The militia that was forcefully occupying a government building in Burns, Oregon has seen its leader arrested, and in a confrontation with the FBI and law enforcement, one of its most outspoken members was shot and killed. Though the standoff and occupation may not be officially over yet, many feel these developments signal the beginning of the end of this particular chapter in American History. We wanted to see how the nation was reacting the news that one of the occupiers had been shot, so we called four people at random on their cell phones and asked them for their reaction to the news.
Then we asked them to rate their Fucks Given about the story, using the Standard American Fucks Given Metric, or SAFGM instituted by President Grover Cleveland during his administration.
What follows is a selection of their responses.
Susan Maio, 35, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Reaction: “They were armed occupiers of federal land, and had broken as well as were breaking numerous laws. He didn’t comply. Oh well.”
Fucks Given: “More than three, but definitely less than 5.”
Bill Sanderson, 52, Gladstone, Mississippi
Reaction: “What the shit did they expect? It hasn’t been 1776 for a long time, and George Washington rode into battle on his own horse, as president, to break up an insurrection like this. it’s never great when someone dies, but this is just the result everyone saw coming.”
Fucks Given: “Probably about eight fucks. I never like to see a suspect killed instead of captured, but sometimes they give you no choice.”
Skip Williams, 26, Pine View, California
Reaction: “Who? Oh the guy who had guns and said he would not be taken alive got killed? Shocker.”
Fucks Given: “None. Not a single, solitary fuck.”
