Meet One Of The Tumbleweed Terrorists (UPDATED)

Here's one of the tumbleweed terrorists camped out at the Malheur wildlife refuge in Oregon.  He identified himself as "Capt. Moroni."  Though he clearly wanted to associate himself with the "prophet warrior" angel "Moroni" from the Mormon faith, our guess is it's more likely someone just forgot to drop the "i" or add the "c."

Yes, "Capt. Moron" -- much more fitting. (We suspect it's actually Blaine Cooper, described by Robert Bateman here.)

After some in the Bundy Klan claimed they were following Mormon scripture in seizing the facility, the Mormon Church (LDS) condemned their action in no uncertain terms:

"While the disagreement occurring in Oregon about the use of federal lands is not a church matter," the church said in a statement, "church leaders strongly condemn the armed seizure of the facility and are deeply troubled by the reports that those who have seized the facility suggest that they are doing so based on scriptural principles. This armed occupation can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis. We are privileged to live in a nation where conflicts with government or private groups can — and should — be settled using peaceful means, according to the laws of the land."

As with their "interpretation" of the U.S. Constitution, they can't even get their own religious teachings right.

UPDATE:  Just when we were getting fond of our "tumbleweed terrorists" moniker, Albert Burneko at Deadspin makes a good argument why they shouldn't be called "terrorists,"  and we're inclined to agree:

Here is the thing. These men are not frightening. They are jamokes. They are exactly jamokes. Their guns, on the other hand, are very frightening—for precisely and entirely the same reason and to absolutely the same degree that those same guns would be frightening in the hands of toddlers. Not because the people holding those guns are serious, but because the people holding those guns are not serious.

This, my good buddies, is the entire American pro-gun argument made (embarrassing, oh my God so fucking embarrassing) flesh. A big scary gun lends a degree of real power even to the variety of sad, corny-ass loser who invades and occupies what is essentially a fancy birdhouse in the name of ending tyranny. That is the whole reason to have a big scary gun. Not as a safeguard against home invaders or the totalitarian state, but as a safeguard against a clear-eyed reckoning with plain reality. A gun is—or at least these jamokes hope it is—a Get Out Of Getting Laughed At Free card. When you call these horse’s asses “terrorists,” you are not only dignifying their ridiculous, impotent actions, you are doing them the biggest favor for which they can hope.  (our emphasis)

There's a lot more at the link worth reading.

(Photo:  Amanda Peacher Twitter, via Raw Story)