In his satirical article, "Making Tennessee Great Again," Bruce VanWyngarden pokes fun at the current situation with the Oregon Militia, claiming that he has followed suite by "taking over" a restroom facility at Big Hill Pond State Park to protest the Tennessee government. He makes it clear that he really thinks the Oregon Militia situation is laughable through exaggeration: first when explaining his step by step process of takeover, comparing it to the Militia, then when detailing all of the weapons and sustenance he brought with him, and finally, when he tries to defend the Oregon Militia and what they stand for. His purpose is clear- to show how ridiculous the Oregon Militia is and the flaws in what they're doing. By using exaggeration, VanWyngarden creates a satirical tone, which establishes a sort of "us vs. them" situation, where he gets the reader to side with him by showing them blatantly how absurd the Militia's mindset is.
Personally, I also happen to think that the Oregon Militia situation is absurd, but I don't think we should laugh it away. It could be evidence of deeper problems in America that are just now bubbling to the surface. For years people have been complaining about government, about how Congress and the President don't really know what we want. The difference between those protests and this one is that in this case, federal property was taken over. And that's scary. People think that America is so high and mighty and that we're the best country in the world, but when American citizens themselves start to take over federal buildings, it could be a sign of a weakening infrastructure. Of course the American people have the right to assemble and protest, but how far does that go? Stories of take overs are always the scariest- how a group manages to overthrow a nation, how a single man manages to overthrow a monarch. I don't believe we're anywhere near a situation where the American government would be overthrown, nor do I think we'll ever get to that situation, but I'm just saying that these types of situations are important to take into account. Yes, the Militia only took over a wildlife refuge, and yes, they're probably only doing it to get attention for their own problems, but the fact that people are getting this upset about "little" things is something to keep an eye on.
