WACO on Vice

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New series on Vice Channel on the WACO event.
I dont kow how many parts are in this series, just finished the first episode "Messiah or Maniac"

Lots of home footage, interviews (current/today) with people that lived there and people involved with the siege (not a lot of those right now/this episode - focus on the beginnings of Koresh and the Branch Dividians and life in the complex in the 80s.

I remember the event, but I didnt understand it, Iw as young (11ish)
Still, I dont fully understand and look forward to learning more about this
I know that there will be bias in this, there is bias in any documentary, but it will shed light for me.

Really well made with, again, lots of pictures and home video footage, but there's also some reenactments, but not many.

Anyone else check it out?
 
I haven’t seen that one yet, but I watched series on Netflix and a couple of the documentaries on prime.
Very eye opening.
 
I haven’t seen that one yet, but I watched series on Netflix and a couple of the documentaries on prime.
Very eye opening.
Im eager to see part 2.
Part 1 got us to the raid, lots of back story and even had the ATF guy who 'infiltrated' the camp. Koresh knew, btu let him leave.
The title, again, Messiah or Maniac, is a good one.
Koresh had some radical ideas, the same as those of other cult leaders when they get to a certain power point, but yet he lets this man, his enemy, leave unscathed. I have to respect that about him. But, dang, dude was nuts.
And I am speaking purely of his beliefs and actions based around his beliefs, nothing regarding weaponry or the raid itself.

Do you have any particular ones that you'd recommend on those streaming services?
 
I watched this on Netflix, it was based on two books one written by an FBI agent, and one written by a branch Davidian Survivor. So I really feel like it was about center line of both sides of the story.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6040674/

Then went on to Waco: rules of engagement & David Karesh Messiah or Maniac are the 2 on Prime.

I completely agree, he was nuts, But like you said he knew that guy was ATF and he let him go when he didn’t have to. I really don’t think he wanted confrontation. But he wasn’t going to walk away from it when they came.
 
I read the other thread linked above
I will check it out sometime

One thing I did notice was one poster commented that all weapons were legally purchased and legal to own.
In this first episode one of the BD members talks about drilling a pin and making it an automatic weapon.
im not saying someone should die for owning a machine gun, nowhere close to that, just seems like there might be misconceptions on what they did have.
 
I was in training in Dallas, Texas when they sent the armored vehicle in and the place went up in blaze. Radio stations in Texas are ruthless without compassion. I actually have never heard such cheering for the place to burn to the ground by media. In my opinion Janet Reno and the government caused the death of a lot of innocent people. The ATF is a vile agency who rejoices in military tactics.
 
A UPS driver reported that one of many packages he delivered to the compound had broken open, exposing grenade casings and black powder. When Koresh found out about the investigation he invited the ATF out to the compound to inspect his guns. They declined.

dabbswaco-14-1024x782.jpg

According to current legal interpretation, you can be convicted of possession of an illegal machinegun just by having the parts to potentially build one. This was the original impetus behind the search warrant that led to the Davidian debacle.
Koresh had mail-ordered quite a lot of M16 parts. The ATF obtained a search warrant on the premise that the Davidians were in “constructive possession” of potential automatic weapons in violation of the oddly titled Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. This oxymoronic piece of legislation outlawed the manufacture of automatic weapons for sale to civilians. Prior to that time building machineguns was perfectly legal so long as the rules were followed.

dabbswaco-15-1024x633.jpg

The original BATF raid of the Davidian compound was short on military ordnance. The subsequent FBI siege was an altogether different matter.
The government apparently falsely alleged that Koresh was operating a meth lab. This drug nexus allowed the BATF to requisition military assets. However, the Army Special Forces commander upon whom the request fell was not impressed, so the ATF received only training space along with medical and communication equipment.

original source
https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/the-waco-disaster-a-cautionary-tale/
 
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Waco, despite how you may feel about anything caresh was preaching or doing, was a complete failure of the police.

They had his schedule, when he went to town, where he went and what route he took. The warrant was for his arrest. They could have taken him at any Point before he got to his compound.
 
Waco, despite how you may feel about anything caresh was preaching or doing, was a complete failure of the police.

They had his schedule, when he went to town, where he went and what route he took. The warrant was for his arrest. They could have taken him at any Point before he got to his compound.
exactly.
 
"Messiah or Maniac"
or
waco-madman-or-messiah

i saw the A&E one - I had already known the ATF stepped in it, but i hadn't quite known the depths of their f***ery with it. pretty enlightening.
Watched it with my wife, who looked around the house and saw guns/parts scattered all over and she gave me the eye.
 
Waco, despite how you may feel about anything caresh was preaching or doing, was a complete failure of the police.

They had his schedule, when he went to town, where he went and what route he took. The warrant was for his arrest. They could have taken him at any Point before he got to his compound.

But that of course is not how they like to show their power. Three minutes from me they showed up at a Outlaw biker headquarters in Newton. They had three doors to gain entry but yet they placed explosives on the wall and blasted the brick out sending terror thru the residential neighborhood. Just had to try out that shape charge for fun. The blast blew out the windows of three house adjacent to the biker club. All the talk of police reform currently would only make sense if they started with eliminating the ATF.

The week before the raid the annual meeting for the USA was held in that building with many law enforcement agencies watching from across the street but yet the local police chief had escorts lead them to ride and eateries for safety. Not one incident for the week. I actually spoke with a couple of the bikers. Nice conversations and respectful.
 
I’m not advocating on David Karesh behalf because I wasn’t there. But all history is and will be distorted. As I get older my eye site worsens but I can see some things clearer than ever before
 
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