James Yeager of Tactical Response packed up and headed home after he saw his chances of advertising his goods and services fade when Cliven Bundy’s army of domestic terrorists successfully strong-armed the federal government into backing off its effort to round up Bundy’s cattle.
However, he has put the call out for other fair-weather patriots, namely the Oath Keepers and other extremist groups, to provide “24 hour security” to what is quickly evolving into a terrorist cell on American soil–the Bundy Ranch. Yeager and other heavily-armed militiamen and human shields (some call them “women”) converged on the ranch with threats of violence against people who were simply attempting to enforce a court order.
While he was at the ranch, Yeager–”patriot” that he is, posted daily videos, many of which served no purpose other than to plug his or other friendly businesses. When the tension died down, Yeager was out of there, leaving others to do the dirty work of sparking what the Oath Keepers say may be the “next American Revolution.”
Bundy’s supporters claim that he has an “ancestral right” to the taxpayer land he uses to graze his cattle, though his parents only purchased the land upon which his ranch rests in 1948–a far cry from the claim that his family has worked it since 1877. It was not used to graze cattle until 1954.
Of course, no matter what, Yeager and other supporters will say anything to give them an excuse to begin shooting. According to a 2009 report from the Southern Poverty Law Center, all right-wing militias are waiting for is “a spark.”
James Yeager has an interesting history, as well. While he claimed at the Bundy ranch that he is the “furthest thing from an insurrectionist,” and that “I love this country. Love it. Top to bottom. When I say the pledge of allegiance, I mean it. It’s funny that the word patriot has been turned into this negative thing,” his past tells a different story.
A year ago, he called on fellow “patriots” to rise up against gun control. “If that happens, it’s going to spark a civil war, and I’ll be glad to fire the first shot. I need all you patriots to start thinking about what you’re going to do,”he said in a YouTube video. “If this goes one inch further, I’m going to start killing people.”
He later walked back his comments, saying that he did not “advocate the overthrowing of the United States government, nor do I condone any violent actions towards any elected officials,” despite actually doing both of those things.
Perhaps he showed up at the Bundy Ranch hoping for a fight–his comments would indicate that. After all, he did make the cover of the SPLC’s quarterly intelligence report for being an anti-government threat. He claims, though, that they are not a “credible source.”
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