Last Tuesday, December 30, I had the opportunity to interview Dick J. Reavis in his office on the campus of North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, NC. This was the third time that I've had the pleasure of spending time with Dick and discussing Waco (as well as a variety of other topics) but the first time I've had to officially interview him. From the time I started processing his papers, over three years ago, to the current grant project, he has been very helpful and forthcoming with information, and this occasion was no exception.
My visit was over the winter break, so the NC State campus was quiet and almost empty. We ate lunch at El Rodeo, a Mexican place across the street from campus, and talked a lot about Dick's planned book on day laborers in America. After that we walked over to his office in the English building and started the interview. I started the interview asking him to talk about where he was at the time of the siege, and he took it from there, providing valuable insight into the press' involvement (or un-involvement) with the Branch Davidians, and sharing his personal experiences, from the time of the Feb. 28 raid up to his testimony before Congress over two years later, as the book was about to be published.
Dick also shared his thoughts on the Constitutionalists and other right-wing groups he had an unlikely involvement with at the time. He talked about the government's behavior at Mt. Carmel and what they seem to have learned from it, regardless of whether they ever admit that their approach was wrong. And he gave the incident historical, international, and current-event context that was very engaging for me as a listener and an interviewer.
After over three hours, we shut the recorder off and called it a day, not being out of topics to discuss but out of time to discuss them. The plan now is to get the interview transcribed by a student in late January and select portions to post on the blog as well as the online exhibit. I am hoping this will be the first of at least two interviews with Reavis, the second one taking place after the exhibit goes up and being about specific materials we have on display.
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