As I’m sure you’re aware, a militia group, led by Ammon Bundy, has occupied a federal wildlife refuge in Burns, Oregon. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-militia-idUSKBN0UM2ED2016 So far, the federal law enforcement officials have allowed the protesters to remain without forcing them out.  Some commentators have compared this occupation with a similar occupation of the California legislature building by Black Panthers in 1967.  Police there moved in quickly to arrest and disperse the armed crowd of Black Panthers.  (At the time, it was legal to carry weapons)  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-panthers-california-1967_568accfce4b014efe0db2f40?  The protesters in Burns, Oregon are white.  Are they being treated differently from protesters of color?

People have drawn the distinction between these two groups of protesters.  Ff the militia in Burns, Oregon were black, law enforcement would have moved in already with force to disperse the protesters.

I’m aware that racism has permeated police and the black community for decades.  There’s truth in this insight.  But I think it could also be from a larger issue.  Law enforcement has changed its tactics and hesitates to use direct force in Burns, Oregon.

Remember:

1.  In August of 1992, a white separatist had hidden in a northern Idaho cabin.  He’d been targeted by the FBI and The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agency.  They staged a raid which ended in a shoot-out—disastrous for everyone involved.  http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/incident-at-ruby-ridge  The protesters here were white.
2. In February of 1993, federal agents from the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agency raided the large compound of a separatist group called the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.  The Davidians were suspected of stock piling weapons in the presence of many children.  The raid was a disaster and ended up killing men, women, children, and agents.  The Davidians blew-up the compound, killing even more people.  http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2045.html  The Branch Davidians were primarily white people.

Racism in law enforcement exists, clearly, but could a bigger issue be that the federal law enforcement officials have realized that an armed attack usually fails and often ends with disaster for everyone?  Is this why they’re holding-off in Burns, Oregon?