I woke up this morning to the following headline: "Border reopens after shooting". There was a shooting on the American side of the San Ysidro border crossing with Mexico. The Associated Press article reports the details of the shooting as this:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents began following a black sport utility vehicle after somebody reported seeing it pick up suspected illegal immigrants near the U.S. side of the Otay Mesa border crossing, Lt. Kevin Rooney of San Diego Police Department said.
As traffic backed up near the border, the vehicle stopped on the shoulder. When agents approached, the suspect "began to drive off and he veered hard to the left, trying to get back in traffic," Rooney said. Two agents then opened fire, he said. [Emphasis added by me.]
I hope the Associated Press has the facts of the shooting wrong. Otherwise what we are hearing is that a man, who "somebody" reported picked up illegal aliens, was headed out of the United States and was killed for driving away from a traffic stop when officers approached. I am quite certain that standard operating procedure for most police officers in the United States is not to shoot and kill a driver when he/she flees a traffic stop. In the United States, my belief was, we do not shoot first and ask questions later.
I want to believe that this was a horrible accident and Customs and Border Protection will take swift action so these kinds of shootings do not take place again. I want to believe that the current political climate of "hate Mexicans first" did not contribute in any way to this shooting. My heart says to believe that the politics did not contribute to this killing but my eyes see President Bush at a photo opportunity at the Mexican Border yesterday in his new role as tough guy on border enforcement. My eyes watched as the United States Senate stoked the hatred by voting the make English the "national language".
Nearly five years after 9/11 the President and the Congress have suddenly discovered that our borders are not secure. They made this discovery just in time for the November elections and just as their approval in the polls is sinking like a stone. They are playing politics with a serious issue and feeding the racism and hatred of the far right. The politics being played by these shortsighted politicians will fade after the November elections but the hatred that has been given center stage is likely to eat away at our society for much longer. Thinking citizens need to step back and address the issues of border security and illegal immigration in an open and forthright manner, without the vitriol and blatant racism that is fueling the current debate. The nation of immigrants is in real danger of cannibalizing itself – the time to appeal to our judgment and our better angels is now.
When a nation looses its Soul to fear of “the other” it is entirely predictable that incidents like this occur. The full corrosive effects of our governments policies are begining to bear their bitter fruit. We can enjoy it or work to prune the diseased branches back so new healthy growth can take root.
I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker this morning. It involved Iran. As we talked, he began to think through the full implications of his position(s). Whether he changed his mind or not, I do not know. He did begin to think about it seriously which was a vast improvement over his initial sloganeering statements.
I think that this may be the most effective solution. Individual dialogue. I know it is slow, however it presents the issues in real terms that each person can relate to. When we are forced to explain our positions, we see them in detail as perhaps we never have. If your position in volves Tancredoisms, follow the logic to its full failure – 100’s of billions for ineffective fences, criminalizing existance, corruption on a grand scale.
When we see the issues on media, they are far to abstract and generally not designed for personal interaction. The interactions are where change and growth can happen. A personal relationship makes all the difference in a discussion of these issues. Make an effort to seek out “the other” whether it is a foreigner or a member of the opposition party. The discussions will be lively and entertaining. Who knows, you may strike a cord and change an opinion.
Mash, I have to say again, yours is the most enjoyable site I interact with. To all who comment, I thank you.
:)>-
okie, not completely, but somewhat related. i read on BBC, i cant find the link now, that the UK Immigration dept. had illegal nigerian immigrants working as a cleaning crew cleaning the chief dudes house…
HAA HAA HAA… imagine, the whitehouse janitorial or the congressional dustbin cleaners being illegal undocumented workers.. i would put money on it that it happens. i also want to know the status of nannies of congreesional households…
mash:”In the United States, my belief was, we do not shoot first and ask questions later.”
funny, because outside of the US, this is EXACTLY how US law enforcement is viewed. some years back when their was talk of equiping the british bobby with a gun on top of the truncheon, the worry was they would become trigger happy comme le americaines..
