We at the Jolly Landsknecht have been following the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) occupation with a great deal of interest. This blog is not going to punch the tar baby of the nobility of the cause or the legality of the occupation but rather look at one facet of the incident in a critical light.
Occupying facilities, government or private, is deep rooted in American history. In the 1700s we were given the Boston Tea Party where members of the Sons of Liberty occupied the tea ships Eleanor, Beaver and Dartmouth and subsequently destroyed their contents. In the early 20th century the American labor movement conducted “sit-ins” to protect what they perceived as unfair labor practices. The Civil Rights era was partially defined by lunch counter sit-ins and the famous Rosa Parks protest.
The Vietnam War and its opposition generated many incidents of civil disobedience often involving the occupation of federal facilities. On December 4, 1967, 500 protesters showed up at the San Francisco’s Federal Building where 88 draft cards were burned.
In 1971 a group of Native Americans occupied Alcatraz Island for 19 months. They were protesting the US government’s seizure and refusal to return native lands under the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie.
Historically speaking, the occupation of the MNWR is nothing new. Why is it that some acts of civil disobedience are looked upon favorably and others in a negative light. Two words:
Perception Management
One of the basic tenants of 4th generation warfare (4GW) is to control and craft the narrative.
One source states that 4GW combatants must employ “highly sophisticated psychological warfare, especially through media manipulation and lawfare.
The US military calls this process Information Operations (IO) which “are described as the integrated employment of electronic warfare (EW), computer network operations (CNO), psychological operations (PSYOP), military deception (MILDEC), and operations security (OPSEC), in concert with specified supporting and related capabilities, to influence, disrupt, corrupt or usurp adversarial human and automated decision making while protecting our own.”
The past and present MNWR occupiers did/do not appear to have a basic understanding of either IO or have a cohesive and comprehensive plan of action. Two of the most glaring and actionable ones were OPSEC and PSYOP (Public Affairs / Strategic Communications).
OPSEC
It does not appear that they looked at how their communications could be compromised which is basic Communications Security (COMSEC). OPSEC came into play when photographs and access by nonaffiliated journalists allowed images that show the operational frequencies on their HTs. This is covered in this excellent piece from RadioMaster Reports.
They did not control the movement of journalists in their AO. There is some speculation that a popular internet journalist and his unfiltered live feeds were where the information that gave the meat to the federal arrest warrants originated.
Their personal movements were not random and were broadcasted and predictable. The “OP” in OPSEC stands for OPERATIONS! A basic OPSEC plan should be created for each action or operation.
Control the information coming in and for God’s sake, control the information going out!
PSYOP
During the Vietnam War there was the hearts and minds program that hoped to cast US and allied forces in the light as the protectors and helpers of South Vietnam. I saw this same strategy used during my time in Afghanistan.
No insurgency or occupation will succeed without the will of the population.
The MNWR occupiers and their supporters were reported to have harassed the local population in the area of Burns, OR. The Federal IO folks seized this chink and used it to craft the narrative that the occupiers wire usurpers in the community and harbored intents that were harmful to the community.
There is no one, clear, stable and articulate voice for the occupation. In short no Public Information Officer (PIO) was appointed to control the public image of the occupation.
For example, videos and still photographs of the occupiers WITH OUT weapons and military garb would portray to the public the much better image of oppressed ranchers and citizens seeking redress through peaceful means. Knuckle heads full of bombast like this guy do not help support that message.
Actively seek support of the public through social media. Have the PIO establish an OFFICIAL face book account and use the power of the internet to further the narrative and to cast the occupiers as victims. Have reoccurring press conferences and portray every government action as an assault on freedom and an attack on PEACEFUL and UNARMED protesters.
USE PROPAGANDA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE AND TO THE DISADVANTAGE OF YOUR ENEMY.
Benchmark successful movements like Black Lives Matters, Occupy Wall Street and the 99%. Don’t get hung up on their message but copy their Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures.
Craft the narrative, control the information, mold the truth and build the support! All of which were lacking at the occupation of the MNWR.
As it has been said, “The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea.” ~ Mao Zedong
The Jolly Landsknecht 
Brilliant observations regarding this. Was recently having a conversation on this topic and the questions you answered did in fact come to light.
The folks out there definitely needed better marketing.
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As G. Orwell said,
“Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.”
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This line of discussion is a winner. Hearts and minds is tantamount for success. Without growth in numbers failure will occur. The rancher /land debate is a winning tactic. The David and Goliath symmetry is a perfect visual. Controlling the narrative should be the primary imperative.
Each operation needs to be developed as a project where controls are in place to control the message. The media hates us and will zero in on any negative aspect of the project. Control control control.
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I have a long association with, and am very familiar with Harney Co. Early on I stated that if the Bundy group had wanted to win H&Ms they would have been unarmed, and like the Civil Rights Movement would have offered passive resistance, chained themselves to various heavy objects and sung Christian hymns when ever the Press was around
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This would have turned out much different if the task org. included some ‘black lives matter’ folks.
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Not to argue with what has been said here, but armed resistance seemed to have worked at the Bundy ranch. Without the consciences of LEO’s getting shot at, what dispels their immediate arrests? While I agree there are better ways of gaining notoriety than burning down business’s or shooting at the FED’s. While standing against tyranny and the choice between hash-tag signs and AR-15s ? Perhaps the ability to control the media is the real power broker.
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Bundy ranch had an action the government could, reluctantly, take: release the cows.
