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Commercializing the Oklahoma City Bombing

By Jeralyn

Some of you undoubtedly are watching the McVeigh Tapes tonight on MSNBC. They will have a computer generated character, who in their view bears a physical resemblance to Timothy McVeigh, so you have something to look at as they play the audio of tapes made during interviews he granted to the two reporters who wrote the book, American Terrorist.

Since I was one of McVeigh's trial lawyers, I obviously have my own opinions about why he chose to speak to the reporters and what his objectives were -- and how much of what he told them was accurate.

The reason I doubt I'll like Maddow's show is the attempt to politicize it and tie McVeigh to current times and the anti-government feelings some are expressing. There is no connection. And it's long past time to put the conspiracy theories to rest. [More...]

The Clinton Administration unnecessarily politicized the Oklahoma City bombing. On the eve of its first anniversary, Congress passed the dreadful Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. I take a walk back through 1996 here.

McVeigh wasn't in a militia. He didn't have middle-eastern connections. He was obsessed with Waco. He was angry about Ruby Ridge. He was anti-federal government. He had problems adjusting after he returned from the first Iraq war. He liked guns. And no, he didn't know there was a day care facility in the Murrah Building. End of story, really.

In McVeigh's last letter to me, about a month before his execution, he thanked me for setting the record straight on cable news shows and told me to do so any time. I really haven't had much reason to, since his execution. The other day I got a call from Daily Beast political writer John Avlon who asked me for my thoughts for his article today, Today's Holiday of Hate, about April 19th, which is not only the anniversary of the OKC bombing but also of Waco, the execution of Richard Snell and of course, Lexington/Concord. He sums my thoughts up pretty well:

....Timothy McVeigh's one-time defense lawyer, Jeralyn E. Merritt, cautions against making connections today's militia movements and McVeigh, telling me "I don't think there will be a repeat based on the same events or factors that influenced McVeigh. He was pretty unique."

Liberals are shooting themselves in the foot if they think they can may hay with connecting McVeigh to current times. What they will get is more anti-terror laws that we don't need, more government surveillance and less freedom -- and it won't make the country one bit safer.

Our civil liberties must be assiduously protected. Once they start to slip, they go quickly. Once we remove them for one group, it becomes easier to do it for the next group. Once we begin making exceptions for catastrophic events, the exceptions will become the rule.

Feel free to comment on the show, but keep in mind, if you personally attack McVeigh or call him names (as opposed to criticizing what he did or disagreeing with his views, which is allowed) your comment will be deleted. He may have been the most hated man in America, but he was my client. I represented him with pride and dedication. I even liked him. He was articulate, smart and he had a sense of humor.

The Oklahoma City Bombing was a tragic, horrible event. Timothy McVeigh paid dearly for it, as he always knew he would, with his life.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of Columbine. As usual, it's being used to press Congress for stricter gun laws.

Anniversaries should be an occasion to reflect on an event. Instead, they are being used to advance particular agendas. That's a shame.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on April 19, 2010 (boomark / email).