property by the government. Nobody is safe. Neither are girls selling girl scout cookies, hog growers, backyard farmers, gardeners, or youthful entrepreneurs with hot dog stands trying to help out their families. All have or are about to come under the gun with their rights to earn a living from the land, from their inventiveness, and innate resources extinguished by the suits in fedgov or local petty bureaucrats, issuing decrees that if you do not comply, you WILL get a SWAT team in your face.
All freedom and wealth comes from the land. All who own land must respect the land and become good stewards or they face ruin. I have never known an individual rancher or farmer not to live up to that premise. On the other hand, I have seen countless instances of huge corporations in extractive industries lay the land bare and when they are done with it, just walk away and leave a toxic cesspool behind.
The fact that desert tortoises, spotted owls, snail darters and now New Mexican jumping field mice have lived harmoniously with man, cattle, elk, deer and other species for years seems to have escaped the bureaucrats. So, the question must be asked. What is the real agenda and intent behind these diktats removing your access to land, water, forage, timber and grazing? Spotted owls have wings to fly with. Jumping field mice can jump out of the way of wandering cattle, and tortoises can move aside, or shelter within their armored hulls. So on the surface, the excuses fedgov land barons give are patently laughable.
However, when august personages like Senator Harry “Filthy” Harry Reid enter the picture, it all of a sudden becomes clear. Harry and his ilk have been cutting backroom deals with the Chicoms, declared enemies of the USA and selling American citizens and their vested land rights down the toilet for a price that enriches and benefits them. They are nothing more than modern day ROBBER BARONS.
Now we are beginning to see clearly the rationale for the bandidos in the BLM moving against Bundy with guns. Dirty Harry and his wild bunch want the land so they can make oodles of money off of it by selling it for a song to the Chicoms, so they can vest their interests in a monopoly…solar power. Monopoly you say? Yes, a monopoly. That is what socialists and communists do. They want a monopoly on political and financial power. Communism is monopoly financial and political power. And…if they get their way in America, all landowners, wealthy businessmen who earn their living from the land will be deemed by the new Kommissars as class enemies. They will be stripped of their wealth and will be led to the execution pits and shot out of hand as class enemies. We have seen this time and time again wherever the Nazis and communists, ugly stepchildren from the same mother have set up shop. When they do, the looting, in the name of the people, of course will begin in earnest.
So, what to do? Arm yourself and be prepared to resist with your life, if necessary, for you will surely loose your land, your living and your life if you do nothing.
Whoa, nicely articulated there V – gonna have to award you my comprehensive overview of a nice article badge