U.S. government officials have refrained from calling the militias that have occupied a federal property armed with assault rifles domestic terrorists, causing the outrage of many on social media who on Sunday have said that if the occupiers were Black the scene would be completely different.
“Armed white terrorists have invaded and are currently occupying federal property,” U.S. Uncut reported, while criticizing mainstream media’s double standards.
“If you depend on the corporate media for your news, you may not have heard that 150 gun-toting militia are claiming U.S. government property for themselves,” U.S. Uncut added.
“Social media users observing the media’s response to the armed takeover of a federal building by right-wing militia over the weekend are pointing out obvious double standards in how the media is treating white, right-wing militia members compared to Black protesters,” they added.
Absolutely ridiculous that white terrorists are being described as mere "Armed Militia"! #OregonUnderAttack: https://t.co/fstJPmEIBn
— Sophie Elliott (@sophieejourno) January 3, 2016
The Oregon domestic terrorists are no more a militia than the family in KS who call themselves Westboro Baptist Church are a church.
— Cheri DelBrocco (@cdelbrocco) January 3, 2016
I wonder who NRA would call "good guys with a gun" now? The armed white terrorists in Oregon or the law enforcement folk trying 2 stop them?
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) January 3, 2016
For the record, as a white guy I condemn the actions of these terrorists in Oregon. #OregonUnderAttack #blackLivesMatter
— Dylan Brody (@dylanbrody) January 3, 2016
Over 100 armed terrorists have taken over a federal building in Oregon and it's not the top news story anywhere except on twitter
— maple cocaine (@historyinflicks) January 3, 2016
The New Civil Rights Movement reported on their website that, “Many on social media are calling the occupiers domestic terrorists and believe if they were Black the scene would be a lot different.”
A group of armed extremists, including three of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy’s sons, occupied the headquarters of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon Saturday night in a standoff to protest the imprisonment of two Oregon ranchers accused of arson.
“We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely,” Ammon Bundy, one of the occupiers, who refer to themselves as “militiamen,” told the Oregonian.
The occupation came after several hundred demonstrators marched through Burns, Oregon, to protest against the pending imprisonment of father and son Harney County ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond, who a federal court decided must return to prison after their time served for setting fires on public land to protect their property from wildfires was deemed insufficient.
The Pendleton, Oregon jury found the Hammonds guilty of the arsons in June 2012 of on lands managed by the BLM, which they used for summer grazing and then refused to pay the fees.
Supporters of the Hammond family believe they were treated unconstitutionally because both Hammonds were convicted of arson under a provision of an expansive federal law punishing terrorism.
From inside the federal building, Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, said they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them from the property.
This content was originally published by teleSUR.