For most of us, the ‘90s were years that tried a patriot’s soul.

Many of the "Harrys" on the other end of a government .357 magnum really were "Dirty." Not that bureaus like the FBI and BATF limited themselves to service revolvers. No, we were treated to scenes of government snipers at Ruby Ridge with high-powered deer rifles blowing apart the skull of a helpless mother. And, of course, the Waco images of tanks, helicopters and blazing buildings that burned themselves deep into our memories.

While one could argue the merits of the government case against each of those it indicted, one common thread became painfully obvious.

Uncle Sam got an attitude. He decided to swap roles…from peacemaker to undertaker… from sheriff to judge, jury and executioner.

Now, it seems the BATF is up to its old tricks.

Not that their latest victim, Carl Wilson of Conway, Arkansas, was a saint. Far from it.

The man admitted to selling liquid explosives to one woman in 1982. That same year, Wilson "accidentally" killed a man in another room when his gun went off by mistake.

Wilson did face battery charges after his wife was shot in 1988. Five years later he was a suspect in the shooting death of a Little Rock man but Wilson was not arrested in that case.

That said, the death of Carl Wilson at the hands of the BATF and local SWAT team members leaves us with more questions than answers. Authorities claimed they were looking for a .30-30 deer rifle and ammo when they burst into his home at 6:30 a.m., on a Friday morning in January, 2001.

Authorities say Wilson was shot after he opened fire on them, slightly injuring two local lawmen, and that he knew they were officers.

Relatives of the man claim he did not know they were officers and that he was shot through the outside wall of his home while he was in bed. They claim the only blood to be found in the home was on the mattress.

One background article claimed that Wilson had a personal feud going with one of the ATF agents and that was what led to the raid and the shooting.

Wilson’s family can take comfort in the fact that he had an apparent change of heart in recent years…that he had become more introspective, started attending church, enjoyed playing dominoes with relatives.

That’s all gone now, and Wilson’s widow, Tammy, wonders why.

So do we.

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