Another Waco Waiting To Happen

Yisrayl Hawkins born "Buffalo Bill Hawkins", has been preaching his brand of fire and brimstone religion in the conservative Abilene, Texas where he started the "House of Yahweh." That was almost three decades ago.

The church which boasts 550 area members and reaches 1000's through satellite broadcasts, funded by stiff tithes collected in advance of Old Testament style feasts. The feasts can last up to 8 days and draw thousands, include sermons, entertainment and drinking around campfires.

The road leading to the compound is lined with barbed wire fences and mesquite trees, is filled with ramshakle mobile homes is a dusty dirt road leading to "no trespassing " signs. The House of Yahweh, has rejected the ways of the worls and are awaiting the end of time.

Watch towers that look like deer blinds with windows are built along the road atop houses. All along County Road 254, South of Clyde Texas, about 10 miles east of Abilene, guards cruise along the road leading up to the compound. The Sect's holdings include 600 acres, a huge meeting hall. meat packing facility, cannery, underground bunkers and trailers stocked with supplies for the aftermath of a nuclear meltdown forecasted by Hawkins.

The "House of Yahweh" is a fire and brimstone church and Armageddon type preaching. But below the compounds scary exterior are other more serious concerns.

Allegations of polygamy, an elder convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a child last year, and last month Hawkins pleaded guilty to 4 misdemeanor charges of violations of the child labor law.

Margo Hawkins, the daughter of Yisrayl Hawkins, is now 36 and left the sect in 1996 after her husband was pushed to take a second wife. "The feast is basuically 8 days of brainwashing." They think they have found heaven on earth but it is the worst "Cult" on earth.

The sect sparked more curiosity in the 90's when hundereds od members changed their names to "Hawkins". In December 2008 one of the renamed members, Yedidiyah Hawkins was sentenced to 30 years in prison for molesting his 11 year old step-daughter. In 2003 the death of a 7 year old girl after the mother and another woman performed surgery  on her leg brought about more questions.

In 2008, Callahan District Attorney, Shane Deel charged Yisrayl Hawkins with four counts of promoting bigamy, and with child labor law violations. It was supposed to be a test of the Texas Law against polygamy, which the Legislature passed in 2005 and made it a felony. What actually happened is the case was turned into a test of a small towns ability to prosecute a high profile defendant. The trial was moved to Parker County, 100 miles away.

Parker county decided that despite a mountain of evidence, it could not justify spending $30,000.00 dollars on a case with an uncertain outcome. On October 29th the 4 counts of bigamy were dismissed and Hawkins pleaded guilty to child labor law violations and paid $8000.00 in fines and 15 months probation for each violation.

The District Attorney agrees that dropping the felony charges was a setback, but he has no regrets about pursuing the case. "You have try and address it someway."

I don't know if you have heard of Waco and David Koresh. But this sounds an awful lot like the same senario. A cult, underground bunkers, child molestation...etc. In Waco many died and 39 of them children. This happened because things were ignored until they became critical. The ATF then began a month long stand off with the sect leader. It ended with a fiery finale of those whose life it cost. Both ATF agents and sect members. I don't particulary suffer for the adults, they had a choice to come out and chose not to, but the children were innocent victims, already victimized and raped by the sect, they now became victims of the government.

A "setback" ? When you have proof that a child or children are in danger and you are willing to risk their lives to save $30,000.00 dollars then that does not say much for the State you are representing. The thought of childrens lives being priced at $30,000.00 dollars makes me sick to my stomach. I usually do not agree with Texas politics but this is a SHAME on the state and the politicians who allow it to continue.

When this escalates to another Waco, what will we tell the world? The blame is on the sect, they refused to let them come out. NO TEXAS... the blame lies solidly on our shoulders for not enforcing the lawas that are passed.

This is why our laws are not a deterrant, they are a joke to the offender, because they  know they will not be enforced. How many children have to be abused and violated before we have the guts to do what is right???