Malheur was a protest/education without an acceptable action the government could take except felony arrests. Malheur was also a “come on down” protest like Bundy ranch. That allowed any wacky “patriot” to set up shop, no vetting. vlazlow is correct in his critique.
Remember after 9/11, how a large part of the country united? Songwriters were writing songs, artists doing artwork (remember the Statue of Liberty holding a baby and a revolver?), crafty people were doing their thing. I was given a dangly flag pin made from small beads (I’ve still got it). We need to inspire that kind of spirit. If we get to that point, there won’t need to be any shooting.
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Reblogged this on The Right Site and commented:
Lesson’s learned…
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“Benchmark successful movements like Black Lives Matters, Occupy Wall Street and the 99%.” The ONLY reason they were ‘successful’ was because the MSN was on their SIDE. No matter WHAT these guys did, they would be demonized. jeez.
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http://canadafreepress.com/comments/two-statements-from-the-finicum-family
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Reblogged this on Starvin Larry and commented:
Always control the narrative…
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I’m a former PSYOP Officer (37A), this type stuff was our job all day every day and I’m shocked at the Patriot movement’s lack of understanding and effort put toward trying to control the narrative. I guess I’m not surprised a group of people that seized a location with no logistics plan or support didn’t think of this beforehand but I don’t see anyone doing it. I guess designing a messaging campaign isn’t as sexy as tricking out your AR but I promise in most situations it would have more impact.
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Doug O. Thanks for your insight! As a former 35D and Tactical Exploitation Bn dude I have a little understanding of PSYOP but having a 37A comment has tremendous value! Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
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No problem, you were definitely onto something. I see outstanding folks like Sam Culper teaching the military intelligence process, Max Velocity teaching in-depth gun fighting concepts to include working as teams, and AmRRON and Sparks setting up radio comms and I’ve often thought I should pull together something similar for Psychological Operations. The problem is finding the time which is a terrible excuse I know, maybe I can put together a few write ups to share on others blogs even if I don’t start one myself.
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Got tired of waiting for the AD. Strolling around with the safety off. What was the point he was trying to make?
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This is a good example where proper use of the First Amendment is more important than the use of the Second Ammendment. This battle could have been won with a good grassroots campaign. That probably scares the begeburs out of the federal guberment.
The Martin Luther (Guttenberg press guy) example still works. Use humor to humanize your opponent. Make the public not fear your opponent. Use anger to fillet your opponent. Use logic to explain your position and why you opponent sucks donkey dick.
Keep alternating. Hammer a weak spot hard. By the time your opponent speaks up, you’ve moved on to a new issue. The federal government moves at the speed of a dinosaur. Take advantage of that.
A year grassroots campaign is a political campaign. Be willing to get dirty with it on social media. Use a blogger as an outside PAC to say the things an official grassroots organization cannot say. Keep the blogger semi autonomous and independent. The blogger speaks for the blogger and not the organization. Allow the blogger to roam and be a sniper.
Don’t use you tube unless you are young and sexy. A blog can frame a message more properly. If you sound like Pete Santilli, learn to write.
The battle is won with the First Ammendment. The Second is just for self defense.
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This was an excellent article.
My rolly-polly Mini-14 looked and sounded more like a radical feminist protester than anyone who deserved to be taken seriously. My first gut reaction to him screaming into the camera was “I want to knock him on his ass.”
That being said, there are probably at least 300 million people in this country who are less sympathetic to their cause than I am.
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“The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.” – John Adams, 1818
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Modern camo is street clothes.
That is urban camo. That is the proper camo for most every situation until things move much further than they are right now. To move through a city or most anywhere now the inconspicuous clothes are street clothes. normal everyday wear for where you are at.
This is an asymmetric war. All levels of warfare are being used. Do better than they are.
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Your article was excellent. yet it does not take into account several factors. Over the last three decades the federal govt has successfully used your theory to demonize the militia movement. Take the Oklahoma city bombing. Bill Clinton successfully planted a seed in peoples minds that the word Oklahoma City bombing is synoymous with Militia. There were no social media or alternative news sites to defend the right wingers back then and the only narrative heard was that of the Fed Gov. So a pio would not have helped. The Waco and Ruby ridge occurred and no alternative news media to combat the Fed gov narrative. You also bring up the successful information campaigns of blacklives matter and Ferguson. Your premise is accurate in that they were successful movements. But you fail to identify the other corollary factors that were very large in the success of those movements. There is a very large political movement already in place, building for decades, strong on black victimhood and special treatment for blacks. and the blacklives matters movement is built on this. Also a factor is the first black president in the White House. Pres. Obama has the bully pulpit so to speak and that is very very very difficult for any white right winger to counter. The Presidents bully pulpit is backed by the powers that be and even though the Republicans in the House and senate have control, even THEY don’t defy the president. So how could a bunch of white, right wing militia types compete with that even on their best day? There are white folks in the country who out of naive patriotism simply can’t accept the fact that the Pres. Of the USA could lie. Then there is the Democratic national Party that has a very very powerful information machine at their disposal with every major media outlet at their command, already prepped to go against any narrative that a white christian right winger was somehow in the right. so I wholeheartedly agree that the information let out of the Malheur Wildlife building was largely unsuccessful due to public image, faulty control of the information and numerous other factors you already laid out. I also agree that things need to be done better. But, in all honesty, with the factors laid out, would a better media public relations campaign have changed the outcome? This country is on the verge of a race based civil war due to the above mentioned factors and some other issues not discussed. In this arena of hostility to white christian conservatives, it would be difficult for the best public relations machine to cast them in any positive light.
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