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tulipsandroses

(8,180 posts)
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 10:36 AM 9 hrs ago

When you've lost Ammon Bundy -The anti-government militia leader can't make sense of his allies' support of ICE

Ammon Bundy Is All Alone
The anti-government militia leader can’t make sense of his allies’ support for ICE violence

Not so long ago, Ammon Bundy was the most famous right-wing militia leader in America. His two armed standoffs with federal agents had made him the face of the Patriot Movement: a loose assemblage of anti-government extremists, Second Amendment maximalists, and more than a few white nationalists. Even some mainstream elements of the Republican Party embraced him as a modern folk hero. But Bundy’s criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown now threatens to make him a pariah within his own community.

In November, Bundy self-published a long essay titled “The Stranger,” in which he labeled the Trump administration’s treatment of undocumented immigrants a “moral failure.” “To call such people criminals for lacking official permission” to be in the country, he wrote, “is to forget the moral law of God, the historical truth of our own founding, and the Constitutional ideals that continue to define justice.” On a recent livestream following the killing of Renee Good in Minnesota, Bundy told his audience that ICE’s conduct “clearly looks like tyranny.” If the government threatened his family, he said, he would fight back by whatever means necessary.

I spoke with Bundy a few hours after federal immigration agents shot and killed Alex Pretti. “It’s sickening to me,” he told me over the phone, “just to see the parallels of history repeating itself.” (In his November essay, he had compared the administration’s treatment of immigrants to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.) He added, “When it comes to the more humanitarian side of it, I think the left has it much more correct than the nationalist right.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/ammon-bundy-trump-ice/685849/


41 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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When you've lost Ammon Bundy -The anti-government militia leader can't make sense of his allies' support of ICE (Original Post) tulipsandroses 9 hrs ago OP
No words... newdeal2 9 hrs ago #1
I think the British have a word for how I feel Roy Rolling 22 min ago #41
I had hoped we would never have to hear from this insurrectionist again. travelingthrulife 9 hrs ago #2
Always remember; The enemy of my enemy is my friend. flashman13 7 hrs ago #16
My temporary ally. Never my friend. Iggo 6 hrs ago #31
Here's how I'll always remember Cowpoke Bundy yonder 4 hrs ago #34
No sympathy for Bundy here, but ... FakeNoose 9 hrs ago #3
My first reaction too. Attilatheblond 7 hrs ago #23
This his how truly fcked this country is Cosmocat 9 hrs ago #4
He's only trying to get laid RB77 9 hrs ago #5
Mary Tyer Moore? NO... Marjorie Tyler Moore? NO... Safe as Milk 7 hrs ago #17
One word. CULT. Ferrets are Cool 8 hrs ago #6
It's all fun and games to them until the regime they support goes too far. Initech 4 hrs ago #36
He should be in prison, with Trump. twodogsbarking 8 hrs ago #7
Dude's a fucking genius aocommunalpunch 8 hrs ago #8
I'm surprised that he is willing to admit such a thing, though. Shipwack 6 hrs ago #28
Take the win Nasruddin 8 hrs ago #9
Thank You RB77 8 hrs ago #13
He's starting to recognize that the Govt he voted for was what his militia was formed to protect everyone from. mdbl 7 hrs ago #26
I won't eat the crumbs off his table. Boomerproud 5 hrs ago #33
Words I never, ever thought I would hear from Bundy, MarineCombatEngineer 8 hrs ago #10
It IS the upside down Maru Kitteh 8 hrs ago #11
Don't agree with Bundy much, but I will say this: at least he's not a hypocrite, unlike members of the Republican party. Fil1957 8 hrs ago #12
Will wonders never cease Easterncedar 7 hrs ago #14
We are through the looking glass Blue Owl 7 hrs ago #15
Things get curiouser and curiouser. twodogsbarking 7 hrs ago #19
That reads like an educated thoughtful response BidenRocks 7 hrs ago #18
My god. I just looked out the window and I could swear I saw a couple of pigs flying. Texin 7 hrs ago #20
Ha, the worm is turning, as they say. Joinfortmill 7 hrs ago #21
It's easy to understand even you realize it's about racism JI7 7 hrs ago #22
He's an unstable self-absorbed attention whore with a loud angry violent style struggle4progress 7 hrs ago #24
MAGAts don't mind a tyrant violating the Constitution when victims are people they hate Martin Eden 7 hrs ago #25
If David Koresh (Waco seige) and Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge standoff) were alive, they'd be anti-ICE, too. sop 6 hrs ago #27
Wow, I didn't know Weaver passed away Polybius 58 min ago #39
Weaver died in 2022, he was 74-years-old. sop 55 min ago #40
ICE are the "Jack-booted thugs" Bundy has been warning us about. Bluetus 6 hrs ago #29
2 armed standoffs during the Obama administration and he's still alive IronLionZion 6 hrs ago #30
His sings one note: all government reach is overreach. Iggo 5 hrs ago #32
Now this is certainly a turn I didn't see coming! Initech 4 hrs ago #35
Yes! Cirsium 1 hr ago #37
He's always seen the government as the enemy, now the stark reality of it has shown itself. patphil 1 hr ago #38

Roy Rolling

(7,497 posts)
41. I think the British have a word for how I feel
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 08:11 PM
22 min ago

Gobsmacked.

I hope I spelt it right. 😂

yonder

(10,258 posts)
34. Here's how I'll always remember Cowpoke Bundy
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 03:43 PM
4 hrs ago

Though I'd accept anything which helps keep his ilk at home and away from the voting booth, he's still a narrow minded knucklehead and NOT our friend.

