Waco essays

Waco essays Between the days of February 28, 1993 and April 19th, 1993, approximately 80 men, women, and children living peacefully in their home near Waco, Texas, were killed by the combined efforts of the US Defense Department and other government paramilitary units: the US Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They were killed because the government claimed they were a dangerous cult. At first the ATF claimed to be only serving warrants on a weapons violation, to serve these warrants the ATF rushed into the compound and fired upon a group of men, in reaction these men fired back. This caused a week stand off until Janet Reno ordered further action. The second attack was a military raid, which included the use of fully armed helicopters. The first shots were fired on the women and children's quarters of the Mt. Carmel Center. The building was then gassed, because the government claimed to believe the living conditions were unsanitary and dangerous to the Branch Dividians. One of the gas canisters used was deemed flammable before the incident, and was not supposed to be used in residential areas. Even Janet Reno ordered a non-pyrotechnic canister to be used, but her orders were ignored. As the canister began to release gas it is believed, according to the 1995 investigation, to have then sparked and began the fire, which would eventually, burn the building down and kill its' occupants. When the fire began the military sent tanks in to supposedly create exits or holes in the walls of the compound so the occupants could get out. It was later revealed in video footage of the incident, that the tanks used were fitted with plow blades and were shown not only making holes in the wall but going straight though buildings. Other footage shows armed U.S. military firing into certain areas of the compound. Were they right to brand this community a cult and then use...