Twenty-five years ago, FBI tanks smashed into the ramshackle home of the Branch Davidians outside Waco, Texas. After the FBI collapsed much of the building atop the residents, a fire erupted and 76 corpses were dug out of the rubble. Unfortunately, the American political system and media have never faced the lessons from that tragic 1993 day.
It is not an atrocity if the U.S. government does it.
Shortly before the Waco showdown, U.S. government officials signed an international Chemical Weapons Convention treaty pledging never to use nerve agents, mustard gas, and other compounds, including tear gas against enemy soldiers. But the treaty contained a loophole permitting governments to gas their own people. On April 19, 1993, the FBI pumped CS gas and methyl chloride, a potentially lethal, flammable combination, into the Davidians residence for six hours, disregarding explicit warnings that CS gas should not be used indoors.
The FBI speedily asserted that the Davidians ignited the fire that consumed their dwelling. The following day, the President Bill Clinton deriding suggestions that Attorney General Reno should resign because some religious fanatics murdered themselves. Six years later, independent investigators found pyrotechnic ferret rounds the FBI fired at the scene prior to the flames erupting. Attorney General Reno lashed out at the FBI for destroying her credibility but neither she nor FBI officials suffered any consequences from the collapse of the official narrative.
Dont trust Congress to expose federal misconduct.
A few days after the conflagration, Reno was heartily praised at a Senate committee hearing and the media had made her a national hero. There was little or no sympathy on Capitol Hill for those who died during the final FBI assault. Rep. Jack Brooks (D-Texas), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, commented that the Davidians were horrible people. Despicable people. Burning to death was too good for them. If Republicans had not captured control of Congress in 1994, there would have been no substantive hearings on Waco.
Media favorites can perform rhetorical magic tricks.
When Attorney General Reno testified to the House Waco hearing on August 1, 1995, she was challenged on FBIs use of 54-ton tanks to assail the Davidians. Reno replied that the tanks were not military weapons... I mean, it was like a good rent-a-car." When Rep. Bill Zeliff (R-N.H.) challenged her, Reno hectored: I think it is important, Mr. Chairman, as you deal with this issue, not to make statements like that can cause the confusion. This is the high-toned D.C. version of the old saying: Who are you going to believe me or your lying eyes? Media coverage of Renos showdown with congressional Republicans ignored her rent-a-tank absurdity, instead praising her toughness and demeanor.
While the events at Waco alienated millions of Americans from the government, few if any lessons were learned in Washington. Waco should have taught the disastrous consequences of unleashing government agencies from the law and the Constitution. Unfortunately, 25 years later, controversies are raging as hot as ever about the power and prerogatives of federal law enforcement.
The main lesson to be learned from both Rapey Billy and Odumbass is that no, big fat lesbians CANNOT solve every problem by being appointed to the job.
Janet Reno? Janet Napolitano? What is it with the big fat lesbian Janet shit?