Nature
Vs Nurture
Oklahoma City Bombing
The Oklahoma City Bombing was committed by Timothy McVeigh, who parked his car in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. His car was actually a bomb, made up of fertilizer, diesel fuel, and other toxic chemicals. As he got into another getaway car, he detonated the bomb at approximately 9:00 A.M. The bomb was devastating, killing 168 people (19 kids), and injuring hundreds more1. Following a thourough investigation, police found a vehicle identification number in the rubble that led to a body shop, which in turn led them to find that McVeigh had rented the detonated van. It did not take long to find him; he had been arrested only 90 minutes after the bombing for driving without a license plate and carrying a concealed weapon. The evidence quickly added up; police found chemicals on his clothes, suspicious notes, and soon realized that another man- Terry Nichols- had been in on the plot. Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to death and died in 2001. His coconspirator was sentenced to life in prison. Before 9/11, the Oklahoma City Bombing was the worst terrorist act to occur on U.S
soil 2.
Background
Reaction
The United States reacted strongly to this event; it is considered the worst homegrown act of terrorism to take place in the U.S. The location it occurred- in the center of the United States; the "Heartland"- was also significant. As a result, the effects of the bombing were felt well beyond the borders of Oklahoma. People began to call on the federal government to play a larger role in responding to these kind of violent events, as evident in the new pieces of legislation that were passed shortly after the attack, such as the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA)3. This legislation was passed to deter terrorism, provide relief to victims, and find an effective death penalty4. The U.S. also responded by adding some 500 FBI agents to investigate future domestic terrorist threats. Standards about the way in which federal buildings were to be constructed were also modified so as to prevent the cataclysmic damages such as those that occurred in 1995. Federal security around these buildings was also increased following the bombing5. Also, people came to integrate new behaviors into their daily lives following the attack, becoming more wary and careful.
Motive
It is said that Timothy McVeigh had developed a passion for guns in his youth; he believed the Cold War with the Soviet Union was likely to turn violent and so he wanted to be able to protect himself. He later joined the U.S. Army and served in the Persian Gulf War alongside Terry Nichols. After he returned home, he grew suspicious about the United States government, even more so after Bill Clinton was elected on a platform that aimed for gun control. McVeigh and Nichols were further radicalized after such events as Waco and bombings of government buildings in countries such as Serbia and Iran6. They came to view the government as a violent force that needed to be taught a lesson; in essence, the bombing was in retaliation for the government's wrongdoings7.