From: [c--o--t] at [NCoast.ORG] (Christopher Morton)
Subject: Waco on the Radio
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 17:47:14 GMT




A friend in talk.politics.guns asked me to bring this over from FidoNet.


Date:   Thu Mar 04 1993  17:37:41
From:   Chris Morton
To:     All
Subj:   Waco on the Radio
Attr:   
rtkba                          -------------------------------
Cleveland talk radio is taking to the Koresh case in Waco in a big way.

Yesterday, WWWE radio talkshow host, Lee Kirk raised the subject of the Waco 
siege.  He invited a local BATF functionary to take part in a discussion of 
the case.  To say the least, the agent got more than he had bargained for.

The station switchboard was literally JAMMED with callers, the vast majority 
of whom were vociferously critical of the BATF actions.  Kirk himself while 
maintaining an air of detachment also questioned the wisdom of the BATF action 
and wondered if there had not been a better alternative available.

The agent defended the BATF plan and its execution.  He repeated the claims 
that the Koresh group was armed with automatic weapons, including a .50 
caliber machinegun, but as with other BATF spokesmen, provided NO evidence in 
support of that claim.

The highlight of the show was the well informed female caller who questioned 
both the presence of the media at the start of the attack and the contents of 
the warrant which was allegedly to be served.  The BATF representative was 
unable to explain their presence other than in terms of some mysterious person 
who allegedly informed the Koresh group.  The caller strongly implied, as did 
others, that she thought that the media were there at the behest of the BATF.  

When the caller queried the agent regarding the contents of the search 
warrant, she met with vague, ambiguous and misleading replies.  When she 
attempted to determine who had requested the warrant, the BATF representative 
literally attempted to rework the legal system on the fly.  He virtually 
claimed that NO ONE at BATF had ASKED for the warrant, instead implying that 
the warrant had be FORCED upon them by the judge!  This provoked a strong 
response from the caller, who lectured the agent on the basics of the 
mechanics of obtaining a search warrant.  The BATF rep.'s only reply was 
further confused attempts to push responsibility for the warrant off on other 
parties.

After the end of the hour allotted for the discussion, the total of calls was 
approximately two to one AGAINST the BATF.  The agent was clearly disconcerted 
by the reaction and attempted to discount the negative comments as 
unrepresentative of the public at large.  His claim was forcefully refuted 
when the host alloted a second hour today for additional calls.

Today's reaction was even less favorable than yesterday's.  A number of calls 
raised the issue of the BATF's past similar behavior.  This correspondent 
pointed out the Balew and Lawmaster cases, and the BATF's attitude of 
arrogance toward NON-criminals.  The only call directly supportive of the BATF 
was one from a woman who claimed to be the sister of an agent.  That familial 
relationship was apparently the ONLY grounds for support as she was unable to 
muster any factual material in support of her case.  Instead she made 
unsupported assertions that the women and children in the compound were being 
held hostage.  This assertion was challenged by the host, but she stuck to it, 
while failing to support it.

At the end of this correpondent's comments, he noted that he intended to 
contact his representative and suggest that the BATF be eliminated as a cost 
cutting measure and that it's functions be taken over by the FBI.  In addition 
it was suggested that a THIRD hour be allotted tommorrow.  Apparently that 
will in fact take place.

The BATF seems to be counting on the national media sweeping their blunder 
under the rug, just as the House check kiters did.  Unfortunately for them, 
the same kind of grassroots expressions of outrage seem to be taking place in 
this case.  You should consider raising this issue on your local talkshows.  
You should also encourage your representative and senators to examine the role 
of the BATF.  Perhaps if they receive enough such requests, they will decide 
that there IS no role for the BATF.  Don't think that Clinton will go out on a 
limb for them if the winds blow the wrong way.  Now's the time to put the boot 
in. 

 

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 * Origin: Origin: Machiavelli, The Aiming Point! (1:157/200.20)
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"Read my lips, no new Haitians.  Ack!" - Bill the Prez
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Christopher Morton