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Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge: The Truth and Tragedy of the Randy Weaver Family | Jess Walter
16 posts | 6 read | 21 to read
On the last hot day of summer in 1992, gunfire cracked over a rocky knob in northern Idaho, just south of the Canadian border. By the next day three people were dead, and a small war was joined, pitting the full might of federal law enforcement against one well-armed family. Drawing on extensive interviews with Randy Weaver's family, government insiders, and others, Jess Walter traces the paths that led the Weavers to their confrontation with federal agents and led the government to treat a family like a gang of criminals. This is the story of what happened on Ruby Ridge: the tragic and unlikely series of events that destroyed a family, brought down the number-two man in the FBI, and left in its wake a nation increasingly attuned to the dangers of unchecked federal power.
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blurb
Lizpixie
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While I‘m still waking up & not reading yet, I thought I‘d do my #TopReadsOf2019 This one is my #TopTenNFReadsOf2019 No1 is Ruby Ridge by Jess Walters, 2. Midnight In Chernobyl. 3. Five Days At Memorial. 4. Dead wake. 5. Chernobyl:History of a Tragedy. 6. Devil In The White City. 7. Holloway. 8. Bad Blood:Secrets & Lies In A Silicon Valley Startup. 9. A Mothers Reckoning & 10. The Arsonist. It was a great year for NonFiction!

Cinfhen Great reads!!! I‘ll have to add the ones im not familiar with ❤️ 5y
Suet624 Took a photo because based on ones I‘ve already read it‘s clear we like the same type of nonfiction. 5y
46 likes2 comments
review
Lizpixie
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Pickpick

I‘d only heard of Ruby Ridge as being one of the catalysts,along with Waco, of McVeighs bombing in Oklahoma. But I didn‘t know any of the details until watching a doc on PayTV, which led me to this book. I feel frustrated & angry on finishing this,at the stupidity shown by the Weavers, but mostly at agencies that felt above reproach. Both ended in the deaths of two people. What a waste. #Booked2019 #RelatedToAPodcast #NonFiction2019 #LitsyAtoZ2019

Cinfhen Excellent review!! I‘m intrigued 6y
RJHowe An intriguing incident that changed the way the federal agencies negotiate 6y
65 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Lizpixie
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“It‘s a bullet from Cooper‘s gun” Sprungl said “and it‘s conclusive.”

Five years after the shooting, after the US Marshall‘s involved told story after story about how they didn‘t do it, Cooper at one point, during the Government inquiry into Sam & Vicki‘s deaths, even accused Randy of the shot in Samuels back that killed him, finally there was proof that the bullet came from Coopers gun.

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Lizpixie
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I don‘t think we‘ll ever know the whole truth of what happened in that clearing.

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Lizpixie
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“You bastards!” Vicki yelled. And then there was another shot.

The moment an FBI sniper shoots an unarmed woman with a baby in her arms. I realise the Weavers were mostly to blame for the circumstances that led to the stand off. But when armed government agents have shoot to kill orders on their own citizens, this is the kind of mistake that happens.

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Lizpixie
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“revising the FBI‘s rules of engagement-which stipulated that agents could fire only if someone‘s life was in danger- to allow snipers to shoot at the Weavers without provocation.”
This is after the agents have shot Sam Weavers dog, which provoked him to fire at them, after they‘ve shot and killed a 14yr old boy. After shooting that boy in the back(found by autopsy)After claiming the agent shot fired no rounds, though 7 were gone from his weapon.

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Lizpixie
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I went to stop the clock for a rest break & realised I‘ve already hit just over 24hrs! With 12hrs to go!! Awesome💃🏻 I probably have an advantage over most coz my kids are grown & I‘m pretty much housebound with a library to disappear into & not be disturbed. Still not stopping though, if you guys are here, I‘ll be here. Plus, I‘ve got to finish this book! And the next one... #24in48 #readathon #readingmachine🤖

DGRachel That‘s awesome! Congrats!! 6y
Worldforreading Fantastic, congrats 🎉 6y
PurpleyPumpkin Excellent! Congrats!🎉 6y
See All 9 Comments
Cinfhen Congrats 🎉🍾🎈 6y
Kalalalatja You freaking go Liz, you reading champ 🙌🙌🙌 6y
JazzFeathers 👏👏👏🎊🎊🎉🎉 Yayyyy!!! 6y
mrp27 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Lizpixie @DGRachel @Worldforreading @PurpleyPumpkin @Cinfhen @Kalalalatja @JazzFeathers @mrp27 thanks guys!🙏 I freaking love this readathon so much, the Dewey‘s 24hr is a lot harder, at least with this one you can get some sleep! I‘ve got about another hour in me before I go nigh nights for a few hours before finishing strong up the home stretch. It is a PB for me in both time to get 24hrs & number of books read😎 6y
hes7 Yay! 🎉 6y
62 likes9 comments
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Lizpixie
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Still going strong with this enthralling non fiction about the standoff between a family of armed Christian survivalists & the FBI in 1992. It ended 11 days later with 3 people dead, including a teenage boy & his mother. I watched the PBS doc a few weeks ago & thought there was more to be told than was on the tv. Hoping to finish this before the end of the #24in48 #readathon #NonFiction2019 #SomethingWithPolitics #Booked2019 #RelatedToAPodcast

