Introduction
Religion has always been one of the most contradictory issues in the history of human society. In the past, various movements and sects engaged in wars because of differences in their values and beliefs. The Crusades and other religious conflicts can also be considered facts proving this statement. Correctly realizing the impossibility of such issues in the modern age, society cultivates tolerance and a liberal attitude towards religion if it does not violate fundamental human rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, there are still cases when aggressive sects attract multiple followers and use them for various purposes. These situations create the basis for the conflict, as the government cannot disregard such facts and should respond. Waco Siege can be viewed as one of the dramatic events which were caused by a set of various reasons, including religious issues, violation of existing laws, and infringement of human rights.
Summary of the Event
In describing the event, it is vital to mention several factors necessary for its better understanding. The Waco Siege can be described as the law enforcement siege of the area that belonged to the religious sect Branch Davidians (Rosewood and Walker 3). It occurred between February 28 and April 19, 1993, involving the U.S. Federal government, Texas State Law enforcement, and the U.S. Military forces (Rosewood and Walker 24). The sect members were headed by David Koresh and defended Mount Carmel Center in Axtell, Texas, northeast of Waco (Rosewood and Walker 31). The official reason for starting the siege was the possession of an illegal firearm. It was employed to acquire a search warrant and arrest Koresh and several group members. However, there were other reasons, such as sexual abuse among the members of the sect and violation of human rights. The event ended with the death of 82 Branch Davidians, including 25 children and four killed officers (Rosewood and Walker 13). To understand the severity and cruelty of outcomes, it is vital to understand the causes which triggered the event.
Causes
Nature of the Sect
The religious factor is often mentioned among the primary reasons for the siege. The Branch Davidians, or the Branch, originates from a schism in the Shepherd’s Rod, Davidians (Rosewood and Walker 22). It emerged in 1955 after the death of Victor Houteff, the founder of Davidians (Charles River Editors 78). People were united by the idea of the inevitable apocalypse and the Second Coming of Jess Christ after defeating armies of evil (Charles River Editors 79). The group’s growth influenced its movement to Waco, Texas, and the creation of Mount Carmel (Charles River Editors 91). Later, in 1959, a new place was selected to expect for Armageddon (Charles River Editors 90). Numerous followers had to sell their possessions and lived in trucks, buses, or other constructed buildings (Charles River Editors 90). However, the prophesy failed, and the control was acquired by another leader Benjamin Roden, and later his wife, Lois Roden, who selected Vernon Wayne Howell (later known as David Koresh) as her successor (Charles River Editors 79). It became a new stage in the section’s evolution.
The turning point in the history of the Branch was its division. In 1984, the group divided, and Howell and George Roden struggled to control the Mount Carmel Center (Rosewood and Walker 87). However, Roden’s violent and aggressive behavior prevented him from becoming the only leader. First, he used the corpse of one of the followers to prove his power by resurrecting it (Rosewood and Walker 87). Later, he killed a person who entered a religious dispute with him (Charles River Editors 99). After that, Howell managed to buy Mount Carmel and became the only leader of the sect. It allowed him to alter the rules and make all other members follow his commands. He also proclaimed himself as the Chosen One, which evidences the contradictory nature of the sect and its leaders (Rosewood and Walker 98). The main source of income was arms trading and the money given by other members after selling their possessions (Rosewood and Walker 100). These factors attracted the attention of the authorities and created the basis for future conflict.
Violations of Human Rights
The life in the sect and its rules can also be considered the causes of the event. The new Messiah, Howell, or David Koresh, had total control over other members, monitoring their everyday life, food habits, and activities outside the residence (Rosewood and Walker 111). It provided him with an opportunity to commit various crimes and infringe on human rights. First, he ordered followers to sell their possessions and give all their money to him (Charles River Editors 99). At the same time, Koresh stated that he had the insight, and God told him that all women should give birth only to him (Charles River Editors 111). For this reason, all married couples belonging to the sect had to divorce for females to become spiritual wives (Charles River Editors 112). However, he had sexual relations only with special carnal wives, selected among women starting from 10 years (Ellison and Bartkowski 122). In such a way, he forced adolescents to enter into sexual relations and violated their rights (Ellison and Bartkowski 122). Being a severe crime, this fact could not be disregarded by the government.
Illegal Firearms and Sexual Abuse
These events created the basis for the attempts to investigate the group’s activity and reveal events occurring between its members. It means that Koresh’s acts, his establishment of illegal rules within the sect, violence, and abuse triggered the growing public interest in the case. The local newspaper, Waco Tribune-Herald, published articles reporting physical abuse related to children and statutory rape (Charles River Editors 76). The papers also revealed the existence of multiple wives, the polygamy promoted by Koresh, and the illegal trade of firearms, which served as the source of income for the sect (Ellison and Bartkowski 122). All these allegations, combined with the growing interest from local authorities, create the basis for the opposition.
Furthermore, by analyzing this event, it is possible to focus on the cases of sexual abuse often associated with the Branch. In general, the activity of the sect did not contradict existing laws as it was not aggressive (Rosewood and Walker 45). Its followers worked hard and had specific beliefs accepted voluntarily (Rosewood and Walker 46). However, the public interest was triggered by rules allowing Koresh to have wives selected from all sect women, regardless of their age or status. Sexual acts with children are considered severe crimes, which should be punished by the law. Under these conditions, the local authorities gathered the public and the governmental support to act using force to investigate such cases and protect human rights.
However, the official reason for starting the dramatic Waco Siege was the illegal use of firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms used the affidavit provided by David Aguilera to acquire the warrant (United States Congress House Committee 44). In such a way, firearm violations were employed as the cause for the raid and additional investigation. Moreover, ATF mentioned the possibility of having a drug lab used to produce and distribute addictive substances among members of the sect and other people in different areas (United States Congress House Committee 53). Under these conditions, the government acquired the official reason for starting the siege and used the support of the government forces to overcome resistance.
In such a way, considering the information mentioned above, it is possible to outline several causes that promoted the event. First of all, religious issues and motifs were used to manipulate people and make them follow the leader. Koresh employed available human resources to acquire a stable source of income. It allowed him to spend money for different purposes and become more powerful. At the same time, the illegal firearm trade was another reason for initiating the siege. The official reports emphasized the accumulation of multiple arms in Mount Carmel, which was suspicious, risky, and illegal regarding the existing legislation. Finally, the inadequate rules introduced by the sect’s leader involved a violation of human rights, sexual abuse, and harassment. The combination of all these factors can be viewed as the primary cause of the siege as the government cannot leave this problem unaddressed.
Conclusion
Altogether, the Waco Siege is a dramatic incident that occurred between February 28 and April 19, 1993. The opposition between the Branch Davidians and the U.S. Federal government resulted in the death of 86 people and is still viewed as one of the bloodiest events involving sects and their activity. Religious issues were used to deceive people and make them follow orders given by self-proclaimed Messiahs. The use of illegal ways to acquire revenues, sexual harassment, and abuse cultivated by David Koresh, the sect leader, proved the necessity to interfere with the functioning of the group and protect people.
Works Cited
Charles River Editors. The Waco Siege: The History of the Federal Government’s Standoff with David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015.
Ellison, Christopher, and John Bartkowski. “Babies Were Being Beaten.” Armageddon in Waco: Critical Perspectives on the Branch Davidian Conflict, edited by Stuart Wright, The University of Chicago Press, pp. 111-153.
Rosewood, Jack, and Dwayne Walker. The Waco Siege: An American Tragedy. Wiq Media, 2015.
United States Congress House Committee. Activities of Federal law Enforcement Agencies Toward the Branch Davidians. Palala Press, 2015.