PROTEST: It spells trouble

In the January 7th edition of the Press you printed a picture of a man carrying a placard saying, “End Federal Tyrany” (sic). This sign might have more credibility if the person had looked up how to spell “TYRANNY” in a dictionary.

Aside from the spelling problem, from what I read in the paper it does appear that there was a miscarriage of justice in this case. It appears that two ranchers made the mistake of treating federal grazing lands as their own private party and started fires to clear brush and diminish future wildfires. They received one month in jail or less and were released. Then they were ordered back into prison for the five-year minimum sentence required because they were prosecuted under “terrorism” laws. From what I read in the papers, I don’t believe these ranchers were “terrorists” in the meaning generally accepted by most reasonable people.

On the other hand, these armed people occupying the Malheur Wildlife Reserve should be prosecuted for sedition. The government made a big mistake when we caved in to Cliven Bundy’s armed militia supporters. In my opinion Bundy should have been paying grazing fees and the government should have arrested the armed men supporting him at the time. Now, any nuts who want to take up arms against the legally elected government of the people think they can get away with it.

GARY A. EDWARDS

Coeur d’Alene