Janet Napolitano and her colleague in fecklessness, Eric Holder, at an anti-intellectual property theft forum in Washington December 14. (AP)
Janet Napolitano was told by the family of a slain Border Patrol agent to "wake up her man in the White House". (That would be the president-or maybe the National Security Chief James Clapper, who always seems to be the last to know.)
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/23/napolitano-scolds-reporter-airing-complaints-dead-border-agents-family/
Agent Brian Terry funeral in Detroit (Fox News)
Of course, our out manned Border Patrol always seems to get the short end of the stick when it comes to support, and that goes back to the previous administration as well. No, we haven't forgotten the two agents (Ramos and Compean) who were sent to prison for shooting and wounding a drug smuggler as he was fleeing back across the border.
Now comes Napolitano, who doesn't want to address these issues with reporters after Agent Brian Terry's family had harsh words for her and the present administration.
The sad fact is that virtually every recent administration, Democratic and Republican, has neglected to do their duty to protect the border. It is not just people and drugs crossing illegally that is the issue. The border region is full of deadly violence that threatens anyone living or working in its vicinity. And the first ones to fall are Border Patrol agents, who are outgunned and out manned-while our feckless leaders in Washington spout empty words and set their priorities on such things as "intellectual property theft" and "environmental justice".
4 comments:
Napolitano's response was absolutely correct, for two reasons:
1) It would have been unthinkable for high-level Homeland Security officials not to be at the funeral - whatever the family's thoughts, concerns, complaints, or politics. It was, as she said, a time to memorialize the fallen, not to engage in politicking over policy.
2) It sounds from the linked article as if the administration is following up appropriately, including four arrests in the murder.
A grief-stricken family is entitled to express their grief, but I don't expect sound policy to emerge from sound bytes of what the deceased's father had to say at that moment. For example, in your opinion, has the grief of Rachel Corrie's parents inspired sound policy proposals for the middle east?
It appears Terry's family feels like I do that the govt does not support the BP. As for the Corries, I have heard them speak at UCI. Their solutions are wrong. They hate Israel and are being used by those that want to destroy Israel. They even sued Caperpiller.
'It would have been unthinkable for high-level Homeland Security officials not to be at the funeral'
Correct. When an agent is killed in line of duty, the head of the agency should be there. I saw this first hand at DEA funerals. The difference is that our chiefs were treated with respect and gratitude because everyone knew the agency supported the agents.
Here, we have Homeland Security officials performing their duty to be their EVEN THOUGH there are some present who do not have confidence in the agency and its leadership. That is, in a sense, a greater display of dedication than officials attending a funeral where they know they will be warmly welcomed. Give her credit that she didn't say "Oh, the family is mad, I'm not going to go."
I think your assessment of the role of the Corrie's is reasonably accurate. I might agree with them on some points, those on which we both know I disagree with you. Still, the fact that they are grieving over their daughter's loss is not a sound basis for future governmental policy, in Israel or the U.S.
Likewise, the family may have a "feeling" that the agency does not support the Border Patrol. Is there evidence behind this? I've read several news articles which report that during two years of Barack Obama's presidency, control of the border has in fact tightened up. I don't give him all the credit for that. Government agencies of that size are still working off initiative from the last two or three administrations, not merely the current one. But it is to Obama's credit.
Now what exactly are the FACTS which support the claim that he and the Homeland Security department are "not supportive" of the Border Patrol?
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