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| Waco Documentaries |
| Monday, October 16, 2006 |
There is no event that occurs within a vacuum - and one must wonder whether or not true vacuums exist. The degree to which we live in a police state is a reflection of the degree to which we submit as a society.
Law and order is essential, and, in the absence of law and order, we are animals - little more than beasts in the field. We have established and drawn moralities from our religions and the mandates of governments to allow order to progress and allow men to rise above the beasts. We need systems of rules and an order to protect us from anarchy and that is proven in every society when the order of law breaks down. It is a constant battle to strike the right balance.
Ignorance is the greatest vice of all and there is no law against it and - for many reasons - public or congregational ignorance are the catalyst of power for tyrannies. Take a look at North Korea or Germany in the 1930s and 1940s to see the power of ignorance and the products of its adherence. Those who are wilfully ignorant practice a dangerous religion.
There are conspiracy theories of all sorts placing all sorts of parties in the mix of the power structure and for each conspiracy there is a contingent that rejects it and society moves on. The fact is this: There are conspiracies. People conspire everyday to earn more money from their labor, acquire more property for their families, gain control of their children, and tend their gardens. Government itself, by its nature and by definition, is a conspiracy to create or effect law and order. Conspiriacies are not inherently evil nor are people who conspire. The product of the conspiracies can be described as good or evil, but that wil be a reflection of each individual's moral and ethical code. This is a somewhat relativistic way to look at the matter - but it is the way most reasonable people need to look at the world.
The only way to get to the truth is to look at an event from all available view points. Here are some links to videos on the web regarding the events at Waco and the death of 89 Branch Davidians. My most immediate concerns about the events are related to proper use of force, intervention by agencies with proper jurisdiction, and civil rights. Please view the videos below and be considerate of the presentations without immediately subscribing to any desire to subvert your government.
- Waco: The Big Lie This video contains footage from the standoff at the Branch Davidian compound and the destruction of the facility. There is commentary during the video showing possible sources of misinformation. This is a very interesting documentary.
- Waco Rules of Engagement - Part 1/2
This video includes footage from the congressional hearings and material to consider, as the title would imply, the Rules of Engagement. This video is produced in a very balanced fashion - allowing the viewer to form their own opinion. There are recordings of the negotiations between Jim Cavanaugh (FBI Negotiator) seems to attempt to lie to David Koresh about the officers being armed on the helicopters and firing on the compound. Cavanaugh changes his position a minimum of three times in the conversation and appears to be telling falsehoods in the negotiation process. Some of the commentators seem to have obvious biases for and against Koresh, however, many statements are made without supporting documentation. Definitely worth watching for the footage from hearings and commentary by authors, witnesses, and Branch Davidians.
- Waco Rules of Engagement - Part 2/2
It is interesting to note that the hearings and stances of the congressional officers assigned to investigate and the matter seem to fall along strict party lines. This demonstrates a terrifying lack of indepenence in the evaluation and raises questions about the official reports. The two party structure does little for my sense of liberty and diminishes my confidence that these officials are, first, acting in the publics interest and then, second, in their own. That said, it does appear that certain members of the investigative committe asked excellent questions and exposed seroius flaws in the story presented to them.
There are a lot of really wierd things that you learn in these videos and footage of public comments to the press that are disingenuous and effectively worked to develop a chain of disinformation. All 11 of the Branch Davidian defendants were found to be not guilty subsequent to the end of the standoff, tanks ran over the cars and personal property of the Branch Davidian without any dirent need, the attack begins before any warrant is served, there are no ambulances on site at the time of the raid or immediately subsequent to the beginning of armed conflict, there is no communications network established that links to ermergency response units (i.e., ambulances), the FBI was informed that there was a limited, if any, ability to control fire should it occur in the compound, and mental destabilization tactics were used on the men, women, and children in the compound.
The use of CS gas (powder) and Methylene Chloride cause some concern as to the ability or intent to perform safe extraction. OSHA classifies Methylene Chloride as a workplace carcinogen and, incidentally, methylene chloride is used a paintstripper and is extremely flammable.
Upon cursory review of some published facts on the matter - I have to say that I don't want to know what Koresh knew or had that was the justification for this action. And, if I did think I knew, It would be best for me to keep it to myself. Based upon the outcomes for those who thought they knew. But, it must have been something, because the ATF does not raid premises over child abuse allegations that have been previously investigated.
Understandably, this event took place 10 years ago. Yet, it is still relevant as the outcomes, methods, and sentiments surrounding this event have established precedents in the American community - and many lives were either affected or ended as a direct consequence. Even so, it is the right assumed and established of right of every governement to act without sanction within its own borders, the jurisdiction of which is determined by the power it possesses and uses to assert this authority. |
posted by Domesticated Dog @ 2:38 PM   |
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