The Oregon Standoff Turned From Frustration To Humor With The #YallQaeda And #VanillaISIS Hashtags

The militia standoff at Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge continues. Plenty of news pours forth, yet the cable news media mostly ignored the story all weekend. Fortunately, the internet has been on the case, and we kept you updated with initial news of the motivations behind the standoff led by three of Cliven Bundy’s sons. Social media provided a wealth of confused reactions. Folks wondered why the armed men who occupied a federal building haven’t been declared “terrorists,” and the internet noticed how law enforcement hasn’t bothered to approach the premises.

As for Cliven Bundy, he’s not on site, but he’s keeping the world informed (despite a January 1 bluff when he asked, “what business does the Bundy family have in Harney County, Oregon?”). The above video (from Cliven’s Facebook page) shows Ammon Bundy talking at length about federal tyranny. He says no federal officials have made contact with the group. Since one of the men posted a goodbye video to his family, and Bundy sniper-organizer Ryan Payne told The Oregonian the group is “willing to kill and be killed,” this conflict could get ugly fast.

Yet if law enforcement never shows up, nothing may ever happen. Local journalist Amanda Peacher (of Oregon Public Broadcasting) confirms the absence of police on the scene but says law enforcement may make a move on Monday. Peacher spoke with militia member LaVoy Finicum, who will stay “until the constitution is upheld.”

A man calling himself Captain Moroni says, “I came here to die.” That’s not his real name, nor is he being a smartass. Captain Moroni is a character in Mormon scripture who embodies “anti-governmental extremism.”

Elsewhere on Twitter, a number of hashtags — including #YallQaeda, #YeeHawd, and #VanillaISIS — are ruling Twitter’s ongoing discussion of the standoff. Another hashtag, #BundyMilitia, takes us back to a possibly prophetic TV moment.
https://twitter.com/MatthewACherry/status/683885673728745472

The #YallQaeda hashtag appears to be the mightiest meme of the bunch.

https://twitter.com/PersianRose1/status/683800626241777665

https://twitter.com/rarey4/status/683811723548098560
https://twitter.com/DandelionDollar/status/683844733739732997

https://twitter.com/madmommadmom/status/683818300028104704

https://twitter.com/KenofGhastria/status/683817958376882176

https://twitter.com/LaurenDeStefano/status/683858529422323716

#VanillaISIS isn’t nabbing much isolated play, but it’s still worthwhile.

https://twitter.com/KhaledBeydoun/status/683855105104281600
https://twitter.com/Code_switcher/status/683851621609160704

Meanwhile, this guy is calling the whole internet out on its mockery.

Here are some photos from the scene of the standoff. No police cars in sight.

https://twitter.com/jason_a_w/status/683894946005291008

(Via Oregon Public Broadcasting and KOIN 6)