Monday, April 19, 2010

Fading Memories: 15 Years After the Oklahoma City Bombing

For some people, the terrorist attack in the nation's heartland killing 168 people and wounding hundreds more at the Murrah federal office building in Oklahoma City still stings as though it happened yesterday. For others, it is merely a footnote to history.

It was on this day 15 years ago that one of the nation's worst terror attacks (and worst up until the 9/11 attacks) occurred when a group of domestic terrorists led by Timmothy McVeigh blew up a massive truck bomb outside the office building, causing a partial collapse. Among those killed were more than 24 children under the age of six who were at a day care facility near the epicenter of the bomb blast.

McVeigh and Terry Nichols were homegrown fanatics who were angered by the government's actions in Waco, and planned his attack to coincide with the anniversary of the end of the Waco siege.

There are commemorations today at the site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and yet another look around the political landscape today shows that the more things change, the more they are the same. There is still quite a bit of anti-government extremism (see the Hutaree), and the rhetoric continues to be ratcheted up against the Obama Administration.

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