Only by Blood and Suffering: Regaining Lost Freedom

by LaVoy Finicum

5. They are currently setting up militarized “Rapid Response” bases all around the county militarily equipped including MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles.

  6. Ezra Taft Benson, Sectary of Agriculture under President under Dwight D. Eisenhower, “A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America…” General Conference, October 1988.

  7. Continuity of Government, (CoG) or Continuity of Operations, (COOP). From the Department of Homeland Security’s official website, “The exercise, known as Eagle Horizon, is a mandatory annual exercise for all executive branch departments and agencies coordinated by DHS through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its National Continuity Programs (MCP) Directorate.”

  8. NDAA: National Defense Authorization Act. Wikipedia, “…subsections 1021-1022 of Title X, Subtitle D, entitled “Counter-Terrorism”, authorizing the indefinite military detention of persons the government suspects of involvement in terrorism, including U.S. citizens arrested on American soil.” It was signed by President Barack Obama December 31 2011.

  9. NSA: National Security Agency. The NSA has built the world’s largest electronic spy center in Bluffdale, Utah.

  10. Metadata is basically data about other data. They collect this data on phones, cell phones, email, internet chats and faxes. Through Edward Snowden it is now known that the NSA has been collecting and sharing hundreds of billions of Metadata records with other federal agencies in our country and other countries.

  Chapter 21

  KANAB

  March 4th

  The mayor of Kanab walked up the front steps of the beautiful old church on Main Street at 10:00 a.m. The military guard at the front door allowed him to enter. He was right on time, as he had been instructed.

  “Carl, how are you this morning?” Zackary Williams asked the mayor in a friendly tone as he rose from behind a large desk to greet him.

  Zackary was dressed in a crisp green uniform with a white military cap. From his cap to his polished black dress shoes, there was nothing out of place. It was such a contrast to the people outside. The persona and aura of the officer demanded respect, and the mayor gave it.

  “I’m doing okay but the call for food is getting pretty loud,” the mayor replied as he looked around the large chapel room of the old church.

  The room was converted to a fully functioning military command and control center. It was orderly and all personnel inside were dressed in full uniforms and groomed to military standards. The place gave the mayor hope for his town. They were lucky to have been blessed with having the Department of Homeland Security in Kanab when so many other places would not have such resources for a long time.

  “Mr. Williams, sir, I want to personally thank you for the leadership that you have brought to our community in its hour of need. Without the strong presence of your men it would have been hard to keep civil strife from breaking out.”

  “There is no need to thank me; this is simply my job. I’m glad to be able to help in this part of the country that I consider to be my home,” Zackary replied. “Now, Mayor, how are things coming for the town meeting at 11:00? Did you contact all the ones on the list that I gave you?”

  “There were only four families that were not home,” the mayor replied. “All the rest were contacted by me and the city council personally. Quite a few, initially, were slow to warm up to the invitation but when we explained the reason for the meeting and who would be coming, most said that they would come. Of the six hundred and twenty four families that you were hoping to get to attend, I think we will have close to six hundred of them.”

  “So, Mayor, were you very clear that this was strictly a voluntary meeting where the most capable men and women of this town can meet to help create a plan for your community?”

  “I did and I see the wisdom in the list you gave me. The families on that list are the ones that are taking care of themselves and others. None of them are beating at the city office doors asking for help.”

  The mayor paused a moment then asked tentatively, “How did you know which ones were most self-reliant? I’ve lived here all my life and I couldn’t have put together as complete of a list as you have done.” Without pausing for an answer, Carl continued, “You know, most of these people I’m sure, did not vote for me. For that reason it took extra convincing to get them to agree to come to this meeting.”

  Zackary didn’t bother to respond to the mayor’s question or comment. He turned to the DHS agent that was sitting at the desk by the east wall and asked, “Is everything in place?”

  “Yes, Sir,” was the short reply.

  “Mayor, you’ve done a fine job. The people will already be gathering at the high school football stadium. You and the town council need to be there to greet them. They will have a lot of questions along with a lot of good ideas that we need to hear.”

  With that, the meeting with Zackary Williams was over and the mayor found himself standing on the steps outside the church. As the door closed behind him, he shook his head, a little confused. “Everything in place? What in place?”

  With a shrug of his shoulders, he brushed aside the thought and walked off to get the town council. It would take fifteen minutes to walk to the football stadium, so he needed to be going.

  Zackary Williams did not show up at the “planning meeting” at the stadium right on time, but he was not late. Zackary Williams was never late. He needed time for any late comers to arrive. Zackary ’s driver pulled his white SUV into the parking lot and he could see the last of the citizens filing onto the bleachers on the east of the stadium. As instructed, it was mainly men and women with some of the older children. This was a time to hear ideas from the strongest members of the community.

