The Davidians studied the Bible as literal truth; the book of Revelations and its cryptic seven seals was their focus. Thus contributes to manufactured consent about Koresh the simultaneous public reaction. As a multi racial congregation of all ages from around the world, residents contributed both their labour and money earned from around Waco to support the spiritual life at Mount Carmel.
The BATF is a tax collecting, enforcement and regulatory arm of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The origins of the Bureau date back to 1792, in which it responsibilities were primarily associated with the IRS. In July 1972, those functions, powers and duties related to alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives were transferred to the BATF from IRS.
Allegedly, the ATF raided the Branch Davidian Compound to serve search and arrest warrants as part of an investigation into illegal possessions of firearms and explosives there. However, on learning that he was being investigated for illegal firearms, Koresh invited the BATF to Mount Carmel through his gun dealer Henry McMahon to investigate and inspect the arms on July 30, 1992. The BAFT maintain that no such invitation exists. No further evidence has appeared to suggest that federal agents made any attempt to “secure less violent or more peaceable means of enforcing the law.”
Rather, on the 28th February 1993, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms ("BATF") agents in National Guard helicopters zoomed in on the Branch Davidians' church and home, Mount Carmel Centre, they did so with guns blazing. Davidians claim such firing killed six people. The initial raid lasted for more than an hour, even as Davidians called "911" to beg for a ceasefire. BATF snipers later assassinated one Davidian as he tried to re-enter Mount Carmel to join his family.
In his conversation with a "911" operator soon after the raid Koresh stated: "You need to call the President of the United States and explain to him what you have done. You've ruined this country. You've ruined the nation. This is a democracy, supposedly, a republic." Both Koresh and BATF agents knew that if Mount Carmel, whose bullet ridden roofs and walls contained evidence of the vicious and illegal helicopter attack was left standing, the Davidians probably would be acquitted of murder of federal agents by a sympathetic jury. In fact, survivors were acquitted of all murder charges! Even worse, BATF agents could face prosecution and imprisonment for negligent or intentional homicide in the deaths of the unarmed Davidians. The revisionist sect on the Waco debate has highlighted such motive as a premeditated cause for fire on April 19.
The FBI belittled the Davidians' belief that the unprecedented BATF attack on their international, multiracial community was a sign from God that Davidians must warn all humanity that this was the last chance to hear God's word and save their souls. And as FBI tanks destroyed other evidence of the BATF attack, the FBI refused to allow the media or, at first, Davidian attorneys to verify Davidians' claim that BATF bullets shot from helicopters riddled the walls and ceilings. For weeks the FBI sabotaged negotiations through lies, threats and insults, destruction of property, shining of bright lights, blaring of loud music and violent sounds (rabbits being slaughtered), and terrifying helicopter overflights and fake tank rammings. Nevertheless, on April 14, 1993 David Koresh issued a written promise that all 84 Davidians would surrender as soon as he finished writing his apocalypse on the Seven Seals. Despite Koresh's making substantial progress towards that goal, on April 19, 1993 the FBI began a massive assault upon Mount Carmel Centre.
Furthermore, in order for the BATF to obtain the military assistance it achieved, (training facilities & equipment) they ‘misrepresented to the military that this was to be an anti-drug raid’. The entire operation-not just the first day, but the entire siege-was underwritten by funds intended for military aid for the war on drugs. Mostly it was treated as non-reimbursable (military aid to law enforcement has to be reimbursed to Defense, unless it relates to drug law enforcement). The FBI also drew upon the military for some incredibly high-tech support. Three years later, the Army realized that the operation had been improperly funded, and demanded return of the funds. In March, 1996, the Army's General Counsel advised that the funds had been improperly used and that there is no evidence to suggest that David Koresh or any of the Davidians were ever involved in drugs.
In fact, it appears from a variety of sources, including Retired BATF Deputy Director, Robert Sanders that “the planning of Waco and the manner in which it was done was for publicity.” In addition to this, Public Relations Manager for the Bureau, Sharon Wheeler, contacted Dallas Television Stations 5 and 8 to warn of a significant event in the near future. Some historians have cited such actions of the BATF as their Congressional hearings were to follow in the following week and "such an event would increase political pressure upon congress to increase their budget".
David Koresh's attorney Dick DeGuerin summed up BATF's attitude about the time they planned the raid: "It had looked to them like a dream situation - a bunch of religious nuts their SWAT teams could practice on. Who'd complain? Who'd care? Now that the "cold war" is over, the federal government needs internal enemies. Allowing the government to scapegoat any group puts us all at risk."
Once the ATF realised that their assault on the Branch Davidian property to serve a search and arrest warrant on the suspicion that the group may be in possession of illegal firearms had failed, they immediately resorted to insisting that "the real motivation for the raid was to rescue the children inside the home from alleged neglect and abuse by David Koresh". First of all, child abuse cases are under the jurisdiction of the State - not the federal government. Texas State officials led by McLennan County Sheriff, Jack Harwell, had indeed done their job and their recent investigations (Department of Human Services) had produced no evidence that the children within the home were being neglected or abused in any way.
As did the FBI also stress this fabricated notion, White House Communications Director George Stephanopoulos claimed that, "protecting the kids was the ultimate rationale for going in". It cannot possibly be dismissed that a five hour tank attack on the Branch Davidian home and filling the house with tear gas is "acting in the best interests of the children's welfare". Testament to what Richard Evans refers to as "the mushroom out of the plain of anti-government and 'politically incorrect' thinking's".
