Has The U.S. Forest Service Locked You Out Of Favored Sections Of Public Land...Has That Agency Enacted Overly Stringent Rules & Regulations That Make It Impossible To Enjoy Publicly Owned Forests...Have USFS "Law Enforcement" Taken On A Gestapo Attitude & Disposition? The Following Is About One County In Oregon That's Said "Enough Is Enough!"
By Former Sheriff Richard Mack
On June 14, 2011, “We The People” of Grant County, Oregon, gathered together in the Union High School Gymnasium to support their Sheriff. The reason they did so, was to listen to me give my presentation on the power of sheriffs and the duty they have to uphold and defend the Constitution. But more important than coming to hear me, these good people came to express their appreciation for their sheriff. You see, their Sheriff, Glenn Palmer, actually believes it's his job to keep his Oath of Office! He actually believes that protecting the people from the enforcement of stupid laws and out of control government officials is his responsibility. So much so that he has put himself on the line, subjected himself to the scrutiny and ridicule of the mainstream establishment, as he courageously stands against the U S Forest Service! Yes, Grant County, OR, a small county of not even 7,000 people and 5,000 square miles, has set the example for the entire country as to how we restore freedom in America! A Sheriff doing his job, keeping his oath, and with the support of the people, standing together for liberty.
This did not happen overnight. The people have long endured abusive regulations by the Forest Service. The sheriff has been been working to have the USFS curtail their whimsical enforcement for years. Lately, it has fallen on deaf ears. So he was forced to take stronger action. Finally, he wrote the Forest Service a letter. Here is the letter in its entirety:
Teresa Raaf, Supervisor
Malheur National Forest
Patterson Bridge Road
John Day, Oregon 97845
Ms. Raaf, March 31, 2011
Regarding the pending cooperative policing agreement between the US Forest Service and the Grant County Sheriff, I am advising you in writing that I will not be signing the agreement. I do not believe that it is in the best interest of the people I serve or the Grant County Sheriff’s Office to continue with the agreement.
There are several issues that I will bring to your attention that at this point I will not go into detail about.
The issues include, but are not limited to, how US Forest Service LEO’s treated citizens of this county in October and November of 2010, Travel Management Plan, illegal road closures, grazing, logging, wood permits, prescribed burns, unemployment and other socio-economic issues this community faces today. There is a general mistrust of the federal government by the people of this County, State and Nation.
You are aware that I had sent at least two requests to the US Forest Service asking for information that pertains to where the US Forest Service gets its Constitutional authority to have law enforcement officers within Grant County.
One response that I have received in writing is that their authority is given through the Cooperative Policing Agreement that this agency has signed in the past. Upon asking for clarification and a second request, the response was that I needed to check with my District Attorney. Neither response in my opinion is adequate.
Under Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution, the federal government is limited in its powers and authority. Your jurisdiction as I see it is limited in nature to the Federal Building in John Day.
Within the confines of Grant County, Oregon, the duties and responsibility of law enforcement will rest with the County Sheriff and his designees.
Sincerely,
Glenn E. Palmer
Sheriff for Grant County
So, here we have a small-town sheriff standing against the Federal Government on behalf of his citizens. You know, the people the sheriff actually promised in solemn oath to protect and defend? Well, this Sheriff meant it. He takes his oath seriously and intends to keep his word. He has been ridiculed and sharply assailed for his stance. The local newspaper has been part of this criticism and some other local officials who would never have the courage to do such a thing, certainly have the courage to complain about Palmer. One such coward actually criticized the sheriff, not because he was wrong, but because his stance could cost the county federal funds! In other words, don't stand for what's right, do not try to keep your oath, become a political prostitute and grab the federal money! Is this not the political correctness of the day? Don't do whatever it takes to keep your oath of office, do whatever it takes to bring in the money! Thank goodness there are those with the honor and integrity to stay out of the corrupt mainstream.
There is one other fantastic part of this entire situation. The people have taken it upon themselves to stand with their sheriff. The newspaper, The Blue Mountain Eagle, has on its June 1, 2011 issue, a full-page ad with approximately 600 names on it from citizens of Grant County. The ad has as its headline: SUPPORT OUR SHERIFF. Then the subtitle reads: The following citizens stand behind our County Sheriff Glenn Palmer, his oath of office and the constitutions. This is an example to all Americans, to all leaders of this great country, a small county in eastern Oregon just demonstrated how we preserve our Constitutional Republic; we have sheriffs, who keep their oaths, who stand for liberty, and then you have the people, yes, how the entire Constitution starts, We The People, stand with their Sheriff!
I am honored to have seen all this in person, to have shaken the hand of this good Sheriff and his good wife, and to meet the people of this great county. I spoke to this crowd and in the middle of my presentation I announced proudly that it was an amazing experience to be in a place in America where the County Sheriff actually has the courage to just do his job! The crowd of about 500 went wild with applause, standing and cheering for several moments.
This is the answer, this is the solution. Grant County and Sheriff Palmer have shown us the way! As sheriffs and other local leaders stand for freedom, we take America back county by county and state by state! And of course, don't forget the key ingredient, “We The People.”
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