Oath Keepers in Josephine County
#1
The Oath Keepers sure like walking around with guns don't they? Hey look at me, I am here to protect you against our tyrannical government.These idiots need to do their homework.



Tension Between BLM and Mining Operation, Oath Keepers Set Up Camp

KASEY KERSHNER


By Kasey Kershner Apr. 14, 2015

NEAR MERLIN, Ore. -- A land dispute is creating tension between miners in Josephine County and the Bureau of Land Management. The owners of the mines say they are afraid their rights to due process will not be respected and have now called in reinforcements.

The Oath Keepers of Josephine County are gathering at a piece of property near Merlin. They're in the process of setting up a staging area, in order to step in if they are needed by the Sugar Pine miners.

“Because we are constitutional group,” said Mary Emerick with Oath Keepers. “We defend the Constitution… And we are here just to make sure that they receive their Fifth Amendment rights which is due process.”

The owners called them in to help protect the property that they have mined for more than 100 years. The miners say documents they have grandfathered-in their surface rights to the property.

But the BLM says the documents are outdated, and at some point, the property has changed hands which cancels out the grandfather process. Now, the BLM says the miners have to tone down their mining operation to stay in line with the regulations.

“We’ve sent them those letters,” said BLM’s Jim Whittington. “They also have the right to appeal our notice, that it requires either a plan of operation or notice, and some informal contacts with their lawyer…it sounds like they may appeal. So if they appeal, that starts another administrative appeal process.”

The BLM says they have no intention of stepping in and that it will be a process before any action is taken. But even so, the Oath Keepers are going to make sure of that in the interest of protecting the miner's constitutional rights.

“Sometimes that's going to take days or even weeks, and we are preparing for this to potentially last that long,” said Emerick.

Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel also says he has been acting as a mediator between the land owners and the BLM. At this point, the only reason the Sheriff's Office would step in would be for public safety if the situation escalated.

http://www.kdrv.com/news/Mining_Operatio...egins.html
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#2
Why aren't they relying on the court process? Why do they have idiots with guns standing around?
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#3
Maybe Larry will intervene and take tornado
With him.
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#4
(04-16-2015, 07:14 AM)claunde Wrote: Why aren't they relying on the court process? Why do they have idiots with guns standing around?

Because local Oath Keeper "leader", Joseph Rice, loves to stir the crap and has a strong desire to play tough guy "patriot'.
He and miner Kerby Jackson are responsible for the crap storm they stirred up. They are aching for trouble and have done a good job of stirring up other nut cases.
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#5
http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150.../150419667

Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel"
Rick Barclay says social media is inflaming tensions

email print

The co-owner of a Josephine County mining claim at the center of a land-use dispute with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management says an armed security presence by members of the Oath Keepers movement has "taken on a life of its own," and he is pleading for calm after supporters apparently phoned in threats to BLM employees.

"We don't need any more volunteers, we're not under attack, this is not the Bundy Ranch," said Sugar Pine Mine co-owner Rick Barclay. "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel."

Barclay said he and co-owner George Backes approached the Josephine County chapter of the Oath Keepers last Thursday after they were confronted April 6 at their mine, west of Merlin, by a BLM law enforcement ranger and a Josephine County sheriff's deputy serving paperwork related to a notice of noncompliance issued by the federal agency.

The BLM said it wasn't aware of any active mining on the claim, and that the men have to file a plan of operations for their mining activities or remove all of their equipment. BLM spokesman Jim Whittington said Tuesday that "every time a mining claim changes ownership, it resets." He said the mine's owners have 30 days to file operational plans or can appeal the BLM's decision.

Barclay said he maintains that he and Backes hold exclusive surface rights to the claim — which was filed before a 1955 law that made all subsequent mining claims apply to mineral rights only — and are allowed to maintain whatever mining-related equipment or structures they need to without having to file operational plans.

Barclay said the ranger's visit made him and Backes worried the BLM would remove or destroy their equipment before they could appear in court to appeal the order.

