Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 112
Terrorism
Phases of Conditioning
Psychologist Anthony Stahelski defines ―five phases of social psychological conditioning in
the making of a terrorist. Depluralization: The stripping away of all other group member
identities. Self-deindividuation: The stripping away of each member‘s personal identity.
Other deindividuation: Stripping away the personal identities of enemies. Dehumanization:
Identifying enemies as subhuman or nonhuman. Demonization: Identifying enemies as evil.
The author discusses these phases in ―Terrorists are made, Not Born,‖ Anthony Stahelski,
Ph.D., Journal of Homeland Security, March, 2004. (FAIR News, February, 2005)
Marcus Wesson
“Cult-Like” Figure
A prosecutor in the Fresno, CA, trial of Marcus Wesson, who allegedly murdered nine
family members last year during the course of a child custody dispute, says Wesson lived a
life of incest and polygamy and admired David Koresh, late leader of the Branch
Davidians. She said he was a ―cult-like‖ leader who beat family members with a stick or
baseball bat and held bible study sessions three times a day, some at 1:00 am. (Joreme
Barut-Phillips, Reuters, Internet, 3/4/05)
How He Controlled Family
Ruby Ortiz, testifying at the trial of Marcus Wesson, accused of murdering nine members
of his family, says she was happy when she married him at the age of 13, but that he
eventually became cruel and jealous, isolated his children from the outside world, believed
he was Jesus Christ, and beat them with a baseball bat if they disobeyed him or didn‘t learn
their Bible lessons.
The prosecution argues that Wesson controlled his children partly through ―sex and
rejection,‖ and made a murder-suicide pact with them to be invoked if authorities came to
break up the family. In 1999, while Wesson was away from home, the women in the group
saw a suspicious car outside. They took out the suicide notes he had induced them to sign,
as well as the guns and poison to do the job. But after praying, they decided to call Wesson,
who said not to act. It is alleged that the plan was eventually carried out, resulting in the
deaths for which Wesson is now being tried. The prosecution is based on the legal doctrine
of aiding and abetting, which says that the defendant is guilty of murder if he instigates,
encourages, or promotes the deaths.
Ortiz says Wesson used the Bible to persuade his daughters and children to marry him and
bear his children. He told them, she reports, ―God‘s people are becoming extinct. We need
to preserve God‘s children. We need to have more children for the Lord.‖ Wesson, added
Ortiz, who is now 22, was fascinated by Branch Davidian leader David Koresh, who had
multiple wives and many children. (Pablo Lopez, Fresno Bee, Internet, 3/11 and 3/16/05)
Son Says Father is Insane
The son of accused mass murderer Marcus Wesson has told a trial court that his father is
insane. In a conversation recorded by authorities, Wesson reportedly told his family: ―The
Lord has me mentally hooked up to you guys 24-hours a day. Whatever I think goes to you
spiritually.‖ He also says he‘s in jail so that he can lose weight — the grossly overweight
Wesson appears to have lost half his body weight during his year in jail. (Pablo Lopez,
Fresno Bee, Internet, 3/22/05)
Terrorism
Phases of Conditioning
Psychologist Anthony Stahelski defines ―five phases of social psychological conditioning in
the making of a terrorist. Depluralization: The stripping away of all other group member
identities. Self-deindividuation: The stripping away of each member‘s personal identity.
Other deindividuation: Stripping away the personal identities of enemies. Dehumanization:
Identifying enemies as subhuman or nonhuman. Demonization: Identifying enemies as evil.
The author discusses these phases in ―Terrorists are made, Not Born,‖ Anthony Stahelski,
Ph.D., Journal of Homeland Security, March, 2004. (FAIR News, February, 2005)
Marcus Wesson
“Cult-Like” Figure
A prosecutor in the Fresno, CA, trial of Marcus Wesson, who allegedly murdered nine
family members last year during the course of a child custody dispute, says Wesson lived a
life of incest and polygamy and admired David Koresh, late leader of the Branch
Davidians. She said he was a ―cult-like‖ leader who beat family members with a stick or
baseball bat and held bible study sessions three times a day, some at 1:00 am. (Joreme
Barut-Phillips, Reuters, Internet, 3/4/05)
How He Controlled Family
Ruby Ortiz, testifying at the trial of Marcus Wesson, accused of murdering nine members
of his family, says she was happy when she married him at the age of 13, but that he
eventually became cruel and jealous, isolated his children from the outside world, believed
he was Jesus Christ, and beat them with a baseball bat if they disobeyed him or didn‘t learn
their Bible lessons.
The prosecution argues that Wesson controlled his children partly through ―sex and
rejection,‖ and made a murder-suicide pact with them to be invoked if authorities came to
break up the family. In 1999, while Wesson was away from home, the women in the group
saw a suspicious car outside. They took out the suicide notes he had induced them to sign,
as well as the guns and poison to do the job. But after praying, they decided to call Wesson,
who said not to act. It is alleged that the plan was eventually carried out, resulting in the
deaths for which Wesson is now being tried. The prosecution is based on the legal doctrine
of aiding and abetting, which says that the defendant is guilty of murder if he instigates,
encourages, or promotes the deaths.
Ortiz says Wesson used the Bible to persuade his daughters and children to marry him and
bear his children. He told them, she reports, ―God‘s people are becoming extinct. We need
to preserve God‘s children. We need to have more children for the Lord.‖ Wesson, added
Ortiz, who is now 22, was fascinated by Branch Davidian leader David Koresh, who had
multiple wives and many children. (Pablo Lopez, Fresno Bee, Internet, 3/11 and 3/16/05)
Son Says Father is Insane
The son of accused mass murderer Marcus Wesson has told a trial court that his father is
insane. In a conversation recorded by authorities, Wesson reportedly told his family: ―The
Lord has me mentally hooked up to you guys 24-hours a day. Whatever I think goes to you
spiritually.‖ He also says he‘s in jail so that he can lose weight — the grossly overweight
Wesson appears to have lost half his body weight during his year in jail. (Pablo Lopez,
Fresno Bee, Internet, 3/22/05)
