Human beings have a natural proclivity to watch disastrous things. There is an allure to observing an event that never seems to succeed in anyone’s favor. In late February of 1993, the United States, and even the world, watched such an event. ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) arrived at Mount Carmel in Waco, Texas to serve a warrant in regards to purchasing illegal weapons. What they were met with was a militarized response; a response that no one was adequately prepared to handle. Blame has been placed on the Attorney General, ATF, and FBI who took over in March. There was one man who was never considered culprit of this nationally televised train wreck, Vernon Howell, more commonly known by David Koresh. He used strict control, fear mongering,
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One of the ways he achieved this was by fostering a negative idea of those from the outside. The technical term is called splitting. It changes the perception and reaction to people, objects, and situation from the outside; it makes cult members “fearful or hostile towards those on the outside, but often there is an air of pity or even condescension towards those “unenlightened” individuals who are not part of the group (Perkins and Salande 387). Most of these members believe that they are a part of something better than what the mainstream society has to offer, thus reinforcing the mindset that they are a part of something. In their article “The Branch Davidians and the Politics of Power and Intimidation” Lawrence Rifkind and Loretta Harper say “the most important rule was never to admit to anything when questioned by outsiders” (70). The followers contact with those “on the outside” was control so much so no one could go into town without a specific reason and approval from Koresh (Harper and Rifkind 70). Koresh used this splitting technique to transfer his paranoia about government interference onto his followers. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy; eventually everything the cult feared came to fruition due to their intense mentality of “us versus them” (Perkins and Salande 388). In their article “Growing Up Under Koresh: Cult Children Tell of Abuses” Sara Rimer and Sam Howe Verhovek wrote, “[T]heir heart rates …show more content…
He exerted total control over them. Mount Carmel was supposedly tantamount with things such as military-style training, food and water deprivation, mind control, violence, child sex, polygamy, and senseless rules and protocols (Harper and Rifkin 70). Their schedule was composed of the followers “rising at 6 or 6:30 a.m., having breakfast together in large cafeteria, an then going off in different direction to perform their prescribed chores an activities” (Harper and Rifkind 70). Koresh controlled what they ate and even what they listened to (Harper and Rifkind 70). He would split up the family unit and instruct the children to call their parents “dogs” while only calling him father (Howe-Verhovek and Rimer). Children were punished in a harsh physical manor for mistakes as small as spilling milk. They were spanked severely, leaving round marks on the buttocks of children who were released during the 51-day siege (Howe-Verhovek and Rimer). After Koresh had convinced his adult followers that their joining the cult would be fulfilling and full of acceptance, he needed to control them. He did this by exerting total control over everything, including children. He taught little girls the “ultimate honor in life for them was to become the messiah’s [Koresh’s] wife (Harper and Rifkind 71). In fact, girls as young as eleven received a Star of David to
One of the ways he achieved this was by fostering a negative idea of those from the outside. The technical term is called splitting. It changes the perception and reaction to people, objects, and situation from the outside; it makes cult members “fearful or hostile towards those on the outside, but often there is an air of pity or even condescension towards those “unenlightened” individuals who are not part of the group (Perkins and Salande 387). Most of these members believe that they are a part of something better than what the mainstream society has to offer, thus reinforcing the mindset that they are a part of something. In their article “The Branch Davidians and the Politics of Power and Intimidation” Lawrence Rifkind and Loretta Harper say “the most important rule was never to admit to anything when questioned by outsiders” (70). The followers contact with those “on the outside” was control so much so no one could go into town without a specific reason and approval from Koresh (Harper and Rifkind 70). Koresh used this splitting technique to transfer his paranoia about government interference onto his followers. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy; eventually everything the cult feared came to fruition due to their intense mentality of “us versus them” (Perkins and Salande 388). In their article “Growing Up Under Koresh: Cult Children Tell of Abuses” Sara Rimer and Sam Howe Verhovek wrote, “[T]heir heart rates …show more content…
He exerted total control over them. Mount Carmel was supposedly tantamount with things such as military-style training, food and water deprivation, mind control, violence, child sex, polygamy, and senseless rules and protocols (Harper and Rifkin 70). Their schedule was composed of the followers “rising at 6 or 6:30 a.m., having breakfast together in large cafeteria, an then going off in different direction to perform their prescribed chores an activities” (Harper and Rifkind 70). Koresh controlled what they ate and even what they listened to (Harper and Rifkind 70). He would split up the family unit and instruct the children to call their parents “dogs” while only calling him father (Howe-Verhovek and Rimer). Children were punished in a harsh physical manor for mistakes as small as spilling milk. They were spanked severely, leaving round marks on the buttocks of children who were released during the 51-day siege (Howe-Verhovek and Rimer). After Koresh had convinced his adult followers that their joining the cult would be fulfilling and full of acceptance, he needed to control them. He did this by exerting total control over everything, including children. He taught little girls the “ultimate honor in life for them was to become the messiah’s [Koresh’s] wife (Harper and Rifkind 71). In fact, girls as young as eleven received a Star of David to