[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Beyond that audience, however, the extensive news coverage of the incident
showed mainstream America a picture of federal law enforcement that was
far from flattering. Even many of those who disapproved of Weaver and his
politics were shocked at the chaos and resulting deaths at Ruby Ridge. Later,
in a seeming rebuke to authorities, Weaver was tried and acquitted on the
most serious charges. By then, however, Ruby Ridge had become a potent
symbol of an untrustworthy government for members of the already alienated
militia movement.
For people who already distrusted government, Ruby Ridge seemed to
prove their point. In 1993, the federal siege of a Waco, Texas, compound
housing members of the Branch Davidian group made matters substantially
worse. In a televised stand-off with the group that lasted more than seven
weeks, an operation to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh went
awry.
A New Age of Conspiracy 143
The Branch Davidians group had splintered from the Adventist faith earlier
in the twentieth century. One of their most strongly held beliefs was that
members of their group should live apart from the world of unbelievers.
The Branch Davidian group in Waco was regarded as much a cult as a simple
sect by many on the outside. Koresh had assumed leadership of the group,
proclaiming a direct connection with God. Under his leadership, the group
increasingly lived in isolation from the world around them. Yet, some activities
of Koresh and other group members aroused the concern of law enforcement
officials. Now, he was wanted for stockpiling weapons and endangering the
safety of children who lived in the compound.
Federal authorities decided that it was desirable to take Koresh into custody
at the Waco compound. Realizing that a substantial cache of weapons was
at his disposal and fearing that he might resist arrest, a contingent of federal
agents assembled in preparation for the operation. They hoped for a swift
operation and a peaceful conclusion.
When the agents finally began to move in, however, they came under fire.
Four federal agents and six Branch Davidians were killed. Soon, it was appar-
ent that what was planned as a quick action would turn into a lengthy siege.
Authorities tried several strategies to end the stand-off, but they were
unsuccessful. Finally, a little more than seven weeks after the siege began,
officials decided that the time had come to make another move before the
besieged group could take drastic action that would lead to extensive loss of
life. (People still remembered the 1978 mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.)
Federal officials devised a plan. It involved the use of armored vehicles and
the pumping of tear gas into the compound. Officials hoped that they would
drive the barricaded Branch Davidians into the open.
The plan did not go as intended, however. Gunfire erupted, and the offi-
cials decided to increase the amount of tear gas. In addition, the compound
building suffered some damage from the armored vehicles. It was a chaotic
situation.
Despite the officials efforts to induce the Branch Davidians to leave the
compound, the sect members were apparently afraid to come out (or else were
persuaded by Koresh not to). Donning gas masks, they retreated to sheltered
areas. As the situation became ever more confusing, several fires broke out
in the compound. Even then, however, only a few Branch Davidians fled to
safety. Soon, the fires spread, creating a raging inferno. After the flames died
down, authorities surveyed the carnage. In the end, eighty-five of the Branch
Davidians died. At least seventeen children were among the deceased.13
In the aftermath of this incident, the credibility of federal law enforcement
was damaged. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms own investi-
gation judged that in Waco,  The decision to proceed was tragically wrong,
not just in retrospect, but because of what the decision makers knew at the
time. 14
144 Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics
The Ruby Ridge and Waco incidents gave mainstream Americans reason
to wonder about the effectiveness of federal law enforcement activities. At
the same time, events such as these brought new attention to fringe groups
whose activities had sometimes escaped public notice. Now, increased notice
was taken of religious cults and white separatist groups.
The controversy took on a still greater importance among those who were
less in the mainstream and more prone to strongly held conspiratorial world-
views. To some of those sympathetic to such views, it seemed as though the
authorities had gone too far. They were angry at the government for per-
ceived abuses of power, and for some, resentment and hostility reached a
boiling point. Two years later, an immense terror attack in America s heart-
land showed how much some people resented their government.
The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 also raised fears of conspiracy. The
powerful blast destroyed much of a federal office building, resulted in almost
800 injured and the deaths of over 160 victims. Among those killed were
nineteen children, many of whom were attending a day care center that was
also housed in the building. In the immediate aftermath of the bombing,
some media speculation focused on the possibility that the attack was part of
a radical Islamist plot.
But it was nothing of the sort. Instead, Timothy McVeigh was arrested
and charged with the crime. A former U.S. soldier, McVeigh was influenced [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]