"So I went to the Oath Keepers (to ask for security) and they said, 'OK,'" Barclay said.

The Oath Keepers is a nationwide organization made up of former and current U.S. military and law enforcement personnel who have pledged to disobey all "unconstitutional" orders. The group received significant media attention for its participation in a 2014 standoff with the BLM over Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's cattle, which had been corralled by the agency for illegally grazing its lands. After Bundy's armed supporters confronted BLM rangers last April, the agency backed down and released the cattle.

Armed volunteers affiliated with the Oath Keepers began arriving Tuesday and set up camp at a "staging area" on private property on Camp Joy Road. Now things have gotten out of control, Barclay said, describing the fervor surrounding their presence has turned the event into a "circus."

"What you're seeing is mostly a spectacle caused by social media and 'keyboard commandos' whooping it up," he said. "A lot of the stuff going around on social media is absolute bull----."

Barclay said the Oath Keepers' security presence is only intended to secure the mine and their property until he and Backes can be heard by a judge, and he blamed the BLM for creating the dispute.

"We are a constitutional republic — we are a nation of laws," he said. "The BLM would not be in this position had they followed the law."

Still, he expressed eagerness to put the matter to rest. "As soon as I get my court arrangements made, the Oath Keepers are leaving," he said. "It's OK. It's going to be OK."
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#6
Just an FYI... This was posted here: http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/sh...?tid=17210

(04-16-2015, 01:26 PM)tornado Wrote: http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150.../150419667

Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel"
Rick Barclay says social media is inflaming tensions

email print

The co-owner of a Josephine County mining claim at the center of a land-use dispute with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management says an armed security presence by members of the Oath Keepers movement has "taken on a life of its own," and he is pleading for calm after supporters apparently phoned in threats to BLM employees.

"We don't need any more volunteers, we're not under attack, this is not the Bundy Ranch," said Sugar Pine Mine co-owner Rick Barclay. "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel."

Barclay said he and co-owner George Backes approached the Josephine County chapter of the Oath Keepers last Thursday after they were confronted April 6 at their mine, west of Merlin, by a BLM law enforcement ranger and a Josephine County sheriff's deputy serving paperwork related to a notice of noncompliance issued by the federal agency.

The BLM said it wasn't aware of any active mining on the claim, and that the men have to file a plan of operations for their mining activities or remove all of their equipment. BLM spokesman Jim Whittington said Tuesday that "every time a mining claim changes ownership, it resets." He said the mine's owners have 30 days to file operational plans or can appeal the BLM's decision.

Barclay said he maintains that he and Backes hold exclusive surface rights to the claim — which was filed before a 1955 law that made all subsequent mining claims apply to mineral rights only — and are allowed to maintain whatever mining-related equipment or structures they need to without having to file operational plans.

Barclay said the ranger's visit made him and Backes worried the BLM would remove or destroy their equipment before they could appear in court to appeal the order.

"So I went to the Oath Keepers (to ask for security) and they said, 'OK,'" Barclay said.

The Oath Keepers is a nationwide organization made up of former and current U.S. military and law enforcement personnel who have pledged to disobey all "unconstitutional" orders. The group received significant media attention for its participation in a 2014 standoff with the BLM over Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's cattle, which had been corralled by the agency for illegally grazing its lands. After Bundy's armed supporters confronted BLM rangers last April, the agency backed down and released the cattle.

Armed volunteers affiliated with the Oath Keepers began arriving Tuesday and set up camp at a "staging area" on private property on Camp Joy Road. Now things have gotten out of control, Barclay said, describing the fervor surrounding their presence has turned the event into a "circus."

"What you're seeing is mostly a spectacle caused by social media and 'keyboard commandos' whooping it up," he said. "A lot of the stuff going around on social media is absolute bull----."

Barclay said the Oath Keepers' security presence is only intended to secure the mine and their property until he and Backes can be heard by a judge, and he blamed the BLM for creating the dispute.

