| The Waco Massacre There are many rumors about the Waco Massacre. One rumor I believe is true is that David Koresh and the Branch Davidians were religious fanatics, but I do believe they were treated unjust. On April 19, 1993 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms burned down the Branch Davidian Home under the warrant they were stockpiling automatic weapons. They were preparing for a religious war. They believed this war was about to start. The house was raided by tanks and armored vehicles circling the house. The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also used chemical weapons. There were actually no shots fired from the Branch Davidians. They continued the raid under suspicion of child abuse. Almost one hundred men, women, and children who lived inside the house died. After two weeks of waiting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms poured tear gas into the house on several occasions. The weapons found inside the Branch Davidian house were legal and registered. Paul Fatta, a Branch Davidians , held a class three dealers license. That meant that he could legally own, sell, or buy any type of gun. He was issued his license threw the Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. He wasn’t there the day of the attack. He is now on the F.B.I’s most wanted list. This means he may be shot on sight. The lives of almost one hundred are blamed on a man named David Koresh (the leader of the Branch Davidians), David Koresh proclaimed himself to be Jesus Christ. The reason the Branch Davidians were able to stay inside the house for almost two months was because David Koresh prophesized a religious war and was stockpiling food. I believe that the lives lost in the Waco Massacre were not David Koresh’s fault, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The Statement they made was that they believed David Koresh was severely abusing children and this was the reason they wanted to get the Branch Davidians out of the house. They also said they were trying to protect the children. The Waco Massacre occurred under the presidency of Bill Clinton. The statement made by the president was “It was better to attempt to save the children and fail than to leave them in the house.” (Carol Valentine) The Branch Davidians were told if they left the house they wouldn’t be harmed. This was true for one elderly woman who left was not harmed, but lived out the rest of her life in solitary confinement. An F.B.I. spokesperson Announced on Friday, April 17th that anyone who came out would be considered a threat to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and would be shot. All utilities including sanitation were turned off for fifty-one days. Twenty-Four hours a day a loud speaker played the sounds of rabbits being slaughtered, the sound a phone makes when its off the hook, Tibetan monk chants, Jet airplanes, and songs suck as “my achy breaky heart” and “these boots are made for walking”. After seeing many of there members shot as they exited the house the Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms believes that David Koresh instructed the Branch Davidians under no circumstances leave the house. The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was impatient after two months of terrorizing the Branch Davidians they decided to ignite the house apparently hoping the men, women, and children inside would flee for there lives. There plan backfired and everyone inside was burned alive. I don’t think that Suspicion of child abuse is a significant reason to burn a house full of people alive. The children inside had nothing to do with the stockpiling of legal weapons. They may have been brainwashed or they may have believed David Koresh was Jesus Christ. They may have believed that the raid launched by the Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was the religious war David Koresh had prophesized and was stockpiling food and weapons for. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms should have thought the raid threw and realized that many of these people were willing to die for David Koresh. To many people inside believed David Koresh was Jesus Christ and they believed the Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had no place to say this wasn’t true. They were insulted by being called religious fanatics. A statement left by one survivor’s lawyers was “in this country when people are accused of a crime they are arrested and given a trial. That’s due process and If found guilty they may be given the death penalty. We don’t just kill first and that’s what happened in Waco. I do believe the Branch Davidians were religious fanatics, but there isn’t any evidence of them committing a crime. David Koresh was considered a lunatic, but that isn’t something that should result in his death. I believe that the agents working on this raid for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are responsible for all the lives lost at the Waco Massacre. They tortured them from outside the house until they got impatient of waiting for the Branch Davidians to run out of food and water. The men and women who lost there lives in the Waco Massacre could have been dealt with a variety of different ways not resulting in death. The only good thing that came from this event was that many Americans have protested and spoken out. One man said “Our country is being run by corrupt cold blooded killers”. I hope that in the future the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will deal with situations involving human lives more delicately. (John Lebowski) Seven male Davidian Prisoners who were still in prison were sentenced to a total of 235 years. On June 4, 2000 they won their Supreme Court appeal and their sentences were cut to a total of 105 years. With time off for good behavior, six wre released spring, 2006. Livingstone Fagan, who is non-cooperating by refusing to work, will be released in late 2007. Two Davidian women also served a total of eight years. The victims, not the perpetrators, are doing the time.
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