In case you've never heard of or have forgotten about the Bundy Ranch and the whole government boondoggle that went along with it, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decided they would break the treaty that the US government had with certain ranchers (this is happening around the U.S., by the way) and decided to kill off a free-range herd of livestock -- at which point the ranchers armed themselves and made the federal government stand down.
Later, to defend against similar incursions, the ranchers and their supporters took over a small Fish and Wildlife Department outpost in the Oregon wilderness. See here, for a rather naive explanation published before the culmination of the events that soon ensued.
I remember watching it almost live on youtube, as they were surrounded and hunted down by several federal agencies and, not long after, local sheriff offices and the Oregon State Police.
In the end, a very honest and principled old-timer, LaVoy Finicum, was ambushed and shot deadon his way to negotiate with the Sheriff after he jumped out of his vehicle -- unarmed -- to stop the agents from shooting at his friends (including a teenage girl).
As if that one grave miscarriage of justice were not enough, the survivors were arrested and thrown in prison, where they were treated like terrorists (though perhaps not quite as bad as at Guantanamo).
The good news is that they have recently been exonerated of their alleged crimes and that, as of this week, the federal agencies who planned the unconstitutional attack on the Bundys and Finicums have been found guilty of several constitutional violations against the personal rights of those accused.
So let's bow a head in solemn recognition of Finicum's dedication and self-sacrifice, but let us also rejoice the fact that a certain type of justice was served!