"We are a constitutional republic — we are a nation of laws," he said. "The BLM would not be in this position had they followed the law."

Still, he expressed eagerness to put the matter to rest. "As soon as I get my court arrangements made, the Oath Keepers are leaving," he said. "It's OK. It's going to be OK."
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#7
BwaHaHaHa! Laughing Laughing Laughing

http://medford.craigslist.org/rnr/4980983639.html

Quote:Oath Keepers?

What's up with the Oath Keepers I see on the news. Why are the peacocking around, with their guns and army fatigues, out in Merlin? Are they trying to look menacing, to compensate for their small dicks? It looks like they are desperate to get their 5 minutes of fame, and trying to create drama, where none existed.
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#8
(04-16-2015, 01:48 PM)Scrapper Wrote: BwaHaHaHa! Laughing Laughing Laughing

http://medford.craigslist.org/rnr/4980983639.html

Quote:Oath Keepers?

What's up with the Oath Keepers I see on the news. Why are the peacocking around, with their guns and army fatigues, out in Merlin? Are they trying to look menacing, to compensate for their small dicks? It looks like they are desperate to get their 5 minutes of fame, and trying to create drama, where none existed.

That's definitely Gapper posting on Rants and raves.
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#9
(04-16-2015, 05:47 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(04-16-2015, 01:48 PM)Scrapper Wrote: BwaHaHaHa! Laughing Laughing Laughing

http://medford.craigslist.org/rnr/4980983639.html

Quote:Oath Keepers?

What's up with the Oath Keepers I see on the news. Why are the peacocking around, with their guns and army fatigues, out in Merlin? Are they trying to look menacing, to compensate for their small dicks? It looks like they are desperate to get their 5 minutes of fame, and trying to create drama, where none existed.

That's definitely Gapper posting on Rants and raves.
Really? Gapper? Definately?

I think these gung ho fools need a real issue. They are desperate to find government abuse of citizen's rights, unfortunately there is not one in the Josephine County mining issue.

How about they protest the NSA or some other agency that has actually infringed on the rights of American citizens.
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#10
My kind of Sheriff's. Good for them. About time someone takes a stand against the anti-gun, anti-2nd amendment left. That's what Oath Keepers, current and former law enforcement and military, have sworn to do: disobey any orders that they are given if they believe they violate the Constitution of the United States.

Quote:Oregon sheriff: 'Unconstitutional' gun control laws won't be enforced

By Ed Payne and Ric Ward, CNN

Updated 5:08 PM ET, Wed January 16, 2013

An Oregon sheriff says he will not enforce any federal regulation that President Barack Obama lays out in his package of gun control proposals Wednesday.

Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller joins several other public officials across the nation who have decided to square off with the White House even before it outlines what its plans are for expanded measures.

Mueller sent a letter to Vice President Joe Biden this week saying he won't enforce any federal regulation "offending the constitutional rights of my citizens." He won't permit federal officers to come to his county to enforce such laws either, he said.

Mueller's defiant stand exploded into a groundswell of support. His letter -- posted on the department's Facebook page -- earned more than 59,000 likes and shares -- and was growing by the minute.

Over the weekend, Sheriff Denny Peyman of Jackson County, Kentucky, said that he too would disobey any directive from the administration. He told residents in a town hall meeting that the sheriff has more power than the federal government.

"They need to go back and study that. We are a commonwealth. I can ask federal people to leave, they have to leave. I can ask state people to leave, they have to leave," he said.

But Wednesday on CNN, Peyman said he would enforce laws approved by Congress.

