No More Wacos?

 Detailed and Fascinating: No More Wacos 

After watching the TV mini-series Waco streaming on Netflix, I came across this early entry on that horrible assault and siege and fiery assault leading to the death of four federal officers and close to a hundred civilians. 

Kopel and Blackman do an admirable job of being at once thorough, fair, and critical of all parties involved in this senseless tragedy. A key takeaway is how federal over-reach and hubris made an event that was logically unnecessary possible, indeed, nearly fated to occur.

They give some rather granular policy suggestions throughout the book, but what is most interesting is how utterly preventable these deaths were.

 

Uncanny Resemblance: John Gill or Joe Biden?

 I post, you decide (true identities posted at bottom of page).

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

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It's the darnedest thing. I had recently watched one of the most implausible (the list is long) episodes from the gold standard of Trekdom, the original TV series, “Patterns of Force” (S2 E21). 

For those in the know, John Gill is a Federation cultural observer who watches in dismay as the Ekosian people fall into anarchy and disorder. Solution? Bear with me: he helps them pattern their society on National Socialism. (This is a strong and irrefutable argument against our academics making political decisions!)

Surely Gill figured once they were united toward some higher purpose, the Ekosians need not fall into the racialism of the Nazis. Well, Hell is paved with good intentions or so the saying goes.

In any event, Gill is pushed out of power and becomes a drugged figurehead and a really mean Nazi (Melakon) takes charge. Fortunately for the planets Ekos and Zeon (yep!), Kirk and friends arrive in the nick of time to solve the Nazi excesses and the unfolding extermination of Zeons. 

Which brings us back to our two leaders. As you've surely surmised, Exhibit A is our very own President Biden who to my knowledge has never donned a swastika; Exhibit is David Brian as John Gill/The Fuehrer. 

It would however require a toxicology report to know who was/is more drugged. 

KIRK: Is there anything you do?

MCCOY: I can give him a general stimulant, but it would be risky.

KIRK: Take the risk. ... 

ISAK: There's no reaction. Whatever you gave him isn't working.

KIRK: Bones, increase the dosage.

It's good to know that pharmacology has become much more of a science since the 1960s.