by June Griffin

Waco - The year 1993 is a black mark on the history of this beloved country. I remember it well and even yet, with astonishment, consider it. Someone gave us a copy of the video-documentary of this awful atrocity and with horror I viewed what I never thought I would see in the United States.

Now, for sure  patriotic Americans have drunk some bitter water, since June 17, 1963, when a certain atheist was instrumental in taking away our God-given Right to pray the Lord's Prayer in public schools. That was when the works of darkness moved in, overthrew all that was precious, burned the ROTC buildings (non-violent, of course) reminding one of the proverbial pigs taking over the farm. We bid farewell to justice in the judiciary until we say with the Psalmist David, "we have longed for the Courts of the Lord." The so-called "civil rights" bill has culminated in the utmost usurpation of our property rights and now we face its logical outcome in  the idiocy of something called "same-sex marriage" while the noble and good Justice Roy Moore is kicked out of office. Christians, backsliders, better pray and repent. The days are perilous.

Waco, Texas was the crime scene. It seems that a modern-day branch of the old Russellite cult, called Branch Davidians, formed themselves a commune in a large "compound." After local investigations under the guise of hunting for drugs or alleged child abuse, even though the local officials had cleared them of these charges, the BATF moved a virtual army onto this property and by means of two subsequent "raids," with the help of the FBI and soldiers from Ft. Hood, used army tanks to penetrate the walls and fill the place with the most powerful gases. Details are too complicated and horrible to describe in this short article. The result was that over a hundred persons, including a number of women and children, perished in a fiery conflagration like rats holed up in a cave! And when the consumed banner of this organization disintegrated into the air, the BATF hoisted the flag of their agency in a gesture of triumph!

Congressional investigations shown on the film revealed that ultimately, in spite of obvious lies and prevarications, the agencies were exonerated and justified in their conduct and the final nail on the coffin was placed by Senator Orrin Hatch, who concluded that they all committed suicide. The illustrious Attorney General Janet Reno was, in the middle of this gun battle and assault on the complex, called off to make a speech. I trust her mind wasn't diverted from business as usual. It is doubtful that it was.

A few escaped to tell the bloody tale and their testimony is preserved as well. Those of us who have looked back and remember have some nagging questions. It is reported that those in this commune took food stamps and were required to give them up to the cult leader, David Koresh. My question is: wouldn't it have been more merciful to cut off their government checks than to burn them alive?

Second question: what kind of people are those that work for these agencies? As a Senator brought out in the hearings, our justice system is bound to an appeals process, after juries have carefully considered the evidence and sentence rendered. What was this?

Thirdly, the most chilling statement on the entire film was one made by the BATF official who stated that "the days of walking up to a door in a two-piece suit, knocking on the door and serving a search warrant is a thing of the past!!!" (emphasis mine) I suppose this effrontery will also include breaking down the doors of the legitimate gun business in Mountain City, Tennessee, and confiscating the goods in trade of an owner who was voted last year's Business of the Year award by the area merchants. Is the cup yet full?

My observation and conclusion is that none of these agencies had any business on the property under our Bill of Rights and American law. Period. It was a plain show of muscle and the clenched fist of official tyranny, combined with sophisticated treachery and intimidation. I recall I was driving back from Atlanta that day and heard the news flash that the agencies were playing such music as "These boots are made for walking...and we're gonna walk all over you..." I went into a phone booth and called the Washington FBI office. I asked them why they didn't play hymns? The victims surely would have come out, but is it possible the government "employees" couldn't abide the hymns?

Let those of us who are standing for our God-given Rights hereby resolve ourselves to leave a better record  for our grandchildren, that the "rules of engagement" will be ordered under the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.