We all know only too well what happened that dark day in Texas. Federal agents, backed up by FBI shooters and armored vehicles on loan from the military, exacted a horrible, murderous revenge on the Branch Davidians. The Davidians had dared to defend themselves when armed men in Ninja costumes had attacked the "compound" (wooden houses) where they lived as a communal religious sect.
Here is link that describes the horror in detail – note that this is not for people with queasy stomachs.
Most of us are aware that arresting David Koresh, had that been their actual goal, would have been ridiculously simple. He jogged every day, and went into to town routinely for supplies. A Pinkerton security guard could have arrested him without incident. The BATF, however, wanted an "event."
It's fair to ask why we need multiple police agencies at the national level who are armed and trained as paramilitaries. This sad state of affairs, coupled with the cooption and militarization of local police agencies by Washington, has lead to outrages like Waco.
Sadly, all this was inevitable given the latest government attempts at prohibition. Funny isn't, that when it comes to murdering unborn babies, we are told it is "…impossible to legislate morality," but somehow manage to justify routine violence against US citizens over their choice of drugs. The net result is that our police now finance many of their paramilitary operations against us with the money they "earn" by seizing our property.
Originally, police were always local and were called "peace officers" since their duty was keeping the peace. This is a proactive form of law enforcement, which works much better than the reactive enforcement of current times. Less people are jailed and fewer citizens are murdered. The key is that peace officers work to keep violence and crime from occurring and to maintain public order – not attack people's homes with armed militias like the BATF.
Peace officers know the people in their jurisdiction and they understand that they work for them – not for some unholy and faceless bureaucracy in distant Washington. It makes a big difference.
When the storm troopers went in shooting at Waco, they got back just what they were dishing out. Real peace officers should have stopped the crazed government gunmen at that point, but there were none available. Nowadays there rarely are. Either we are not training them very well or more likely, we're just not growing u2018em.
The Texas Rangers used to have a motto, "One riot, one Ranger." They were truly peace officers although they were quite able to dish out trouble when required. Mexican bandits and Comanche raiders found that out the hard way.
What if one of the old style Texas Rangers had been near Waco shortly after the initial shoot out? Let's see what might have happened, had there been a Texas Ranger like old Ben McColluch in the neighborhood.
Ranger Ben McColluch had heard the reports on the radio; then seen the TV coverage. It was obvious to him that the situation in Waco had gotten way out of control and that the men on the ground, those glory boys in military drag, had gotten in way over their heads.
He drove out to Waco to lend a hand and was turned away contemptuously by the G-men. The government agents wanted no "help" from the likes of him. McColluch got the picture. There would be no arrests at the Branch Davidian Compound. As one agent had told Koresh during negotiations, he had killed government agents and would shortly find out what the term "crispy critter" really meant.
McColluch was enraged that those glamour boys would pull off such a murderous stunt in his beloved Texas. That it would get much worse was obvious. As a Texas Ranger he had a responsibility to those people inside the compound. If they had broken the law, they should be arrested; if not, they should be defended from the predators surrounding the compound. Either way, McColluch had never thought much of lynch law.
"Why would men dress up in black to sneak up on somebody in broad daylight in Texas? Hell," he thought, "It's happened and there is no going back."
McColluch was aware that armed "cherries" were often eager to "make their bones." He knew that there were men who were actually envious of his record in the war. That always made him scratch his head – why anybody would be envious of that was beyond him, but there it was, and this time that kind of thinking had lead to big trouble.
Late one night, he infiltrated the compound, sneaking past the federal agents, the cameras, and the sensors. Having completed the easy part of his mission, he walked up to the main entrance of the compound and simply knocked on the door. The feds were waking up outside but it was too late; before they could react the door opened and McColluch was roughly pulled inside. Two men frisked him and took his .45 from the waist band holster. McColluch found himself facing the "devil," David Koresh.
"Mr. Koresh, I'm Ben McColluch from the Texas Rangers. I'm here to place you under arrest," he said calmly.
Koresh was under whelmed. "You talk mighty big for a man with two M-16s pointing at him," replied Koresh. "Are you dreaming or this another government trick?"
Ranger McColluch didn't bat an eyelash. "First off, I don't think you'll shoot me. You boys shot those BATF clowns because they attacked you with guns. I'm not sure I even blame you for that – but the beer's been poured out – somebody has to drink it or all these people here are fixin' to die. The hard way or I miss my guess."
Koresh replied, "We're all Christians here and we're prepared to die – that's not much of a threat since we've been expecting it all along."
McColluch stared at him for a couple long seconds and then kept it brief. "Sonny, I don't know what fancy brand of Christianity you all are practicing here – that's your business. But my Bible mentions a feller named Jesus Christ and He chose to die for others, not drag them all to the cross with Him. I reckon you need to think about that real careful like, and then you, and those other boys who pulled the triggers, need to come out with me and face the music. It's the only chance these folks have."
"These people are with me. They'll live or die with me!" shouted Koresh.
McColluch was calm. "I don't like to repeat myself, sonny. But this one time I will. Sometimes a man has to put himself on the line to save the folks that are his responsibility. This is one of those times. I don't like it any better than you do, but there it is plain and simple, no way around it."
Koresh began to rant about the end of times and how he was a prophet. He was getting all worked up and had plenty to say.
McColluch sighed quietly, and thought to himself, "Yep, sometimes a man has to put himself on the line all right. But why in Hell does it always seem to be me?" He chased the thought out of his head and remembered who he was. There were women and kids in this "compound" and a vengeful posse outside. He was out of options.
He took the concealed derringer he had in his sleeve and shot Koresh twice in the center of the chest. Then he threw the gun over his shoulder and stood there. The men covering him with rifles were initially too shocked to react…
From there – you may supply your own ending. Whatever you come up with, there is one thing guaranteed. It will be an improvement over what actually happened.
February 25, 2003
