by James Glaser
August 16, 2002

No I am not talking about September 11th, but August 21st, the ten year anniversary of the Federal Government's siege of the Weaver family, at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. Those involved were Randy Weaver, his wife Vicki, their son Sammy, age 14, Daughters Sara, (16) and Rachel (10). Also a baby daughter, Elisheba, 10 months old and their friend Kevin Harris.

We can't forget the over 400 federal agents that descended on that Idaho Ridge and murdered a young mother who was holding her baby in her arms when she was shot. Yes this is a true story that took place in America by the same people that plan to give us "Homeland Security."

I don't think anyone would describe Randy Weaver as brilliant and few would doubt that he would cut off the barrels on a couple of shotguns for some Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Agents. But Randy Weaver was not a snitch and that is what those agents wanted of this man. Randy also decided not to go to court for this crime of cutting off those barrels that they entrapped him on. He stayed home with his family, up on Ruby Ridge. Kind of sounds like one of those "B" movies made in Nashville back in the 60s.

On August 21 of 1991 six federal agents in ski masks and camouflage, carrying automatic rifles with silencers, sneaked up on Ruby Ridge. They had no warrant and they weren't about to identify themselves. I mean, why wear ski masks and have silencers if you are going to ID yourself. This was a sneak attack by federal agents on an American citizen's home with automatic weapons.

First they shot the dog and then 14 year old Sammy in the arm and then in the back killing him. In the next 24 hours, a deputy US Marshall was dead and the other 396 agents moved in. There were helicopters and armored personal carriers, expert snipers and who knows what else.

On August 22, Vicki Weaver was standing in the doorway of her cabin holding her baby. She was shot in the temple by one of the snipers that could hit a eye ball at a fifteen hundred feet. The bullet went through her mouth, tongue and jawbone and then severed her carotid artery. She knelt on the floor holding her baby and bled to death. It was probably fast and I would not doubt that the sniper watched the whole thing through his scope.

Nine days later it was over. Randy Weaver, his children that still lived and the young, badly wounded Kevin Harris surrendered. That was the end of the siege at Ruby Ridge, but not the end of the story.

Just like that other siege at Waco, Federal agents could not wait to arrest their man at a safe time and location, but had to put innocent women and children in harms way to make an arrest. One big difference, at Ruby Ridge there were survivors and a day in court.

Both Randy weaver and Kevin Harris, were found, Not guilty of murder and conspiracy charges. A good woman, her young son, and I am sure a fine US Marshall had to die because some one in that ATF wanted to have a day of Glory arresting a real minor offender and they didn't care who was killed.

Something else happened that day. Our own United States Government, shot and killed a 14 year old kid, with a automatic weapon with a silencer and the next day they shot his mom with a sniper rifle and it's scope. It is so very sad that it took this to instill so much justified distrust in our government. Protect and Serve. Just stupid people looking out for a chance to advance their careers and that cost the lives of three innocent people.

Yes there was a government investigation. In 1995 the Congressional investigation revealed a cover up. But that same government refused to charge anyone with the murders of Sammy or Vicki Weaver.

I'm not out to try and hang some one now, Heck, federal agents have my utmost respect. I do however think that America and all federal agents should remember the Weavers, Ruby Ridge, and yes places like Waco, so they don't happen again.

Also I think that everyone should remember that people who work for our government can make horrendous mistakes and take our rights away from us. Automatic weapons with silencers and snipers have no place in America, when there are innocent women and children involved, really silencers and snipers are things of the War Zone.

So think about Sammy and Vicki on this Wednesday and maybe say a prayer, that those who are supposed to protect us, never run amok again. Homeland Security could take all of our rights away from us, that is what happened to a mother and her son up on Ruby Ridge.