Federal Building In Oklahoma City example essay topic

1,079 words
Timothy McVeigh said that the Federal Building in Oklahoma City was chosen as a target because it housed so many government offices and because it was more architecturally vulnerable than other federal buildings. McVeigh has also said he did not know there was a day care center in the building and was surprised when he learned from newspapers that children had died in the bombing, according to these two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. (Source: web) Group Responsible Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were indicted and convicted for the bombing. McVeigh has been charged with the bombing by the Justice Department.

Nichols surrendered voluntarily in Herrington, Kansas, the day after the explosion. He was charged with the bombing May 10. His brother, James Nichols has been charged with conspiracy. He and his brother allegedly aided McVeigh in the plot. (Source: web) Target, When, Where, and How Attacked The Oklahoma City Bombing took place on April 19, 1995 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma City's, killing 168 people and injuring more than 500...

An apparent terrorist car bomb exploded outside Alfred P. Murray Federal Building collapsing the north face of the nine-story concrete building, injuring hundreds of workers, and killing at least 31, including 12 children who attended a day-care center on the second floor. Local officials said they feared that the toll would rise quickly because by early evening more than half of the estimated 550 people who worked in the building were still unaccounted for. (Sources: web; web web) Goal The people who have talked with McVeigh said he had been motivated by anger at the federal government's actions in the 1993 raid on the Branch David ian compound near Waco, Texas, and the 1992 killing of the wife and son of a white supremacist, Randy Weaver, during federal agents's i ege of the Weaver family's home in Idaho. He was also motivated by a more general hostility toward the government, a sentiment that seemed to take shape toward the end of his years in the Army and might have been fueled by his inability to get a well-paying job when he left the military at the end of 1991. "There's nothing in particular, one certain event, that happens to set off this extreme anger or resentment to the system", said one of the people who has talked with him. "It is a growing resentment for the people running the government".

As a result, they said, McVeigh explained that the bombing had not been specifically directed at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, some of whose agents in Oklahoma City participated in the government's siege at Waco. Rather, the purpose of the bombing was to make targets of as many federal agencies as possible, according to those who have talked with McVeigh. (Source: web) Affect The bombing put a spotlight on groups with anti-government sentiments. Economy: Government records were released indicating a total of $15.1 million was spent defending Timothy McVeigh.

(Source: web) Culture and Politics: Foreign analysts commented extensively on the apprehension of right-wing militant Americans as suspects in the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City and President Clinton's rapid marshaling of the resources of the federal government to aid the victims and pursue the investigation. Opinion makers continued to warn that all societies -- including democratic ones -- are vulnerable to acts of terrorism, and that the fundamental question facing American leaders is how to fend off attacks on their open, freedom-loving society without overreacting. Echoing a troubling theme among many commentators, Bangkok's English-language, independent Nation observed, "For America, where the debate about individual rights, and in particular the right to bear arms, has always been fiercely fought, a new look needs to be taken when the right to free speech and association begins to impinge on the common citizen's right to be free of fear". In light of the arrests of the American suspects, many observers moved from earlier speculations on what organization or persons could have committed the bombing and reflections on U.S. foreign policy to commentary on the current direction of U.S. society. There were many critics who raised questions about the hard-right wave sweeping the U.S. and the various fora in which the right-wing message is conveyed. Several media voices blamed right-wing talk show hosts for fomenting an atmosphere of hate and intolerance in America, and asked if these radio personalities were not morally guilty of encouraging anti-government extremists.

Many media outlets praised President and Mrs. Clinton for their handling of the situation. A number of papers declared that the president now had restored his leadership role and "relevance". London's conservative Times noted, "From the moment the bomb went off, Americans looked to (Mr. Clinton), not to Newt Gingrich or Robert Dole, to rally the nation and articulate their anger and grief". Commentators in Muslim countries were relieved at the revelation that their coreligionists appear not to have been involved in the attack. They lauded President Clinton's efforts to avoid accusing any group without clear evidence. Many, however, expressed anger and resentment at the American press, which had so quickly pointed a finger their way.

Several dailies charged that the Western press is an instrument of Zionists who -- seeking to advance the goals and policies of Israel -- take every opportunity to fan the flames of anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. There were many editorialists who were hopeful that democratic and civilized countries would be strengthened and galvanized as they seek to deal with the scourge of terrorism. Writers were convinced that the underlying principles of democracy -- including transparency and justice -- were the greatest weapons of all to remedy the barbarism and savagery of terrorism. (Source: web) America's Response Timothy McVeigh was convicted of the terrorist crime and sentenced to death which was carried out on June 11, 2001. Terry Nichols was convicted of manslaughter and of conspiring with Timothy McVeigh. He received a life sentence in prison for his actions in this horrific crime. (Source: web) According to the title of the article, the Oklahoma City Bombing was the worst terrorist attack on American soil at this time.

(Source: web) Sites Used web web web web web web web web web web web web web web web.