The Maelstrom of Violence

[Warren Dew]

(08-17-2017, 05:22 PM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: McVeigh cared about arrogant violent policies of the US Government.  Both the Middle East and domestic incidents helped form him.  The incidents he railed against for the most part occurred before Clinton’s less violent doctrine against domestic potentially violent protestors.  These doctrine changes occurred mostly as a result of Waco, an incident which caused much reconsideration early on in 42’s watch.  Today, Waco and Ruby Ridge are often used in federal training, as illustrations of how not to do it.

The issue of excessive use of force leading to deaths remains pertinent.  It is usually the protesters, state and local forces that are questioned.  While federal forces have a yet lingering reputation, they are not generally escalators these days, in part due to doctrine changes that fell out of Ruby Ridge and Waco.  For the most part, these changes did not trickle down to the state and local level.  Instead we have surplus military equipment being sold cheap to the state and locals, half hearted training in how to use it, a resulting pseudo military attitude shift, plus a legal system that will release any cop who felt threatened by those he confronts.  “I was scared” becomes a legal license to kill.

McVeigh was unique.  Perhaps all the violent lone nuts are unique.  He was more alone than most.  While he associated with the right wing militia movement, he is not a great illustration of big partisan money sponsoring terror, and his tendency toward secrecy doesn’t make him a great example of a joiner sharing guilt with a large movement.

But he’s an illustration of domestic terror and violent dislike of excessive government force.  I would prefer that people not try to cherry pick around him.  Folks shouldn’t say he is a little different so you can throw lessons learned away.  We paid a lot for the lessons learned.

Wow, we agree on something.  Ironically, it can be argued that McVeigh is an example of terrorism working - and working to improve society.  I think it's a difficult question whether the lessons learned were worth the lives lost, and whether the lessons might have been learned with less bloodshed.