Barons
Weatherman
by Randy Schaefer
Active anarchists and revolutionists do not contribute
to this web
site, Radical Corner. If they did, they would use extra caution to avoid
detection by the internet police. Admission of covert plans to overthrow the
U.S. government or to commit violent acts against the same would obviously
result in swift and unmerciful retribution.
Revolutionists like George Washington, Vladimir
Lenin, Leon Trotsky,
Mao Tse-tung and Fidel Castro are some of history's giants of revolution.
They led violent rebellions against tyrannical and oppressive governments
and permanently changed the political climate in their countries.
As Mao so eloquently stated, "Revolution requires
bloodshed."
Since 1970, three Yankee Doodle trouble makers come to
mind: The
Weathermen, Janet Reno and Timothy McVeigh.
Since most American's forget everything that happened
before Monday
morning, here is a painless history lesson about the afore mentioned
radicals:
The Weathermen were comprised of young Americans who
announced their
intention to overthrow the U.S. government in the 1970s. Fueled by outrage
over the Viet Nam war and racism in America, they went underground bombing
targets across the country that they felt symbolized "the real violence"
that the U.S. government and capitalist power were wrecking throughout the
world.
On February 13, 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms (ATF)
raided Mount Carmel in Waco, Texas. The raid resulted in the deaths of four
agents and five Dividians. After a 51-day seige of Mount Carmel, former U.S.
Attorney General Janet Reno approved recommendations of veteran FBI
officials to remove the Branch Dividians by force. During the raid, a fire
broke out and quickly engulfed the building, killing 85 Branch Dividians, 17
of them children under the age of 12. The cause of the fire was later
determined to be deliberate actions of Dividians inside the building. This
theory is disputed both by independent media and others.
On April 19, 1995, U.S. Army veteran Timothy
McVeigh parked a 20-foot
Ryder truck in front of the Oklahoma City federal building. The truck was
loaded with 5,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate and nitromethane. The explosion
blew off the face of the building and killed 168 people, including 19
children. Before McVeigh was executed, he testified that the bombing was
vengeance for the federal government's role in both the Waco tragedy and the
Ruby Ridge incident.
Does the end ever justify the means?
While McVeigh is categorized as one of America's most
notorious mass
murderers, Reno will always be known as the Clinton administration's top
cop. Strange, isn't it, how one person's homespun terrorist is another
person's highest ranking law enforcement officer in the free world.
For better or for worse, today our revolutions are
waged on television
with Chevy trucks, hair gels, tooth paste and revolutionary baby diapers.
Our rebels swig Mountain Dew and crash their skulls on pavement to prove
their hardened independence and staunch individualism. The modern radical
tattoos and pierces himself, and he feels tough and rebelious as he recites
lyrics written by angry white men and pissed off brothers. His badge of
honor is time served in prison. Modern anarchists wage fictitious battles in
cyber space, as the offspring of the 1960s counter culture are born again
evangelists. Everyone looks to everyone else to see what everyone will do
next. Look no further than the voting booth, as the only enemy left to fight
are the demons racing around in your own heart. And that is where the
battles should be fought.