This notion of public reaction to Waco encompasses two schools of thought. Firstly, the extremist perspective. Herman and Chomsky offer a detailed “propaganda model” to explain the performance and organisation of mass media in the United State. They claim that the mass media is both directly and indirectly an instrument of dominant corporate and governmental elites, even in the U.S. They suggest that:
“the ‘societal purpose’ of the media is to inculcate and defend the economic, social and political agenda of privileged groups that dominate the domestic society and the state. The media serve this purpose in many ways: through the selection of topics, distribution of concerns, framing of issues, filtering of information and by keeping debate within the bounds of acceptable premises”.
This school of thought has been particularly motivated by Dr. William Pierce and the National Alliance (www.natall.com); an esteemed advocate for the anti-government movement. Through the press and publications including, 'The Turner Diaries' and 'Unintended Consequences', Pierce and such thinking's rather than bureaucracy has been scapegoated as drivers for such events as The Oklahoma City Bombing and the Ruby Ridge standoff.
Secondly, more rationally and further incline with other accusations; is the suggestion of an overtly suppressed media theorem under dictate of the BATF, FBI and the White House Council.
Herman and Chomsky’s (1988) theoretical scheme focuses on the situation of a competitive media operating within an environment that is “managed”, not controlled overtly, as in an authoritarian state. However, even in a managed society, such as the U.S., overt control is sometimes sanctioned. This occurs when the society is at war or when law enforcement personnel are involved in an action against alleged criminals. In both situations, usual rules of access for the media do not apply. Those in authority have immense control in such situations and this allows them to manage the news directly. This certainly happened in Waco.
Each Government Department in control at Waco used the media for their own ends; inhibiting and restricting information and preventing any empathetic account from the residents at Mt. Carmel. The BATF used the “Waco Tribune” and a television station as a scapegoat early on, blaming them for notifying Koresh about the impending raid. Later, when Koresh called CNN directly at one point, the FBI stopped the activity immediately by cutting all phone lines except the one they wanted to keep open. Koresh and his followers knew they were losing the media war, for they continually requested access, sometimes even unfurling homemade banners made by bed sheets (“God Help Us, We Need Press”) asking for contact with the media.
On the media front, when enterprising reporters did seek to get closer than the three mile limit, they were treated harshly. A number of photographers, tired of the “lens wars” that had developed as media outlets sent stronger and stronger lenses to Mount Carmel, violated distance limitations imposed by the FBI, were summarily arrested, “thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and taken away to jail”. Shelly Katz, Time-Life photographer, declared that “in over thirty years, twenty seven of which have been with Time-Life, I have covered everything from wars to riots-you name it. I have never been restrained as I was in Waco, and I will say needlessly and senselessly”.
Yet, the extremist perspective does present some arguable truth in terms of media responsibility. Media historian, James T. Richardson strongly encompasses this notion. He suggests that “Authorities were able to take actions against the Davidians with such impunity because they and members of the general public shared a view of Koresh and his followers and the situation that allowed, even required, such actions”. Any group that drifts far from the bounds of ordinary acceptable values and behaviours stands to be accused of being a “cult”. Such pervasive anti-cult sentiment, a product of media conservatism, makes it easier to justify and defend the kinds of strategies that were implemented at Mt Carmel.
It now seems quite plausible that had the media been allowed better access, the situation might have resulted in a different outcome. Better access however, would have perhaps had the effect of humanising Koresh and his followers, which would have undercut the “seemingly official policy of demonisation.”
Those event throughout the Waco Tragedy, and those as a result, have not only highlighted misconduct and furthermore a cover-up by the BATF, FBI and White House Counsel, but clearly illustrate some important aspects of historiography and lessons learnt as a result. Opinions to what really happened at Waco are said to have ignited the most devastating domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history; The Okalahoma City Bombing and a complemented rapid rise in Right Wing radicalism unparalleled since the Southern Gun Clubs before the Civil War; clearly a testament to the post-modern movement.
However, rather than simply degrading, I argue the post-modern movement in general is a distaste reaction to such inequality, conspiracy and injustice experienced by minorities similar to David Koresh and the Davidians. It cannot be denied that the movement is not a dangerous device of those modern day historians willing to use it. However, ones further analysis to the purpose and perspective of the historian often reveals a class based persecution, injustice and struggle suppressed by an elitist opportunist. Citizens do not spend their weekends training with militia in a country at peace with itself.
This structural analysis has been critical of both media and the authorities in handling the situation in Waco. The media have contributed directly to development and promotion of the anti-cult paradigm, to the extent that it can reasonably be referred to as a dominant hegemony of thought about new religions among the general public. There is a politically correct ideological position on so-called cults.
All indications are that the confrontation between the BATF and the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas was a set-up, planned for public relations purposes. The BATF had the news media alerted, the cameras rolling, and a search warrant that was obtained on trumped up charges. They disregarded the invitation of the Branch Davidians to peacefully enter the building and have a look around. They ignored opportunities to arrest David Koresh when he was alone. They recklessly ignored the presence of innocent women and children, and staged a paramilitary-style assault on the community. For what? To make a political statement, to enforce the morals of society, or to enforce the psyche of political correctness by retaliating against the religious fringe?"
