If you want to enter the United States, you can just cross the border. Not only is the border patrol under funded and under manned, it has used a defective screening process for its agents.
If you want to enter the U. S. Military, such as the Navy, you don’t have to be a U. S. citizen. You might find yourself working on navigational equipment for an amphibious attack ship such as the Tarawa.
You may not have heard much about it in the news last summer, or even in the last few weeks. You can be sure that this is not a case or a problem of just one person. However, he serves as a wonderful example of how the system really works.
Four years ago an illegal alien obtained a job at the U. S. border patrol. He used a false birth certificate. Apparently checking such a simple detail on someone who would be assigned to protect our borders was not a priority.
Oscar Antonio Ortiz was finally arrested last August. After smuggling illegal aliens in his Border Patrol Vehicle.
In other cases, he accepted bribes to ‘look the other way’ as other illegals were brought in through his patrol region outside of San Diego. He recently pleaded guilty, and will be sentence May 12th.Ortiz had a partner in the border patrol assisting in the illegal smuggling. Whoever this person is, they have not been arrested or charged. And I don’t believe for one minute that these are the only two agents that are corrupt.
According to San Diego Union Tribune staff writer Onell R. Soto in a 02/02/2006 article: “Before becoming a Border Patrol agent, Ortiz served in the U.S. Navy and worked on navigational equipment on the amphibious attack ship Tarawa.”
How do we know he didn’t sabotage the navigational equipment? How many other Ortiz’ are out there supposedly working to protect our nation? When a simple thing like a check of a false birth certificate could have kept them out of the system?
If you want to fly somewhere today, you have to go through a screening process. After purchasing your tickets and making your plans you might discover that you are on the huge no-fly list and denied permission to board. As many have belatedly learned, you don’t need to be connected to terrorists or subversives to be on the list. You might be a baby, or a nun, or a U. S. Senator. All in the name of protecting us against terrorism.
If you want to call someone outside of the United States, the government is spending millions monitoring calls of anyone they think could be connected to terrorists. Based on the veracity of their no-fly lists--and the fact that they don’t know everyone connected to Al Quaida--your call will probably be monitored. Chances are they will also check your e-mails, your internet searches, and even your tax returns. All in the name of protecting us against terrorism.
Yet illegal aliens are hired to protect our border from illegal aliens. Cargo containers at shipyards and airports sit unguarded. The problems in our protection system--from NORAD to simple radio communications--remain unaddressed. The bureaucracy that held up vital information about the 9/11 hijackers, and about Katrina’s damage has only grown larger.
Government spokespersons, Administration officials, and even the President using smoke and mirrors to hide reality is not surprising. I doubt there are any Americans who believe that they are being told the truth by the government on a regular basis.
Yet there used to be some underlying trust that there was a basis for what the government was doing. And the basis was that in the long run they were keeping the best interests and the safety of the people at heart.
Today, they say the words. They act irate if anyone one disputes their love for the American people. But the foundation for trust is gone.
Sadly, this is just another example.
We have a big list of people who can’t fly, and we listen into phone calls. That will keep us safe from terrorists. We do have a great sense of humor as a people. This, however, is not funny.
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