  The chill of the March morning was giving way to the warmth of the sun. The mayor and members of the city council were working their way through the crowd with pen and note books. Groups of people were gathering around each of them, voicing concerns and giving suggestions.

  Zackary left the SUV and walked to the gate at the chain link fence that surrounded the stadium. He waited and watched the engaged crowd. Few noticed the three other SUVs arrive. Eight men in each exited the vehicles and all were fully outfitted in tactical gear. They divided into four groups with six men in each group. Each group moved to cover all exits of the stadium. On the empty bleacher on the west side of the stadium Zackary could see the two snipers take their positions. The snipers were no sooner in place than he could see the two platoons of marching men come into view. These platoons were made up of the men from the prison, all with violent histories. They were turning the corner off of the main road and heading to the football stadium. He never tired of seeing his plans come together on schedule. It was time.

  Zackary walked through the gate and out onto the football field. He walked until he reached the fifty-yard line at center field. He stood there, straight and tall, with his feet spread slightly and hands clasped behind his back. He did not bark orders or shout for silence. He stood quietly and did not move.

  A few more in the buzzing crowd started looking around. They would speak to someone next to them then point at the armed men in uniforms at the gates. The voices began to die down then went completely silent as the platoons began to enter the stadium. The platoons entered in single file and marched down the end zone line under the south goalpost. Reaching the far sideline, they turned and marched towards the north goalpost. As the leading men reached the opposite end zone line, they turned and marched to the near sideline. They stopped. The soldiers now ringed three sides of the football field with the open side towards the bleachers of people. Each of the soldiers had their rifles at the ready and this time their magazines were not empty.

  When the soldiers stopped, there was dead silence. All eyes were on the lone man in the center of the field. Zackary spoke, and in the silence, his strong voice could be heard by all.

  This great country
was founded upon laws, laws that were enacted by leaders that were elected by the voice of the people. When people defy the voice of the majority and defy those laws they become outlaws. They are a threat to law and order and our efforts to care for the law abiding citizens of this country.

  Each of you here has personally violated, or are members of a household that has violated, the “gun safety act.” Registered to you are guns that have not been turned in. Therefore, you are all under arrest.

  The stadium began to buzz and a man in a light blue jacket standing at the top of the stadium bleachers shouted out, “By damn if…”

  A shot rang out from across the field and a bullet passed through his head.

  The man dropped and the echo of the shot reverberated inside the stadium. Again, the crowd went silent.

  Zackary resumed speaking, “If I have another such outbreak and defiance to our laws, I will not hesitate to order an ‘open fire’ on this treasonous crowd. If you will look at the faces of these soldiers you will recognize that none of them are your neighbors. They all come from the prison. They have no neighborly concern that they may shoot someone they know or care about.”

  Zackary paused a moment to let it sink into the minds of the crowd. The dead man bleeding on the bleacher seat gave weight to his words.

  “Now listen carefully: all men and boys move to the end of the bleachers to my right,” said Zackary pointing to his right. “All women and girls move to the end of the bleachers to my left,” and Zackary pointed to his left.

  “In ten seconds, any male still standing next to a female will be shot.”

  In fear for the lives of their husbands and sons, the wives and mothers moved quickly to the left end of the bleachers. The men moved more reluctantly and slowly to the opposite end.

  Zackary smiled, he had them now. “Men, your wives and daughters will be safe if you do as you are told. Any problems here at this time and they will be shot first.”

  “Men, some of you are packing concealed guns on you, for the safety of the women, please leave them on the bleacher seats. Then file down and form up on the twenty-five yard line here at my left.”

  “Ladies, please make yourselves comfortable and take a seat where you are.”

  “One last thing, Mayor and city council, thank you for your service to your community. You each may leave this group and meet me back at my headquarters in fifteen minutes. Do not be late.”

  It was a “get out of jail free” card and they took it. The men and women of the town government exited the two separate crowds on the bleachers and hurried to the gates. When the last one had left, Zackary nodded to one of his lieutenants standing at the left gate. The lieutenant saluted him back. This operation was now in his hands. Zackary Williams left through the right gate and got back into his SUV and his driver drove him back to the old church. He passed the city officials who were walking at a fast pace and laughed quietly to himself.

  Zackary was comfortably sitting behind his big desk when the mayor and town council were shown into the church. He looked at his watch then up at the mayor. Fourteen minutes and fifty seconds.

  “Mayor, I would not make it a habit of cutting mandatory meeting times so close. I am a man who demands exactness.”

  The mayor was definitely intimidated. The mask had come off the man who he thought was going to save his entire town. Now, Carl knew that only those on the right list would have a chance at salvation. Not all of the town council had yet come to that conclusion, but he had, and he was going to bow down and kiss the ring of power. It was the only chance.

  Zackary now rose from his chair and walked to the front of his desk. The strength that radiated from this man was intimidating and several council members unconsciously took a step back.

