Newsgroups: alt.politics.org.batf
From: [g--g] at [bronze.ucs.indiana.edu] (Gregory R. TRAVIS)
Subject: 1984 and Waco - A list
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 1994 16:52:55 GMT

Driving back from Washington yesterday, we were treated to the usual
endless "year in review" shows on the radio.  Naturally, they all
mentioned something about Waco.

It was interesting that the new stories DO seem to have toned down
their portrayal of the issue as a one-sided crazies vs. "you&me"
type operation.  Still, the media was remarkably consistent in using
sound bites and reporter's comments in an accusatory manner.

I thought it might be interesting to start a list of the words and
phrases used or repeated by the media here.:

			WacoSpeak:

"cult"  -
	The ubiquitous term used to discredit the Davidians.  The
	word itself simply means, in 5 out of 6 of Webster's
	definitions, religious devotion.  The other def. involves
	devotion to a "non-orthodox" sect.  Davidians are Christians.

	That the media intend "cult" to be use in a negative way is
	evidenced by its omission when discussing Catholics/Buddists/Jew/
	the Moral-Majority, etc.  All of these groups are "cults" by
	the most basic dictionary definition.

"Waco Compound" -
	The only definition of "compound" applicable is a "fenced or
	walled-in area."  Before the siege, Mt. Carmel was neither fenced,
	nor walled-in.  Obviously UPS came and went freely!

	The media's use of the term "compound" is clearly intended to
	evoke images of a quasi-millitary (read: threatening) installation.

	Note that it is never referred to as the "Waco Campus" - a much more
	neutral term and one that's applied often to the spawling collections
	of buildings denoting a corporate headquarters.  How many times have
	you heard BusinessWeek refer to "The Microsoft Compound?"  Obviously,
	as a fenced/walled & guarded enclosure, Microsoft deserves the
	label as much as Mt. Carmel.

"[Koresh] believes he has a unique interpretation of the Bible" -
	I heard this one on the radio yesterday and was completely
	stunned.  Obviously an attempt to discredit Koresh by labelling
	him as an "outsider."  This is a "divide-and-conquer" tactic,
	designed to make Koresh & followers seem "different" from
	Mom and Pop USA.

	Again, this is a typically null statement used to discredit.  If
	one thinks about it, there are many examples of "mainstream"
	religions that cleam a unique intrepretation of the Bible:

		Fundies - "Uniquely" interpret the Bible literally
		Jews    - "Uniquely" interpret only the Old Testament
		Baptists - "Uniquely" interpret the Bible
		Joseph Cambell - "Uniquely" interprets the Bible
		Philosophers - ......

"[Koresh] believed in a fiery apocalypse" -
	Again, heard on the radio.  Excuse me?  Is that something that's
	suddenly scary?  After all, most mainstream Christian thought
	believes in a fiery apocalypse.

	Again, by letting this statement go, unchallenged, the media
	de-legitimates Koresh.



That's all for now, although everyday provides me with tens of new
examples of WacoSpeak.

The insidious thing about all this is that most of the claims made are
TRUE.  It's just the way in which they're phrased, and the unchallenged
context that's so dangerous.  Where's Chomsky when we need him?

greg
-- 
Gregory Reed Travis					D P S I
	
Data Parallel Systems Incorporated	[g--g] at [cica.indiana.edu]