Hold public lands law-breakers and scofflaws accountable

Extremist, anti-government groups calling for—and using—violence are on the rise, threatening more than even the U.S. Capitol and our constitutional democracy. These domestic terrorist groups—many of them with strong ties to white, Christian nationalism—have long and deep roots in communities and regions throughout the American West.

They deny the very existence of America’s federal public lands and basic environmental and wildlife regulations, instead viewing public lands as their own personal fiefdom.

Threats, intimidation, and violence have no place in our democracy or when it comes to the management of federal public lands. Ask the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Forest Service to hold these law-breakers and insurrectionists accountable.

Photo Credit: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. Photo by Joan Amero via Flickr

Recipients

U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen
Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland

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Dear Secretary-nominee Haaland and Chief Christiansen,

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Extremist, anti-government, far right-wing groups calling for and using violence are on the rise throughout the American West. Their words and actions threatening more than even the U.S. Capitol and our constitutional democracy.

These domestic terrorist groups, many of them with strong ties to white, Christian nationalism, have long and deep roots in communities and regions throughout the West.

In fact, a direct line can be traced between the Sagebrush Rebellion of the 1980s, to the 2014 armed confrontation between supporters of cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and law enforcement in Nevada, to the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016, to the violence that erupted at the U.S. Capitol.

These extremist, anti-government groups deny the very existence of America's federal public lands and basic environmental and wildlife regulations. Rather, they view America's public lands as their own personal fiefdom.

Many of these extremist individuals and groups are engaged in, support, or advocate illegal livestock grazing on public lands, illegal motorized use of public lands, illegal logging on public lands, and illegal wildlife killing on public lands.

As inaugural poet Amanda Gorman said of the U.S. Capitol terrorists, these are forces "that would shatter our nation rather than share it." The same applies to these extremist, anti-government groups as it relates to public lands. They would rather steal public lands than share them with all Americans.

There must be consequences. I'm calling on the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Forest Service to hold these law-breakers and insurrectionists accountable and not simply turn a blind eye to their illegal actions. I'm also calling on your agencies to explore solutions to combat the rise in far right-wing extremism throughout the American West.

Recent history has proven that when these far right-wing extremist groups and scofflaws defy the rule of law, threaten, or engage in violence, and are not held accountable for breaking the law and aggressively thwarted by law enforcement, they become emboldened and even more radicalized.

Threats, intimidation, and violence have no place in our democracy and no place when it comes to management of federal public lands. I implore the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Forest Service to hold these law-breakers and insurrectionists accountable.

Sincerely,
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