Here's the 'lil pardner riding the Jefferson Street range in front of the Idaho Statehouse handcuffed to his trusty office steed just two days apart from another arrest:



https://www.mainepublic.org/2020-08-26/ammon-bundy-is-arrested-and-wheeled-out-of-the-idaho-statehouse

FakeNoose

(40,587 posts)
3. No sympathy for Bundy here, but ...
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 10:40 AM
9 hrs ago

... he is a rancher and he probably hires immigrants to work for him. Most likely he appreciates their cheap labor, if nothing else.

Attilatheblond

(8,485 posts)
23. My first reaction too.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:16 PM
7 hrs ago

Lived in a remote ranching county. They LOVE Mexican laborers. Heard lots of complaints about American ranch hands and white Austrailian sheep shearers from those very RW/GOP voting ranch owners. To a one, they said the Mexican immigrants worked harder, were infinitely more polite to female ranch family members, and were never hung over or no-shows in the morning due to being arrested for brawling with locals in the bars.

Cosmocat

(15,369 posts)
4. This his how truly fcked this country is
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 10:43 AM
9 hrs ago

when one year into DT 2 this psychopath comes off as a voice of reason ...

RB77

(70 posts)
5. He's only trying to get laid
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 10:54 AM
9 hrs ago

I live in Idaho and the word has been buzzing around that he has a humongous crush on Mary Taylor Greene 😻

aocommunalpunch

(4,561 posts)
8. Dude's a fucking genius
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 12:05 PM
8 hrs ago

“When it comes to the more humanitarian side of it, I think the left has it much more correct than the nationalist right.”

YA DON’T FUCKIN SAY?! Sheer brilliance here.

Shipwack

(3,022 posts)
28. I'm surprised that he is willing to admit such a thing, though.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:38 PM
6 hrs ago

Yes, he’s a POS who should have been jailed long ago. However, I’m surprised that he is able to say something positive about the Left at all.

I’ve been saying for a few weeks now that these anti-government types have been showing their true colors by being silent. I can’t complain when one finally does speak out.

Strange days indeed.

Nasruddin

(1,204 posts)
9. Take the win
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 12:16 PM
8 hrs ago

At least he has some principles.

We need every ally we can get to stand against the regime. Behind him there are more.
We should be able to negotiate a way to live with the movement he represents. Don't let some scheming psychopath get there 1st.

RB77

(70 posts)
13. Thank You
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 12:30 PM
8 hrs ago

I certainly agree. It’s critical that we have as much support that we can get when they’re trying to take our country by force.

mdbl

(8,228 posts)
26. He's starting to recognize that the Govt he voted for was what his militia was formed to protect everyone from.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:31 PM
7 hrs ago

Either way, he'll still turn into a big asshole if the govt prosecutes him for illegally using land for his cattle again.

Boomerproud

(9,198 posts)
33. I won't eat the crumbs off his table.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 03:19 PM
5 hrs ago

We have enough truly good, really principled people on the right side of history. I don't need Ammon Bundy to tell me anything. BTW, where is Liz Cheney who was elevated to hero status a couple of years ago.

MarineCombatEngineer

(17,844 posts)
10. Words I never, ever thought I would hear from Bundy,
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 12:20 PM
8 hrs ago

we definitely live in strange times with strange bedfellows.

Again, that old saying, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"....for now.

Fil1957

(618 posts)
12. Don't agree with Bundy much, but I will say this: at least he's not a hypocrite, unlike members of the Republican party.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 12:28 PM
8 hrs ago

twodogsbarking

(17,841 posts)
19. Things get curiouser and curiouser.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:00 PM
7 hrs ago

The Queen of Hearts
She made some tarts,
All on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts
He stole those tarts,
And took them clean away.
The King of Hearts
Called for the tarts,
And beat the knave full sore;
The Knave of Hearts
Brought back the tarts,
And vowed he'd steal no more.

BidenRocks

(2,920 posts)
18. That reads like an educated thoughtful response
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 12:59 PM
7 hrs ago

from a contemptable liar and thief.
You had snipers on that fucking bridge asshole!
I am not the Lord so I do not have to forgive anything!

Deathbed conversion?

struggle4progress

(125,646 posts)
24. He's an unstable self-absorbed attention whore with a loud angry violent style
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:18 PM
7 hrs ago

Today lots of other assholes just like him are wearing ICE vests and attacking ordinary people

Stay the fuck away from him

Martin Eden

(15,419 posts)
25. MAGAts don't mind a tyrant violating the Constitution when victims are people they hate
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:23 PM
7 hrs ago

Bundy is an exception to this rule, apparently.

sop

(17,840 posts)
27. If David Koresh (Waco seige) and Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge standoff) were alive, they'd be anti-ICE, too.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:35 PM
6 hrs ago

Polybius

(21,609 posts)
39. Wow, I didn't know Weaver passed away
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 07:35 PM
58 min ago

It didn't make big headlines. I would have posted it in LBN for sure had I known.

Bluetus

(2,455 posts)
29. ICE are the "Jack-booted thugs" Bundy has been warning us about.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 01:52 PM
6 hrs ago

Janet Reno was nothing next to these goons.

IronLionZion

(50,986 posts)
30. 2 armed standoffs during the Obama administration and he's still alive
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 02:19 PM
6 hrs ago

ICE kills people for filming them these days.

Iggo

(49,732 posts)
32. His sings one note: all government reach is overreach.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 02:40 PM
5 hrs ago

The government just happens to be criminally overreaching right now, so that one note he sings fits perfectly into our song. But it’s just one of the two times a day his busted clock happens to be right. Don’t be fooled. He’s not our friend.

(Mixed metaphors rule!!!)

patphil

(8,804 posts)
38. He's always seen the government as the enemy, now the stark reality of it has shown itself.
Sun Feb 1, 2026, 07:01 PM
1 hr ago

I imagine he feels his whole life has been justified. And, thanks to Trump, it has.

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