Supporting Klamath Farmers Draws "Patriot" Interest
Montana Human Rights Network News
September 2001

In August, a convoy of Montanans journeyed to Klamath Falls, OR, to show support for drought-stricken farmers. Many protests have occurred at the head gates of the irrigation project in Klamath this summer. The federal government closed the gates, in part, because low water levels are killing endangered fish in nearby bodies of water. This meant Klamath farmers lacked the water to grow crops.

The protests have included of the farmers forcibly re-opening the canal by vandalizing the gates, the federal government repairing the gates, and protestors trying to irrigate by bypassing the gates. The Kalispell leg of the Montana convoy, "The Convoy of Tears," sought to deliver water and food to the Oregon protestors.

Early in the convoy’s planning, the Network obtained an e-mail sent from one of the convoy’s planners, Cathy Aastrom, directly to the Militia of Montana (MOM) providing an update on the logistical planning of the convoy. MOM then distributed the update to its supporters. Aastrom’s name also showed up on the Montana Defense Militia’s website. The statement on the website uses the word "Amerika," which is common patriot rhetoric referring to the belief that socialists have taken over America. The website contains propaganda on the United Nations’ supposed plot to subjugate America to one-world government. In total, MOM distributed four updates on the Kalispell convoy.

A caller to Kalispell’s KGEZ radio said MOM had escorted the convoy to the Idaho/Montana border. The caller said the militia turned back so it wouldn’t cause any problems for the rest of the convoy. This decision was made after the Network issued an advisory that "patriots" might be coming with the Kalispell convoy. The caller also said that the Oregon Militia was at the head gates in Klamath Falls.

One of the other Kalispell organizers attempted to downplay "patriot" involvement. Once in Klamath Falls and after the Network had issued an advisory about "patriot" involvement, Jayne Strash said MOM had decided not to join the convoy and only attended the send-off rally. However, in the same media report, Dave Burgert was interviewed in Klamath Falls and identified himself as a MOM member.

One of the major sponsors of the Kalispell convoy was John Stokes of KGEZ radio. KGEZ acted as a drop-off point for goods and money, and Stokes offered to take a green swastika to Klamath to be burned. The green swastika is Stokes’ chosen symbol to represent conservationists and anyone else who disagrees with him, who he refers to as "Green Nazis." When Stokes did not attend, he sent the green swastika with the convoy. As far as the Network knows, it was never burned and press reports said the swastika was not allowed in a parade held in downtown Klamath.

National "Patriots" Take an Interest

Strash and Aastrom were listed as contact points for the Kalispell convoy in mainstream media sources and The Sierra Times. The Times is an internet publication run by JJ Johnson, a founder of the Ohio Unorganized Militia. The publication had a section on its website dedicated to following the Klamath convoys from across the country. Johnson was a major player in the 1990's militia movement. Along with Militia of Montana founder John Trochmann, Johnson testified before a Senate committee on the militia movement in 1995. Johnson’s dislike of politicians is well known. He has said, "The most important reason you can’t go out here and shoot these people [law officers, politicians] is because ammunition is just too expensive. And don’t hang’em either. Rope’s too expensive." He also signed a declaration supporting the Montana Freemen in 1996. It said the signers would no longer hold back militia forces if anything happened to the Freemen. Any injuries to the Freemen would be considered an act of war.

Johnson’s Sierra Times has covered the protests at Klamath closely, including publishing first-hand accounts by extremist Jeff Head. Head also authored a petition that is circulating to support the Oregon farmers. The Klamath petition isn’t Head’s first. He authored the "Modern Declaration of Liberty" in 2000 that protested the supposed move towards one-world government. It was featured in The Jubilee, a tabloid directed at Christian Identity adherents. Identity believes that Jewish people are the literal children of Satan, and people of color are sub-human "mud people." In the same issue, an article by Head says, "Let the power mongers [politicians] hear the resolve of patriots and shake at the sound thereof."

The Threat of Violence

Both of the Aastroms signed Head’s Klamath petition. Cathy again uses the term "Amerika," and her husband encourages the farmers to keep standing up against eco driven terrorism and says he would love to be at the head gates, "preferably armed." Many of the comments written on the petition contain references to Klamath leading to another Civil War or revolution.

This sentiment was echoed by former U.S. Representative Helen Chenoweth-Hage who told the protestors they were in the middle of a revolution and were at war with "green bigots who call themselves environmentalists." She told the people "it’s time to fight."

The Network also obtained an e-mail written to the head of the Oregon State Militia about Klamath Falls. The writer says he would be ecstatic to fire the first shot at the feds, because it would be "a great honor and privilege" to "fire the second ‘shot heard ‘round the world.’" The Kentucky State Militia and the Michigan Militia Corps Wolverines have also followed the events in Klamath. One message by the latter group said that those of you who have access to airplanes and explosives could undoubtedly open the gates.

Recently, Richard Mack has shown up in Klamath. As a sheriff in Arizona, Mack became a darling of the patriot movement when he sued the federal government over the Brady Bill. He won in district court, but that decision was later reversed. Mack is a frequent speaker at "patriot" events and has shared the same venue with MOM’s John Trochmann. He advertises his Pugent Sound Agricultural Association in Media Bypass, a "patriot" publication devoted largely to financial issues and "proof" that Americans don’t have to pay taxes.

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