"If it goes through Congress, if it becomes law, if it goes that way, yeah, I'd enforce the law," he said.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/16/us/oregon-...-gun-laws/

Quote:JOSEPHINE COUNTY SHERIFF WILL NOT ENFORCE NEW OREGON GUN CONTROL LAW



By NWV Senior Political News Writer, Jim Kouri
Posted 1:00 AM Eastern
April 16, 2015
2015 NewsWithViews.com

Josephine County, OR. —Joining the current trend of sheriffs refusing to cooperate with laws they believe are unconstitutional or frivolous, Oregon's Josephine County sheriff's department will not enforce (soon to become) a new state law that mandates firearms purchasers to undergo background checks for private sales, according to sources in Oregon on Tuesday.

Day before, on Monday, April 13, 2015 at 9 AM Josephine County Oathkeepers spearheaded by Coordinator Joseph Rice a veteran of Afghanistan set up a picket in front of the Sheriff's office because Sheriff Dave Daniel did not answer Oathkeepers e-mail demanding to know his stance on SB911.

On Tuesday, Sheriff Dave Daniel announced to the media that he and his department won't enforce a state law being passed by lawmakers that will expand background checks to include private sales of firearms even between family members and neighbors. Pictured below is Joseph Rice being interviwed by KDRV Ch. 12 Medford Oregon.
http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news437.htm
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#11
News With Views Laughing Laughing Laughing
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#12
Army troops in JoCo. Maybe Larry can get his wish to play soldier, finally.
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#13
Did anyone drop some cards off to these guys? Laughing

[Image: Capture_zpsd8eagolt.png]
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#14
(04-16-2015, 05:47 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(04-16-2015, 01:48 PM)Scrapper Wrote: BwaHaHaHa! Laughing Laughing Laughing

http://medford.craigslist.org/rnr/4980983639.html

Quote:Oath Keepers?

What's up with the Oath Keepers I see on the news. Why are the peacocking around, with their guns and army fatigues, out in Merlin? Are they trying to look menacing, to compensate for their small dicks? It looks like they are desperate to get their 5 minutes of fame, and trying to create drama, where none existed.

That's definitely Gapper posting on Rants and raves.

I've never heard of "Rants and raves" until now.
Embarrassed
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#15
(04-17-2015, 06:08 PM)gapper Wrote:
(04-16-2015, 05:47 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(04-16-2015, 01:48 PM)Scrapper Wrote: BwaHaHaHa! Laughing Laughing Laughing

http://medford.craigslist.org/rnr/4980983639.html

Quote:Oath Keepers?

What's up with the Oath Keepers I see on the news. Why are the peacocking around, with their guns and army fatigues, out in Merlin? Are they trying to look menacing, to compensate for their small dicks? It looks like they are desperate to get their 5 minutes of fame, and trying to create drama, where none existed.

That's definitely Gapper posting on Rants and raves.

I've never heard of "Rants and raves" until now.
Embarrassed

I thought you'd been around here long enough that you would have recognized that. Razz
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#16
The Oath Keepers are a bunch of lunatic trouble-makers looking for a cause. Too bad they don't re-focus their energy in a positive direction!
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#17
These unemployed gun toting rabble rousers need to go away. And Gilbertson is an idiot, which is why no one, but far right wackos wanted him for Josephine County Sheriff.

Residents say Sugar Pine Mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation

By Thomas Moriarty
Mail Tribune

April 24, 2015 - 2:02 PM

Concerned Josephine County residents and supporters of the embattled Sugar Pine Mine exchanged words this morning at a demonstration in front of the Josephine County Courthouse, with protesters saying the mine's armed security volunteers are hurting the crime-plagued county's public image.
The demonstration, organized by about a dozen residents calling themselves "Together for Josephine," was intended to protest what the residents said was the exploitation of a local issue by outsiders with an anti-government agenda.

Armed volunteers associated with the Oath Keepers, a national movement of people claiming to be former and current military law enforcement personnel sworn to disobey "unconstitutional" orders, have congregated at the mine outside of Merlin since last week at the request of the mine's owners, George Backes and Rick Barclay.

