Saturday
we buried Tom Crosslin. 550 people
showed up for his funeral, and it became a rallying point for pushing PRA
through, for demanding the truth about this affair, which has the stench of
"Waco done better", and for demanding that this kind of action
against Americans STOP. Tom and Rollie
died for our freedom, more surely than any brave American soldier fighting on
foreign soil. Their spirit is indeed
libertarian-please take a moment to remember, salute, pray for them.
The implication
of why they died is frightening for Libertarians to contemplate. It appears that, to paraphrase Clausewicz,
this is just "Politics by Other Means", i.e., war. Democrats and
Republicans might be able to adjust to a reality where one's political
opposition may simply be assassinated, but Libertarians never can.
Here is
my case.
Every
thing indicates that this was a political asassination. It was a slegehammer-like trap set up from
the beginning, and then it was executed in such secrecy so no one could ever
know what happened. Then it was covered
up, and the print and TV media were used to help.
1a) The way it went down, it was set up by
Dist. Attorney Teter, who called a press conference Friday, August 31, to say
on TV that when Crosslin showed up for his court date that afternoon he would
face immediate incarceration for 30 years, and his campground forfeited. What's wrong with this picture? So-big surprise--Crosslin doesn't
go--instead burns his own buildings.
The
sheriff, Underwood, in his press release, claims "an anonymous
tipster" called to announce that the fires were set "in order to
ambush law enforcement". This, and other statements in Underwood's
original press release appear to be highly questionable and self-serving. Why is a man burning his own buildings seen
as such a threat? Normally, a bench
warrant is issued when a defendant fails to appear, it's not that big a deal to
justify every sheriff in the county rushing in to literally point guns at all
the neighbors to make them evacuate, declaring such a statewide emergency that
scores of additional state troopers and SWAT teams are sent in , and a local
school commandeered to be the "command post". (And we're just getting started). All of that happened in well under 24 hours,
which tells us the whole thing was contrived as a trap for Crosslin.
But they
had to do something to silence this guy who had promoted the legalization of
marijuana. He had been a thorn in
Teter's--and I dare say Gov. Engler's-- side for years. You can't just have someone saying THAT.
1b) Now-the trap is sealed shut, for an area
of at least 3/4 mile to the east and 2 miles to the west. All neighbors out of the area-and at
gunpoint-mind you; all roads blocked, naturally, and no one is able to get
through the woods, through the corn fields, or across the lake. Boats and jet skis patrol to make sure no
one swims across. Three neighbors or
friends try to get in to help Crosslin.
They are all stopped at gunpoint and told to get out. Mysteriously, the young Mr. Peoples gets in
through this cordon. For what reason he goes is unclear. Even more mysterious,
no one knows who Peoples is. Crosslin's
family doesn't. But Peoples will be the
only one to survive.
No press
or outside observer can see what is happening inside the cordon, and none are
permitted in. One Detroit Free Press
reporter will try, Monday or Tuesday, and will get beat up for his
trouble.
A news
helicopter reports being shot in the tail boom. WHDU shows a picture of a hole about 3/4 inch diameter, too large
for a rifle bullet on entry. Is this
the entry or the exit hole? Not
explained. Was it a shotgun that made
this? If so, the chopper would have to
be exceeedingly low.
Within
another 12-18 hours, Sunday, an Air Force A-10 attack plane, capable of
napalming all of Vandalia, arrives at a nearby airstrip. However, this attack type is NOT capable of
using precision laser-guided weapons.
Also, an Army Kiowa scout helicopter, apparently armed with an anti-tank
weapon. Armored personnel carriers,
SWAT teams in their armored trucks, an armored ram vehicle, and a bomb disposal
truck all appear, along with the FBI.
1c)Everyone, it seems, on Monday is trying
to get successful mediation to this crisis.
Reports claim that Crosslin won't talk to his attorney, but a neighbor
convinces Crosslin's family that another attorney, a good constitutional
lawyer, can bring the armed buildup to a halt, and pull back to gain time. Then Crosslin would have time to think, talk
to the lawyer, and hopefully get a resolution that would let him keep his
farm. No one knows what has really
happened in there up to this time.
Shots have been fired, but we don't know by whom. A news helicopter sports a large hole in its
tail boom, but we don't know if it was shot by Crosslin or by someone else, or
if it was flying below its authorized minimum altitude. At any rate, no one is hurt-yet.
2) By
Monday evening, Tom Crosslin is dead.
Accounts vary, and at least one makes the point that Crosslin was not a
clear danger to the FBI agent who shot him.
No video is released, and no one can believe that there was no video
taken. But it seems that the reporters
are coached for some period of time by the FBI on what to print. A family member called the Free Press
reporter, who said he was busy for a while talking to "them". When presed for who "them" was, he
said; "the FBI". So it
appears that the FBI was coaching or grilling HIM, not the journalist
interviewing the FBI. Strange.
So I
conclude that substantial government force was used to prevent us from knowing
the truth.
Rollie is
shot and killed the next morning.
Again, the "Suicide by Cop"
account. Many, apparently including Rollie's lawyer, Dori Leo, doubt that.
Up until Monday, it seemed that everyone was looking for a mediator, yet
by three accounts a mediator was denied by the FBI. [Monday about noon Tom's
sister Shirley said she was not taken directly to see Tom when she suggested
the new lawyer, although her FBI contact liked the idea; Sheriff Underwood's
press release regarding Tom Crosslin stated that a mediator was denied; and
Rollie Rohm's stepfather, Mr. Livermore, says he was not allowed to speak to
his son). If so, that is diabolical
indeed. Those two were never meant to
get out alive. But remember, Vicki
Weaver (Ruby Ridge) was murdered as her husband returned from a
"negotiation", and the Branch Davidians found that most promises made
to them by their FBI mediators were not kept by the so-called "Hostage
Rescue Team".
3) The evidence is covered up. Bulldozed.
Removed.
We must
conclude that we have enough evidence to indicate an assassination with a
political motive, or murder, followed by coverup-obstruction of justice. The presumption of innocence applies to an
individual accused of a crime. I submit
that it does not apply to a powerful government agency that has shown the
ability to lie about crucial aspects in the past. The FBI must prove it is innocent.
James
Parker