This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It's Groundhog Day. But we're going to have a lot more than six more weeks of feuding over public lands. It could be the same thing over and over. Or, if more firearms are involved, it could be a lot worse.

Leaders must defuse rebellion before more are killed — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

"One man is dead, and a great many more armed confrontations are likely, as understandably frustrated but horribly misled people from around the Western United States pursue a nostalgic vision of an America that never existed.

"Defusing that situation will be difficult. And it cannot be left to front-line law enforcement agencies alone. Those who hold, or seek, high political office have a duty to carefully, but firmly, walk back any aid and comfort they might have given to a nascent rebel movement that seeks to defy the law and deprive all the people of the United States of their ownership and control of public lands. ..."

Bishop encourages Legislature to pursue public lands lawsuit — Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune

State paid $640k for public lands analysis; Dems want all the info — Robert Gehrke | The Salt Lake Tribune

"Utah taxpayers paid lawyers, a polling firm, a research group and lobbyists nearly $640,000 to prepare a legal analysis on a potential lawsuit seeking state ownership of federal lands, invoices show.

"Now Democrats are demanding to know more about the costs and want to see material regarding weaknesses in the case.

Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City — who is a member of the Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands, which commissioned the legal research — wants access to all of the information prepared by lawyers with the Davillier Law Group of New Orleans, including potential problems or challenges to the state's case.

"But lawyers hired by the commission are refusing to provide Dabakis with the information he wants, contending they represent the chairmen of the commission — not the entire commission — and need permission before giving Dabakis the information he seeks, which is protected by the attorney-client privilege. ..."

"It turns out there's been a true patriot in Harney County all along. His name is Dave Ward.

"When the armed militants arrived and occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, they called themselves patriots and twisted a reading of the U.S. Constitution to suit their purposes. Among other things, they argued public lands never really belonged to all Americans and that the federal government had no legal standing to manage them.

"But they should have had that conversation more fully with Ward, better known in Burns and around the county as Sheriff Dave, because it's likely Ward could have set them straight — even though he's no constitutional scholar and had, in a meeting before the occupation, told the self-proclaimed patriots their demands were entirely outside the law.

"Ward revealed himself in 2014 in his application for the sheriff's job. In it, he wrote: 'I've spent many years of my life serving our country, stateside and abroad, to protect the Constitution and believe it is the sheriff's responsibility to protect each person's rights under the Constitution of the United States,' ...

" ... Haltingly, Ward amplified his message and ended it ruefully: 'This has been tearing our community apart. It's time for everyone in this illegal occupation to move on. It doesn't have to be bloodshed in our community. If we have issues with the way things are going in our government, we have a responsibility as citizens to act on them in an appropriate manner. We don't arm up and rebel. ... This can't happen anymore. This can't happen in America. And it can't happen in Harney County.' The room broke out in applause as Ward walked off. ..."

— FBI finally acts on Bundy-backed Malheur takeover

Mercury News Editorial— San Jose Mercury News Editorial...

" ...The greater question about the handling of this case is how different it is from, say, a group of black urban activists with legally-acquired guns taking over an urban community center building to demand more help for the homeless. Would they be allowed to duck out, in turns, for Starbucks and a nice restaurant meal? ..."

Oregon protesters are solely responsible for tragic outcome — Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera Editorial

" ... The death of at least one militant and wounding of another in a shootout with law enforcement officers Tuesday is regrettable, but the protesters seemed to be prepared for this eventuality. In fact, they were inviting it. As soon as this Jan. 3 seizure escalated to armed confrontation, responsibility for any tragic conclusion rested solely with the extremists. ..."

— The FBI video: What it shows — and doesn't — Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon) Editorial

" ... It is ironic that the anti-government militia leaders were captured on a federal highway. ..."

Words make a difference in standoff — Albany (Oregon) Democrat Herald Editorial

"Kids, remember when we told you to be careful about what you posted on the Internet because it might come back later to haunt you?

"For the latest example, look no further than the legal charges filed against the people who occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge for the last three weeks.

"Two criminal complaints unsealed this week against the 11 protesters under arrest show that FBI agents have carefully scrutinized social media postings, interviews and online talk shows that were broadcast from the refuge during the siege that began Jan. 2. ..."