Oh No The Hell He Didn't...

Sometimes the audacity of people amazes me. Even more so when they're a public figure. I estimate that population control could be achieved in a few months in Heinlein's "polite society" if bastards like the one I'm about to tear into keep running their mouth whilst their mind is on vacation.

Kim du Toit posted about it. The source of his ire is Bush. What'd he do? Well there's a story in the Washington Times about illegal immigration, civilian border patrols & Bush's opinion of same (Bugmenot.com will get you by the registration hurdle).

"WACO, Texas -- President Bush yesterday said he opposes a civilian project to monitor illegal aliens crossing the border, characterizing them as 'vigilantes."

Vigilantes? That sorry excuse for a constitutionally literate chief executive has the nerve to call people who are trying to protect their communities vigilantes? There's an old saying where I come from, "Some people are about 5 good ass whoopin's shy of bein' full growed". It usually comes up when ignorant statements are made by dumb asses who should never miss an opportunity to shut the hell up. Bush's remark is a prime example.

The group he slandered is The Minuteman Project. They're a group who simply calls in (to the Border Patrol) anyone they see crossing in a remote area (i.e. illegally). They do not detain, arrest or in any way confront the illegals; they simply drop a dime on them to the feds & watch them till the feds show up.

So if you've ever seen a crime in progress & dialed 911 then you too are a vigilante according to Bush.

Here's how Merriam-Webster defines vigilante:

": a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law appear inadequate); broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice"

Now can a reasonable person conclude that calling in illegal activity to the cops would qualify as vigilantism? But Bush isn't a reasonable person. He's an authoritarian who can't bear to think of mere civilians doing his job even when he won't do it as he should. He was opposed to arming airline pilots but signed a law mandating just that after it was agreed that the pilots would henceforth be "Federal Flight Deck Officers" & not mere peasants civilians. Course he would have signed in anyway as he thinks "veto" is an Italian kid that lives down the block. But don't be fooled: Bush isn't one of those small government conservatives. Hell, most Republicans aren't small government conservatives unless they're not running things. when they lose power they get religion but backslide as soon as they get a little leverage.

What Bush did was slanderous. It was insulting & not just to the fine volunteers (yes - volunteers - they do this at no cost to anyone but themselves) but to every single citizen of any of the united States. In effect he just bitch slapped the philosophical foundation of the 2nd amendment - that the people themselves are responsible for their protection. In order to call people who volunteer their time & risk their lives to report violations of law you have to have a pretty contemptuous view of those people. You'd have to think they were incompetent. You'd have to think they were just sheep who got uppity. & if someone thinks that about people just making a friggin' phone call how the hell do you think that person views anyone who uses force in self defense?

& just so you can't say I missed it I'm all too completely aware of the irony concerning the location at which the story came from.

Now the Minuteman Project has enough troubles without a two bit president with no grasp of the principles on which this country was founded running his lip at them. There's a Latino terrorist gang that's making pretty direct threats against The Minuteman Project. This isn't some local collection of thugs either; it seems they're a big outfit & do a lot of business across the border. They have a reputation for using predatory violence & aren't shy about making threats against people.

So what does Bush do when a group of law abiding Arizonans get threatened for their legal activities? He sides with the friggin' terrorists! I believe he caught much grief from the leftists by saying something to the effect of "you're either with us or with the terrorists". I sincerely hope he catches as much grief from conservatives since he obviously is siding with the terrorists.

Fox (president of Mexico) has been bitching & moaning about civilian border patrol groups for a while. A few state governors have complained about them as well. Now the president of the united States - the commander in chief of both the active military & the militia - is calling them names? I sincerely hope that Bush loves hot coffee & never gets to drink it warmer than 60 degrees again. May his 'roids flare up in the middle of a turbulent flight. May his daughters fall in love with musicians - real musicians.

This story is about some concerns that illegal immigration & smuggling along the u.S.-Mexico border could be a way for terrorists to smuggle themselves & weapons into the country.

"Concern is growing at the top levels of government about the US-Mexican border becoming a back door for terrorists entering the United States. While Al Qaeda infiltration across the nation's southern border has been a constant concern since 9/11, US officials cite recent intelligence giving the most definitive evidence yet that terrorists are planning to use it as an entry point - if they haven't already."

Ayup. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

"One of the biggest concerns is that terrorists may exploit the current crossing procedures to make their way into the US. One way they might do this - and members of Congress say evidence is mounting that terrorists are trying this - is by paying smuggling networks, especially organized gangs."

Now do you understand why a Latino gang would take such an interest in citizens trying to block illegal immigration & smuggling? Don't fall for the bullshit that they're just worried about migrant workers being harmed - they want to keep their cash flow coming & it seems likely that the cash is flowing from Middle Eastern terrorist groups.

& Bush sides with them. He sides with the friggin' terrorists.

"I'm against vigilantes in the United States of America,' Mr. Bush said at a joint press conference. 'I'm for enforcing the law in a rational way."

I'm against slandering a group of people who are trying to help the government & their communities. I'm against discouraging people from exercising their Right of self defense. I'm against a damn president in D.C. belittling the efforts of the citizens of Arizona. I'm also against siding with terrorists against u.S. citizens.

Look, the u.S. Border patrol is understaffed. Bush promised to increase the number of agents by 2,000 but back pedaled & is only going to deliver 210. That’d be two hundred & ten instead of two thousand. I could be wrong but I'd wager the smallest citizens group that volunteers to patrol the border can see Bush's 210 & raise him a hundred. But instead of Bush supporting the people when they try to help the government & themselves he insults them & every single one of us.

Please, please someone try to convince me that Bush is the lesser of two evils & that should negate a few differences here & there. He's siding with the terrorists against Arizona citizens! I don't care if Kerry would have been that stupid as well. Kerry's not the president. Bush is. Kerry either kept his mouth shut or didn't say anything slanderous. Bush did.

Sure, have your opinions. Even have wrong opinions about places, people or things. But when you stoop so low as to insult - no, verbally bitch slap the people who are volunteering to try to protect themselves & their country you've sank to a level almost beneath my contempt. Almost.

Here's some contact info for Bush if you'd care to give him the tongue lashing he deserves.

George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, US 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov

& if you're in or around Arizona do what you can to support The Minuteman Project. Even just saying "thanks" would make them feel a little bit better about risking their lives while the president sides with terrorists against them. Ditto for any other of the citizen border patrol groups. A little "thank you" goes a long way.

Posted by Publicola at March 25, 2005 06:58 AM