Cinfhen Nice choice!! I think this standoff was referenced in the memoir Educated! I briefly recall the episode. Fascinating (edited) 6y
71 likes1 comment
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Lizpixie
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Ended up going back to #Bk3, a non fiction about Ruby Ridge. It‘s very good, the author has covered everything, from Vicky‘s childhood, how she met Randy & how they became convinced Armageddon was coming & ran to the Idaho Mountains. It‘s also about how those in power can get arrogant & believe the end justifies the means. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. #24in48 #readathon #NonFiction2019 #SomethingWithPolitics

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘ve read a bit about it in another book, very interesting. That book was 6y
63 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Lizpixie
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Can‘t keep my eyes open any longer, it‘s 7.15am Sunday here, so will listen to an audiobook before a few hrs sleep. Loving this book so far, very in depth look at the Weaver family. Night all!🙋🏻‍♀️. #24in48 #readathon

Reviewsbylola I remember learning about this case in Educated. Stacking! 6y
Kaye Really good book ! 6y
PurpleyPumpkin Great job on your reading time so far!👏🏽 6y
Tamra I remember this being a total disaster on feds part. 6y
60 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Lizpixie
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It‘s 3.30am here in Sydney, I‘m on Bk3 1/2way thru Hr12 and starting to flag a bit, so I‘m having a quick rest break with chamomile honey & vanilla tea plus some Salted Caramel with Hazelnuts ice cream. It was a scorcher today with over 42C so a perfect time to bunker down in the aircon & read. So far, the tagged book is really good, it‘s full of facts but written well so it‘s a fascinating read about a tragic subject. #24in48 #readathon

PurpleyPumpkin Well done you!👍🏽 6y
54 likes1 comment
review
cathysaid
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Pickpick

Wow...the ATF and FBI do not come out looking good in this one. But to be fair, with the lack of communication and professional ethics combined with religious extremism and mental illness, the result was inevitable. It's no surprise that the tragedies of Waco/Branch Davidians, Elian Gonzalez and the OKC bombing soon followed. This book discusses the Weaver family history, the shootout, and the legal aftermath. Fascinating. #nonfiction

Kaye Quite an interesting book, isn‘t it? Reminded me so much of the Waco situation. I keep thinking there should have been an easier way to take down the main man in both situations. The rest of the people would have crumbled without their “leader” . I think there were lots of needless deaths in both cases. 7y
cathysaid @Kaye Yes, there are many common themes with Waco. I don't understand why they resorted to brute force in both cases. Why not keep trying to infiltrate? In both cases, radical religious views played a huge part. Combatting such situations with fire power doesn't seem the most logical answer. Sad situations. 7y
Kaye I think they admitted to making mistakes,especially with Waco. There were innocent people in there that were preyed upon by someone who knew they were in a vulnerable place in life, and they needed guidance. With Waco, Koresh went into town on occasion. They could have taken him then. He may have been killed, but the others would have probably given in without him there any longer. Ruby Ridge would have been more difficult. Poor handling in both. 7y
30 likes1 stack add3 comments
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cathysaid
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This sh*t is bananas......B-A-N-A-N-A-S!!! On almost every page, there's a new fringe religious group mentioned. But yeah, let's focus on refugees and Muslims, and ignore the fact we have homegrown terrorists protected by "religious freedom" right here in the US. ?

For instance, here's some of the nutty beliefs: http://www.thechristianidentityforum.net/downloads/Verboten.pdf

28 likes1 stack add
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cathysaid
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Wow. I thought I knew most of the details surrounding this tragedy, but it turns out I knew very little. Such a level of religious fanaticism combined with delusional thinking created a powder keg that only needed a spark. Fascinating and terrifying. #nonfiction

bibliophagist89 Wow I haven't heard the story about this but reading the blurb and your comments make it sound so interesting! Unfortunately it's based on real-life experiences but it sure does sound like a fascinating read. 7y
34 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Pesty1079
Every Knee Shall Bow | Jess Walter
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Watched the Oklahoma City documentary and now falling down this oddly timely rabbit hole.