Thread: Concerns rise over National Guards

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_3980233

sorry, unable somehow to copy and paste article,but provided link

Concerns rise over National Guard troops on border
Brandi Grissom / El Paso Times



AUSTIN -- About 30 protesters gathered at the entrance to the Texas National Guard headquarters Saturday, to remind soldiers that border communities are made of individuals who deserve respect, protest organizers said.
"Military people are trained for war, and the border is not a war zone; it's a community," said Ray Ybarra, of the El Paso chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, who helped organize the event.

About 200 Texas National Guard troops are training at Camp Mabry to provide support to the U.S. Border Patrol on the Mexican border. Currently, 30 troops are in El Paso preparing for their border work. They are among the initial deployment of a force expected to number up to 6,000 troops in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas by the end of the summer.

President Bush called for the deployment last month, and Gov. Rick Perry has authorized up to 2,300 soldiers along the Texas-Mexico border.

State and federal officials have repeatedly said the measure is not a militarization of the border, that many of the soldiers live and work in border communities and that troops will perform support work, mostly behind the scenes, that


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will allow more Border Patrol agents out in the field.

They have emphasized that though troops will be armed, they will not be authorized to make arrests and will have little interaction with border crossers.

The protesters, mostly from Austin, toted signs and distributed fliers bearing a likeness and the story of Esequiel Hernandez Jr., an 18-year-old goat herder from Redford who was shot by Marines assisting with border work in 1997.

"Whenever troops are sent out there the likelihood of accidents like that happening increases," said University of Texas at Austin law student Karla Vargas.

Some of those driving in and out of Camp Mabry took the group's literature and many flashed the protesters hand signals, including peace signs, thumbs-up and a few obscene gestures.

Brandi Grissom may be reached at bgrissom@elpasotimes.com;(512) 479-6606.

The protesters, mostly from Austin, toted signs and distributed fliers bearing a likeness and the story of Esequiel Hernandez Jr., an 18-year-old goat herder from Redford who was shot by Marines assisting with border work in 1997.

They failed to mention that this young man who was shot by the Marine was shot after he had fired a rifle in their direction first.

JohnB2012 wrote

They failed to mention that this young man who was shot by the Marine was shot after he had fired a rifle in their direction first.

Innocent, humble goat herder is the image they want to project. The fact that he fired on the marines will never be mentioned. This distortion of facts is abominable and as we all know, the same things happened in Vietnam and now with Iraq.

that border communities are made of individuals who deserve respect

Are these the same individuals who respect our laws?

About 30 protesters gathered at the entrance to the Texas National Guard headquarters Saturday, to remind soldiers that border communities are made of individuals who deserve respect, protest organizers said.

Wow, a whopping 30 people. Are we suppose to be impressed? In my opinion, this wasn't even a newsworthy event.

They need to take a little visit to that Arizona ranch where American citizens are hostage in their own home and cry about war zones and rights. Where's the right for our National Guard to just be left alone to do their jobs? They have the right to shoot back if they are fired upon first. Why not tell the criminals and goat herders to leave their weapons at home? Is the National Guard supposed to just stand there with their fingers in their noses while they are mowed down? I am having a real hard time dealing with this absolutly insane form of "logic" :P .