WHAT DO YOU WATCH ON TV?

As many of you know (that is the two that read this blog), I like to watch The History Channel, The National Geographic Channel, The Military Channel and The Discovery Channel. I just finished watching, TiVoing and cutting a DVD of The National Geographic Channel's presentation of The Final Report. The subject of this episode was the fiasco in Waco, Texas.

I am referring to the Mount Carmel Compound of the Branch Davidians. The TV report puts the main blame for this disaster on the Federal Government. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't. Our government, the FBI, and the ATF knew very little about the religious sect known as the Branch Davidians. The Branch Davidians had been amassing a vast array of weapons to defend themselves against attack of what they believed to be the enemy of their beliefs.

The first thing to understand is that they had a full God-given and U. S. Constitutional right to believe as they did. They were looking at the world as ready for the Apocolypse. The visions described in the Book of Revelations were, in their eyes, ready to occur. If you read the Book of Revelations it does encourage true beleivers to prepare themselves for a siege. In that belief, they purchased many semi-automatic weapons and converted them to ILLEGAL fully automatic status. This was their main activity that attracted the interests of the Feds.

The Federal Government had no idea what these people believed, nor did they care. The FBI lied to Attorney General Janet Reno in obtaining permission to use tear gas in storming the building. They claimed that David Koresh and his followers were beating and abusing children. This was a complete lie. We all know the outcome of this debacle.

Janet Reno later stated that the assault on the compound was a mistake. President Bill Clinton said the same. The man in charge of the FBI units at the compound quietly resigned after the outcry resided. In fact, they were shown on camera crying. They all were very sorry for the outcome of the attack at Waco. Our Federal Government overreacted and, most likely, contributed to the Branch Davidians resistance to surrender.

I was appalled at what I saw on this TV show. Yes, I watched the event play out on TV in the early 90's but never knew the full story behind our government's actions. The FBI acted in haste to storm the compound even while the hostage negotiators were trying to reach a peaceful end to it all. Sort of like, "here, take this olive branch I hand you in peace while I shoot you with my other hand."

What is your "take" on the situation?