Mary Lou Seymour is a long-time libertarian activist and author. She lives in South Carolina. CLICK HERE FOR RATIONAL REVIEW NEWS DIGEST SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WHY AREN'T YOU A SPONSOR?
Would you like to help support Liberty Action of the
week? Donate by credit card or direct donations via PayPal ALTERNATE ACTIONS For even more actions, or to discuss this column, visit LibertyForum's Take Action Forum! Moment of
Silence Stop the New
Patriot Act! The March to War
Dead Pool! Freedom Ad
Contest |
Liberty Action
of the Week I don't know about y'all, but though I always remember April 19, I had completely forgotten that the siege of Waco started on Feb.28. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the all-American atrocity, in which the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Federal Bureau of Investigations mounted a siege on the Branch Davidians at Mt. Carmel, TX, culminating in an assault that destroyed their home in flames and killed 82 of the 135 men women and children in residence. After the seige, 20 children were sent off to relatives or foster homes; two dozen mostly elderly adults were scattered in Waco or across the country or the world; eleven adults were incarcerated and tried, eight convicted. Seven remain imprisoned. While we may worry about the actions of foreign governments against their citizens, and, some may even want our country to be the "world police" and protect the rights of the oppressed in other countries, the 10-year-anniversary of Waco offers a potent reminder that the government we should worry about most is not headquartered in Baghdad, Pyongyang, Teheran, or Beijing -- but in Washington, D.C. And our government is OUR responsibility. I have a vague recollection of Feb.28, 1993, the day the seige at Waco started. I saw the reports on the mainstream media. And I did NOTHING. To excuse my inaction, I didn't have Net access in those days (and the Net hadn't become the instant news gathering mechanism it is now), and by April 19, 1993, I had managed to see through the gov't propaganda, and was trying to get more information from my fellow freedom lovers and get it out to the public, with handmade flyers and letters to the editor. But, for most Americans, it was years before the truth about Waco began coming out. The premiere of the video "Waco, the Rules of Engagement" in 1997 or the PBS "Waco: the Inside Story" in 1995 were the first introductions many people had to this horrendous chapter in American history. Nowadays, of course, with the Net, we have no excuse to not get and spread info instantly, and I know that y'all on this list take that responsibility seriously. If any of us see something "going down" like the beginning of the Waco siege on Feb.28, 1993, I'm confident we'll react quickly to bring the truth out to the public, this time. But there are many ... too many ... who have forgotten Waco, or relegated it to the "past," or were, perhaps, too young in 1993 to recall not only what happened in the end, but the way it was hidden from public view. For this week's action, let's spread the word, in cyberspace and meatspace, to Remember the 10th Anniversary of Waco, so that another Waco will NOT happen in our lifetime. Letters to the editor, of course, are our standard mechanism for informing the "non wired." For good talking points for your LTEs, there is a tremendous amount of information on Waco on the Net. For a current article, see "The Fires of Waco Still Burn." For a start on the literally thousands of documents, articles and news stories on Waco, see The Davidian Massacre site, Reason's "What Happened at Waco" page, and The Waco Tragedy Information Page. For info on writing LTEs and Op-Eds, see "Writing the Libertarian Op-Ed." and the Libertarian Resources database (libertarian letters-to-the-editor and articles intended for libertarians to adapt for their own purposes) and LIBertarian LETters to the editor email/fax distribution network (LIBLET). For meatspace distribution, consider cartoons ... a new cartoon strip "The Hillary Waco Project," or see The Waco Cartoons archive (you will need to contact the cartoonists for permission to reproduce and distribute.)
If you're feeling ambitious, arrange a showing of the "Rules of Engagement" or PBS Waco Investigation (videos can be ordered online, if you don't already have a copy) at your church or public library. And finally, during these 50 days of remembrance, let's not forget the 7 Branch Davidians who are still in prison; let's write them and let them know that we'll NEVER forget. Til next week, Mary Lou PS: And though like everyone else, I hate asking for money, I consider this column like a weekly "meeting," and whenever I hold a meeting in meatspace, I always "pass the hat" for donations to support the cause. So, I'm passing the virtual hat to support Liberty Action of the Week ... You can donate by PayPal via the link in the left column, or E-Gold (my account is 104799), or, if you'd like to donate by check or FRNs, email me for my snail address. (I can also sell ads and sponsored links for organizations/websites, or, if you're an individual and would like your name listed as a sponsor, let me know). |
For
webmasters, here's an idea from Bill St. Clair; run a
Remember Waco graphic on your site from now til April 19,
and link to the 