In the wake of Sept. 11, it is important not to forget past tragedies that have captured America’s concern for her fellow American. This past week has been a heart-wrenching anniversary for some Americans.
Almost two months before April 19, 1993, David Koresh was able to get more than 100 people to join him in Waco, Texas. Koresh and his followers, called the Davidians, then barricaded themselves in a fully armed fortress. Koresh believed that if the Bible was true, then he was Christ. Koresh did release some children from the compound, none of which were his own. According to www.time.com, he still had about 90 adults with him and 17 children. He issued an hour-long statement on the radio about how he was waiting for the message of God to decide what to do. Then after fire from the FBI on the early morning of April 19, 1993 it is believed that the Davidians turned their own weapons on themselves and completed what many believed to be their original intent.
Hundreds were killed in the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. According to www.washingtonpost.com, the bomb that destroyed the front of the U.S. federal building was a car bomb. Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh were sentenced for the bombing, and McVeigh was sentenced to death for his involvement. McVeigh apparently drove the van into the parking garage of the U.S. federal building. That van housed the bomb that later went off. Nichols was be charged with life in prison and there are still some people wanting his death.
Columbine high school lost 15 people and 23 were wounded after April 20, 1999. According to www.cnn.com, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were two “misguided” youths who took out their frustration by bringing guns and explosives to school with them. The two gunmen then turned their weapons on themselves, which would leave the question as to why this happened. Most schools adopted a “zero-tolerance” policy towards violence after the Columbine shootings coupled with previous school shootings, violence and threats of violence after April 20, of that year.
The anniversaries for these events have all happened over the last week. Some believe these dates are coincidental, others believe that the dates are meant to correspond with the birth of Hitler, whose date of birth was April 20, 1889.