  There was nothing he wanted to hear from these people. This was going to be a one way communication with no need to waste words.

  As leaders of this community you are to give a unified voice to what has happened today and what needs to happen in the future. You will let this community know how rebellious those families at the stadium were and how their hoarding of essential resources have been the cause of great suffering to this town. The men of those families have been taken to the prison. The women are being allowed to return to their homes. Their homes have sufficient food laid up in storage. You must let those women know that their men will be fed one meal a day if they provide housing and meals for my soldiers. I have made it very clear to the soldiers that no women folk are to be harmed or abused in any way. If the women so choose, they may offer more intimate care for my soldiers in exchange for an extra meal to their men in prison.

  As a city government, you will continue to receive three meals a day if you are successful in turning public opinion against those selfish families. Along with that, there are others in this community who are draining vital resources. It is not fair that those who have already lived a long life take away from those that are not old. The sick and the weak cannot contribute to the community. Each one of these that are given food to stay alive is killing some innocent child that could otherwise become a strength to your town. You must convince them that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

  Of course, those of you here on this council that are well past your prime can prove that you deserve your place at the table by how well you accomplish this task.

  Zackary was through and with a wave of his hand a soldier stepped forward and led them out.

  Page Arizona was next and he had another list.

  Chapter 22

  PAGE

  March 7th

  Zackary ’s platoon rolled out on top of the Glen Canyon Dam by 10:00 A.M. The grey concrete dam was a stately monument that attested to the old intrepid and enterprising spirit of America. On the north of the dam, the vast waters of Lake Powell were held back by the mighty structure. On the south side of the dam, deep in the bottom of the canyon, the Colorado River resumed its flow.

  He stopped to check with The DHS agents that he had preplaced to secure the dam. By natural design, the dam was an easy place to keep secure and Zackary had only allotted a handful of choice men to do the job. His white SUV stopped next to the four large EMP proof storage containers that rested on top of the dam. These he had prepositioned several years ago and they were filled with all the electronic circuits and parts that would otherwise be fried by a nuclear attack. The storage containers were large Faraday cages1 and protected all the needed replacement electronics for both the hydro power plant of the dam and the coal-fired power plant close by.

  He had all the electronic resources needed and now he needed the human resources. Again, NSA had provided him with names and information of all the people who worked at both power plants. These people he needed to gather in and assure their control. It was time to start working on bringing the dam back on-line.

  The platoon consisted of three of the hardened SUVs that were pulling trailers. Each trailer was filled with fifteen uniformed men. Behind the SUVs was an old cattle truck filled with boxes of food. The old truck ran because it had been built in 1971 and had no electronic circuits that could be affected by an EMP

  Once Zackary was confident that all at the dam was in order, he led his platoon towards the town of Page. They left the cattle truck parked next to the containers on the dam and under guard.

  The town of Page lay adjacent the dam and lake, on top of a flat desert plateau. As his SUV ascended the plateau, he looked out on the lake. It had many boats filled with people fishing. Not but a few weeks ago the boats had been motor powered. Now they paddled them out onto the water to fish. The shoreline was littered with tents and people fishing along the water’s edge. It was no longer something they did for pleasure or pastime. Their lives now revolved around food or the lack thereof. The timing was good. With the food he had brought he would easily gather in the ones he needed.

  At the top of the plateau the SUVs, with their solders in tow, separated and began contacting the homes of the peop
le who worked at the dam and power plant. The first house that Zackary’s team stopped at was a large home on Lake View Drive. It boasted a beautiful view of the lake and a yard done in desert landscaping. It was the home of one Stan Wycliffe, the head supervisor of the dam.

  As the SUV stopped, the solders exited the trailer and made a nice show of force as they made a small perimeter around the vehicle and the front of the house.

  Zackary knocked on the large door. A woman parted the curtains at the tall window next to the door and looked out. Even through the window, a mixture of relief and excitement could be seen coming to her face. The face disappeared and next the sound of a turning dead bolt could be heard. The door swung open wide and the woman stepped out.

  “You’ve come,” she cried out.

  And so it went. Using the face of a caring government and the lure of food, they gathered out of the crumbling town all of the human resources that they needed. Viewed as a savior, he took the skilled workers to the dam. Their families he would haul to Kanab with promises to care for them. In reality, the families were leverage that he would hold over the workers to ensure that they stayed dedicated to the work assigned to them.

  It took Zackary and his team two days to complete the harvest of the human resources from the town and three more days to organize the retrofit crew for the dam. There were only a few entrances to the dam and it was easy to make it a virtual prison for the workers. It was also easy to keep secured from any outside forces.

  This was a good plan and it was coming together nicely.

  _____________________

  1. Faraday Cage – a metal cage of any size that allows electrical currents to pass around items that are insulated inside it. If built correctly it can protect electronic circuits from an EMP.

  Chapter 23

  SANDY YAZZIE