2020 RETROSPECTIVE
TEXAS R ADIO AND THE BIG BEAT BY: WESLE Y HUG G E T T
The Waco Siege. Photo courtesy of ABCNews.
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n 1993, a religious cult in Waco, Texas, was investigated by the ATF. The Branch Davidians, and their leader David Koresh, were suspected of illegally modifying firearms without purchasing a state-approved permit. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) decided to storm the compound in a surprise raid; however, the plan backfired when the Davidians fired back at the agents. What ensued was a 45-minute Shootout between the Davidians and the ATF, which led to the death of four ATF agents and six Davidians. The FBI soon took control of the situation, and after 51 days of the Davidians refusing to leave, the FBI shot over 400 canisters of teargas into the compound. After two hours, fire was spotted inside the building, as teargas is highly flammable; within a matter of minutes, the entire compound was engulfed in flames. Once the fire was extinguished, and the deaths were tallied, 82 of the Branch Davidians were killed.
that if they understand nothing else,” said Mike Vanderbough of the Sons of Liberty Militia in a 2015 New York Times article.
The Waco Siege was significant because it showed the lengths the government would go to to get their way. A religious group was essentially taken hostage in their own home for the simple act of not purchasing a $25.00 permit. People saw the government’s actions as tyrannical and feared that severe government overreach was on the horizon. This accident inevitably kicked off the militia movement; consequently, conservatives began to stock up on weapons and ammunition in preparation for civil war and the looming threat of government tyranny. Within two years of the Waco siege, citizen militias exploded in popularity; according to the New York Times, over 450 citizen militia groups were assembled by the year 1995. While the times have changed and whether we see it or not, this anti“There will be no more free Waco’s, whoever government sentiment lives on in America. starts down this road should understand 31