TedB., i fully 2nd 3rd and 4th your props for the Mash man’s site. i have been so disgusted by commentators, and even by some bloggers on so many forums, i now stick to reading tech and photography blogs so i dont tear my hair out. ignorance is rampant, atleast some people in the developing world have the excuse where they literally cannot read or write or have access to tv.radio and spend all day farming.
i have family in politics, and it has always disgusted me the pandering that goes on before election, i.e. frequent visits to constituency, photo-ops, the holding of babies, the shaking of hands, the opening of “?”/cuttingof ribbons (all a bunch of wankers, family or not).
for years i worked with law enforcement at county level, and was amazed at the level of intelligence, awareness, and knowledge these sheriffes dept guys.gals had about int’l affairs, YET, they were so freeging close minded, all of the u know what party, sputing official party line like it was the 5th lost.found.accepted gospal. these people were in positions of power and command, influencing patrol and frontline people, who would be the ones stopping people based on “i heard it from our darrens babysitter” sort of thing that someone somewhere was engaged in criminal enterprises, the shooting them just for good measure.
Ladies & gentlemen, I can explain the shooting since it’s in my backyard.
The Otay Mesa and San Ysidro crossings are about five miles apart. The suspect picked up his passengers, drove westbound on Highway 805, and then went south towards the San Ysidro border crossing. He was heading back into Mexico.
The SUV was stopped a few hundred feet from the Mexican border and the driver refused to get out of his car. When he accelerated and struck an officer, that’s when shots were fired.
I think he was shot for not speaking our national language: Bushlish. I mean, English. How dare this man dare not speak our native tongue? How inconsiderate. I mean, how does he expect us to understand what he is saying if he is talking in Spanish? What next? Is he going to start burning the American flag? I’m convinced this is why he was shoot. He deserves it.
Robbie, if the guy struck an officer with his car, the shots were completely justified. I just checked the AP story and they have still not included that very important aspect of the story. AP probably needs to make that correction before this shooting becomes a cause for both sides of the immigration debate.
(In my best bloviating network anchor voice) Back to our correspondent Robbie reporting from the scene of the incident…:d
Mash writes: “Nearly five years after 9/11 the President and the Congress have suddenly discovered that our borders are not secure. They made this discovery just in time for the November elections and just as their approval in the polls is sinking like a stone.”
I could not agree with you more, Mash.
The White House and Republicans are once again putting politics ahead of policies. They recognize, rightly, that immigration is an emotional, wedge issue, and therefore have suddenly decided to bring the matter to the forefront — with the obvious and deplorable intent of driving fear onto the electorate during the coming Congressional elections.
These Republican tactics are most regrettable and damaging to our social fabric. As you infer, our immigration policies do need to be reviewed, revised, and improved. But rationally and intelligently; not by stoking people’s fears, hoisting the race card, and/or attempting to score cheap political points, which is exactly what the Bush administration and Republican leadership are doing.
:d
I’m surprised they didn’t mention the SUV pinning the officer against another car. Shots were fired because the rear tires were moving, indicating they were about to accelerate forward. There was no mention if they had spoken to him in Spanish or English, but from personal experience Coyotes do not stop for anyone so I don’t think language would be an issue.
bushlish…
HAA HAA HAA:)) no really… :))…
Colorado Jyms, you are the MAN!!!
Alfredo, and like sheep, or lemmings, or “insert fav. farm animal HERE”, we fall for it, even debating, arguing, butting heads, online, offline…
no matter how familiar we are with the same old issues, the same old tactics, every four years, election minus 1yrs usually, we all sit here, falling for the same old snake-oil pitch, the slight of hand… pathetic, i speak wholly of myself.
sadder still is, we know it, and still fall for it,, but there is people out there, a LOT of them, who just fall for it…
isnt it a wonder, we somehow will put AP or Reuters version somehow being closer to truth.reality, forgetting they are in the news “business” to make money, like faux and other networks.. i have a sister who works for AP abroad, and based on my experience with her growing up, i am horrified AP hired her. all faith lost in news services… very sad.
immigration has been that dead old mummified horse been used since the days of pharoah to get population up in arms…
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