The U.S. - Mexico Border After 9/11

Hey DSCC, I'm still waiting for an explanation.

This is exactly why your foolish decision to equate border-crossers with terrorists in one of your ads is not only deeply offensive, it's extremely dangerous.

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 cast a new and threatening shadow on the porous Arizona-Mexico border: If millions of illegal immigrants cross so easily, what's to stop terrorists?

While no evidence exists that terrorists have entered the United States through Mexico, the concern, fueled largely by anti-immigration forces, has brought more money and manpower to the border.

Some security experts say the threat is overblown. It has diverted limited resources, they say, and left the United States vulnerable to more realistic and dangerous threats while doing little to curb illegal immigration.

"Our intelligence agents will tell you that there has been no evidence of any serious attempt of terrorists to come into the United States through the southern border," said U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe of Arizona. "We should be much more worried about the northern border, where there's 4,000 miles of completely unprotected and basically unmanned crossing points."

(emphasis mine)

Politicians who have their fingers in the wind don't realize that their actions have real consequences for those of us living along the southern U.S. border (I'm talking to YOU, Democrats). Their chest-thumping rhetoric serves as read meat for the appetite of xenophobic vigilantes that feel like they're receiving an indirect blessing on their "mission" to further militarize this region.

Political opportunists give the green light for true hardliner, hate-based politicians like Rep. Steve King (R-LA) to openly support militias like the Minutemen.

Releasing an unanswered letter to President Bush, Rep. Steve King, R-La., spoke to a rally at the Mexican border yesterday to kick off a new campaign by the Minuteman Project called "Operation Sovereignty."

King told a crowd in Laredo, Texas, he is frustrated the president has failed to answer his letter.

"I called the White House for two and a half months asking for an answer to this letter," the congressman said. "Two weeks ago, I told the White House that if you can't or won't answer this letter, then I will do so today. That's what I am doing right now, here in Laredo, Texas, with Jim Gilchrist and the Minuteman Project.

[snip]

Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist, who also spoke at the rally, was equally critical of the Bush administration on the anniversary.

"The Bush administration must remember that 9/11 is a day to take action," he said. "On this day, five years ago, I decided to come forward to secure our borders so another 9/11 could never happen. Five years later, the Bush administration has done nothing to prevent the thousands of drug dealers, criminals and terrorists from entering the U.S. illegally across our wide open border with Mexico."

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The U.S./Mexico border had NOTHING to do with 9/11, but then again, neither did Saddam Hussein. I guess for some people, they'll never believe a truth that doesn't conform to their dark worldview.

God help us all. The crazies are already in Congress and there are more vigilantes waiting in the wings to grow their Klan.

The big question is: who will Diebold anoint as their next round of lottery picks?