1993.04.19 Waco Siege
A bunch of paranoid religious separatists were attacked under orders of Janet Reno (Clinton Administration). Instead of a simple warrant, or request to come into town, the ATF attempted to raid the ranch/compound and seize their weapons, which started a shootout and siege. Then after 51 days, the FBI tried to tear gas the Davidian's out, and instead burned the compound down killing 76 people. This angered anti-government types, and got the Oklahoma City Bombing as a result.
| 1993.04.19 Waco Siege ATF / FBI |
The Clinton Administration attacked some religious separatists in a botched show-of-force, that resulted in a shootout and siege, and convinced the Davidian's that the Government was out to get them. Then after 51 day siege, the FBI tried to tear gas the Davidian's out, and burned the compound down killing 76 people instead. This angered anti-government types, and got the Oklahoma City Bombing as a result. | ❌ Gun Control (confiscation) caused/contributed to the massacre ✅ When only the government has guns, you live in a Police State
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I've heard both side's of the story, a ton of propaganda about how bad David Koresh (the leader of the Davidian's) was, and so on. But it was all rumor, and you don't get to raid people based on rumor. I also know that the Davidian's had been cooperative with the cops before, and the Sheriff agreed that the ATF/FBI screwed up by not just asking them to come out, or let them come in -- but going in hot. So I have every reason to believe these doomsday-Preppers were fine on their compound, and probably would have been forever, if Clinton hadn't ordered the storm troopers in over a political show of force.
The warrant was also over they might have had parts that might have allowed them to convert their weapons illegally. But this was all sketchy info, someone heard what might have been automatic gunfire? Now it turned out they did have illegal weapons. But I'm not sure about the validity of a warrant, or some of the stories that came out from a very politicized ATF/FBI after that. And it was still a totally inept example of, "how not to".
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