Backes and Barclay have argued the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is infringing on their rights by ordering them to file a plan of operations or remove their equipment from the claim.
Grants Pass sporting-goods salesman Dave Strahan was one of several Together for Josephine protesters who said the sudden appearance of dozens of armed outsiders was fostering a reputation many community members have worked hard to avoid.

Since cutbacks in timber payments in 2012 forced the sheriff's office to lay off almost all of its patrol deputies and shut down its major crimes unit, responsibility for battling what officials describe as crisis levels of people and property crimes has fallen on Oregon State Police troopers from the agency's stations in Grants Pass and Central Point.

According to OSP statistics, Josephine County callouts for its Criminal Division detectives, who now handle almost all homicides and serious assaults in most of the largely rural county, increased 850 percent between 2011 and 2013.

"Over the last few years, I've gotten more and more questions from my customers about the safety of coming to Josephine County to recreate," Strahan said, explaining that he traveled throughout the region for work. Now, he said, the presence of "nutty, tough-acting, gun-toting thugs" is reinforcing the perception that Josephine County is a dangerous place.

Jerry Reed, a former dean at Rogue Community College, said he was worried the Oath Keepers' presence was bad for the economy. If the mine's supporters really care about the community, he said, they'd leave the matter to the courts to resolve.
When protesters offered themselves up for questions from the media, the first query didn't come from a reporter.

"Has any of this group talked to the miners?" piped Oath Keepers coordinator Joseph Rice from behind the assembled news media, flanked by the group's public information officer. "If I understand correctly, you've never spoken to the miners?"

"We're not here to answer your questions, Joseph," came a hostile retort from one protester. Many of the group retreated into the lobby of the courthouse as television cameras swiveled to face the mine supporters.
As Grants Pass resident Allen Ehr lambasted the protesters, comparing them to outside environmental activists who ignored alleged wrongs committed by the federal government, former Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson hung back quietly, watching and listening.

Gilbertson, who lost the November election to Dave Daniel, said that while he doesn't miss the stress of the job, he wishes the miners had taken their stand while he was still in office.
"If I were still sheriff, I would be right where the Oath Keepers are," Gilbertson said.
Gilbertson said the protesters' retreat from the mine supporters was disrespectful, and that the law was clearly on the side of the miners.

"It's a constitutional issue," he said, adding that he talks to the Oath Keepers "all the time" and hadn't heard any talk of violence from the group. "I think both sides of the issue want a peaceful resolution to this."
Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471 ortmoriarty@mailtribune.com. Follow him at@ThomasDMoriarty.
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#18
(04-16-2015, 07:14 AM)claunde Wrote: Why aren't they relying on the court process? Why do they have idiots with guns standing around?

Because they are just ITCHIN' for any reason to fight.  This important stuff.  They can't keep waiting around.  Kind of reminds me of the beginning of the civil war....people were just waiting for SOMETHING to happen. And finally, of course, it did. Not saying it's in the same ball park, but the mentality is the same.
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#19
(04-24-2015, 09:14 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(04-16-2015, 07:14 AM)claunde Wrote: Why aren't they relying on the court process? Why do they have idiots with guns standing around?

Because they are just ITCHIN' for any reason to fight.  This important stuff.  They can't keep waiting around.  Kind of reminds me of the beginning of the civil war....people were just waiting for SOMETHING to happen. And finally, of course, it did. Not saying it's in the same ball park, but the mentality is the same.

I believe you nailed it.
I find it interesting too, that the Oath Keepers claim to be made up of mostly retired law enforcement, military and first responders.
I could be wrong, but the majority of the wanna be army guys in these pictures don't look to be retirement age to me.
(I will say though, it appears that Joseph Rice has taken an oath to eat well!! LOL!)

http://www.reuters.com/news/picture/disp...USRTX1A1QI
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#20
I have never read so many misinformed comments as in this thread. You've all been wrong about most everything regarding this situation. Whom of you has actually read the mining act laws?

These people are not itching for a fight, and saying so does not make it the truth.
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