Quote:
Originally Posted by Rochard
What proof? Well, we have the testimony of multiple under aged girls saying they were molested starting at age ten and going on for years. In fact, they testified in front of Congress too.
What more proof do you need?
Your gun nut friends will bang the war drum over this issue until they are out of breath. "Big bad government didn't like private citizens having their constitutionally protected firearms" is what they'll tell you. Bit the truth is much more than that - Police had ample reason to believe multiple crimes had taken place, and when they went in to investigate law enforcement officers were shot and killed.
Branch Davidians initiated a gun battle when they fired at federal officers who were attempting to serve lawful warrants. Multiple lawsuits after the fact resulted in use of tear gas was found "not negligent".
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I really don't give a shit what was going on in that compound, the ATF and FBI fucked up and 23 children died. All for a bigger budget? Good Media?
http://www.davekopel.com/waco/lawrev/warrant.htm
A BATF memo written two days before the February 28, 1993 raid explained "this operation will generate considerable media attention, both locally [Texas] and nationally." [14] The BATF public relations director, Sharon Wheeler, called reporters to ask them for their weekend phone numbers. The reporters contend, and Wheeler denies, that she asked them if they would be interested in covering a weapons raid on a "cult." Wheeler, on the other hand, states that she merely told them, "We have something going down." [15] After the raid, the BATF at first denied there had been any media contacts. [16] Journalist Ronald Kessler reports that the BATF told eleven media outlets that the raid was coming. [17] The Department of the Treasury has refused to release the pre-raid memos which deal with publicity, asserting that they are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. [18]
In any case, the BATF's public relations officer was stationed in Waco on the day of the raid ready to issue a press release announcing the raid's success. [19] A much-publicized raid, resulting in the seizure of hundreds of guns and dozens of "cultists" might reasonably be expected to improve the fortunes of BATF Director, Stephen Higgins, who was scheduled to testify before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government on March 10, 1993. Investigative reporter Carol Vinzant wrote:
*5 In the jargon of at least one ATF office, the Waco raid was what is known as a ZBO ("Zee Big One"), a press-drawing stunt that when shown to Congress at budget time justifies more funding. One of the largest deployments in bureau history, the attack on the Branch Davidians compound was, in the eyes of some of the agents, the ultimate ZBO. [20]
60 Minutes rebroadcast the BATF segment a few months later. Host Mike Wallace opined that almost all the agents he talked to said that they believe the initial attack on that cult in Waco was a publicity stunt--the main goal of which was to improve ATF's tarnished image. [21] The codeword for the beginning of the BATF raid was "showtime."
I feel sorry for those that think that the ends justify the means in this, 23 childred dead!