unreal blog story about border patrol propaganda in south texas....

[mike_c]

I came upon this entry in a blog tonight-- it's a blog written by some full time RVers who spend lots of time in Mexico. It's a blog, right, not trained journalism, but I trust most of the information I've found here, because much of it is consistent with my own experiences.

This entry was dated Wednesday, Jan. 18, so just last week. The writers are staying in a developed RV park in south Texas, near the Mexican border. This particular blog post concerns a visit by personnel from ICE (I presume the "border patrol" is ICE-- the blog entry never uses the acronym). There's a little more at the link, but most of the post fits under the DU four paragraph rule (mods, I wanted to leave that last one-liner because, well, it was despicable! Please?):

http://livingboondockingmexico.blogspot.com/

So let's get down to brass tacks. We are having a good time at the rv park. Everyone treats us really well and seem to have some interest in who we are and the fact that we rv in Mexico. Then the ball drops. Yesterday they had a border patrol presentation. I am toning down the names and places because I really do fear speaking out.

Two Hispanic personnel from the department came, shared their thoughts on how dangerous Mexico is and to stay away at all costs. They also advised people to carry a gun on the Texas side. At that point, Canadians left the room. There was so much misinformation, propaganda, and outright lies that my eyes literally began to water out of despair. However, I kept my lip zipped. Why? I truly feared that someone in the park may fink on us if requested by the agents, and also the fact that the department has been infiltrated by "you know who".

The final straw was at the end. They showed a video which they said had been sent to them by the "you know who" as a warning, when in reality the video has been all over the internet and YouTube for months. The video showed two men being beheaded by a chainsaw, all the way to the end. Now, you tell me, what was the purpose of showing that video to people who are between 60 and 90 who winter in south Texas because it does their bones good, they get inexpensive dental and eye care, not to mention prescriptions, and they love going across the border. Well, they were warned that they were putting their lives on the line going to Nuevo Progresso and to stay out of Mexico or they could be next.

I truly feel defeated. I know it was propaganda, but I went home last night with my tail between my legs. People actually bought it. The presentation was racist, low-down and outright dirty. They even said that this is all because of Obama, and to vote for a Texan candidate for president who would shut down the border. I would hate to see the reaction from all the drug users who consume 40 billlion dollars worth of illegal drugs once they find out their source has been cut off.

It was despicable.

No clue from the context who "you know who" refers to. But I think it's outrageous for ICE personnel to be spreading such lies, if indeed they are.

[bluedigger]

1. They did a fine job of obscuring the details.

All I can tell from this is that they attended a presentation that they thought was an attempt to intimidate them. I guess. Who conducted it and under what auspices is completely unclear.

[mike_c]

3. I wonder if any south Texas DUers can comment on whether ICE...

...does these sorts of presentations regularly? My impression, from the blog entry I posted, was that this park is frequented by (mostly) elderly U.S. and Canadian citizens who cross the border for access to inexpensive health care, pharmacies, and tourism. Why ICE would want to intimidate those folks is beyond me.

[bluedigger]

6. ICE and the Border Patrol are different organizations within DHS.

ICE is more of a investigation branch and the BP is focused on apprehension at the border. Of course their operations and territory overlap a lot. That is what is confusing about the blog. You introduced ICE into the discussion yourself. The original blog refers to a "Department" (BP is an Agency) and then refers to infiltrators in the department. It just doesn't make much sense to me. I'm more inclined to believe it was a presentation by some Minuteman style organization than a government sponsored event. But I would like to know more.

[Earth_First]

2. There is a lot of drug cartel violence going on in central/northern and border regions of Mexico...

this is a fact.

To downplay this danger is foolish.

Even the Mexican government acknowledges that to their best estimat that 12,903 deaths were attributed to the drug war currently ravaging their country as drug cartels compete and murder one another for dominance.

That's about where my understanding of this ends.

For ICE to be doing this, it is blatently racist and xenophobic.

[mike_c]

4. I travel in Mexico regularly...

...although not recently in some of the areas that have had the most drug violence, and it's been nearly 15 years since I've crossed the border anywhere in Texas, but I generally feel safer in Mexico than I do in the U.S. I don't mean to downplay the drug wars, but the cartels generally do not target foreigners, who make up a small percentage of deaths, especially when the ones actually involved with the cartels or competing with them are factored out.

[Earth_First]

5. Right on, I appriciate the insight...

I didn't or have not necessarily heard of foreigners being targeted, however when I travel I am always alert for local social and/or political events that may affect my travel.

If it was an attempt as benign as alerting travelers, it could have or should have been by the RV park they are staying at, not a government agency known for it's racist underpinnings...

[Ilsa]

7. I live in South Texas, and I won't go back

to visit any of the Mexican border towns like I did 30 years ago. I've been told by friends that vehicles were stolen when parked. IMO, It isn't worth the risk.

The ranchers with land along the border have also reported more incidents of cross-border violence. They don't roam their property at night, and they usually wear bullet-proof vests or carry rifles.

I think the estimate is that somewhere around 34,000 people have been murdered over the last decade. A diplomatic couple in El Paso or Juarez was murdered a couple of years ago.

(There are frequent huge drug busts in deep south Texas, the Valley.)