Ode to Robert L Finicum
by Jerry Delemus
As I sit here at home in New Hampshire watching videos of a friend Lavoy Finicum’s funeral procession with Cowboys and Cowgirls riding by with the beautiful music of the hoof beats on the pavement and Lavoy’s riderless horse passing by, I wonder when does America say enough? When do we recognize as a people, that our government has gone too far?
I traveled to Oregon to the refuge to do what I could to bring peace to a situation I knew in my soul was going to have death in it. I couldn’t sit at home without trying. In the end I suppose nothing happens or changes without us trying. I’m sad I didn’t spend more time with Lavoy that week, I certainly didn’t know it was his life I had been moved to try and save. The FBI had no desire to try and negotiate a peaceful end to this as they and the other law enforcement agencies had their own plan. These patriots were now just considered enemies of the state, and targets of opportunity.
Ryan Payne experienced this when he was shot at while holding his hands out the window of Lavoys truck. As soon as Ryan put his head out the window without warning these agents shot at him hitting his bracelet. Lavoy experienced it while trying to draw their fire away from the women and Ryan Bundy in his truck. There was no trial, no hesitation, just the willingness to shoot and kill their target of opportunity, a human being, a dad, a husband and a grandpa, but even more a hero. I heard outrage by the President, the media and Congressman when an African American thug that had just robbed a store attacked a police officer and was shot in the process. Many in congress stood and held their hands up in solidarity with this thug. None have stood up for Lavoy Finicum in congress, no hands raised as Lavoy’s were, no outrage that hundreds of bullets hit the truck where an 18-year old unarmed gospel singer or a 59-year grandma sat while they and Ryan Bundy crouched as low as they could praying to God for intervention. They certainly knew their help wouldn’t come from congress and it didn’t nor will it.
This fight, this battle lies squarely on the shoulders of us, the citizens, we Americans. It won’t be the next time I’ll stand, or go and defend those that need help. I don’t agree that occupying the refuge center was a good choice but it was an effort to draw attention to the plight of so many terrorized by our government. Terrorized with threats to take away grazing rights, water rights, private property but always backed up by the threat of violence, with armed paramilitary agencies if you failed to comply. For those in the East this may sound like an unbelievable tale, for those ranchers and farmers out West it is a reality. For Lavoy Finicum’s family it is a tragic loss but it is also affirmation of why Lavoy was loved by so many. Jesus told us that there is no greater love than that of a man that gives his life for his brother. Lavoy was just the kind of man Jesus was talking about.
I wonder, what kind of men are we, America?
