Members of the group occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters hug after Ammon Bundy, center, left, one of the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, spoke with reporters during a news conference Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, near Burns, Ore. The group calls itself Citizens for Constitutional Freedom and has sent a “demand for redress” to local, state and federal officials. Armed protesters took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday after participating in a peaceful rally over the prison sentences of local ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Tom Kent, The Associated Press’ standards editor, shared guidance on Tuesday for how to refer to the men involved in the standoff in Oregon. Kent counseled against terms such as “militia” and “militiamen” and for terms including “armed men” or “armed ranchers.”
AP content must be clear for readers around the world, and “militiamen” may be confusing — readers might think that the people involved are members of a government-sanctioned paramilitary force who are rebelling against government authority.
