When Mayor Tony Martinez is asked about border security he changes the subject to the relative calm on the streets of Brownsville and out into the rurals of Cameron County. He cites the "great job" done by County Sheriff Omar Lucio and also by Police Chief Carlos Garcia. But border security is not the responsibility of the octagenarian sheriff or the affable police chief. Tony just continues to miss the point by a wide margin. At the September 19, 2011 forum on border security, Tony opined that any street in Brownsville was safe to walk along and that he and his two sons had just dove hunted in the county without incident. Excuse me, but what do either of those two opinions have to do with weapons crossing the border going south, drugs coming north, victims being held for ransom in stash houses, and the daily fears of citizens living between the border wall and the river?
Tony is not the first politician to worry about the perception of an area as not safe and lost tourist dollars. Mexico bristles every time the U.S. State Department issues a travel warning because of the negative effect on their economy. Perhaps the Brownsville mayor is simply the wrong person to include in any discussion of border security. At the Champions for Change, Southwest Border Region panel discussion that was almost concurrent with the UTB/TSC seminar, Mayor Martinez stated: "I understand the rhetoric of those with political aspirations in our state, but there is no need for additional personel on our border."
Unfortunately, fairy tales seldom come true. Pretending border problems do not exist is a disservice to border residents and doesn't make anyone feel safer
He doesn't want more federal personel on our border. I would wager my left testicle he and the city grant writers wants more federal money for parks and pretty trees instead.
ReplyDeleteRemember ''fast and furious''gun operation the U.S. and the Cartels in Mexico are all in it.The U.S. gives the Cartels weapons and the U.S. let the Cartels sell their drugs here in the U.S. as long as the Cartels deposit a certain percentage in private banks here in the U.S.God forbid if one of these so called "investors from Mexico'' do not have a tail to step on, since no background checks are being done.WAKE UP!!
ReplyDelete"However there's actually no need for any additional personel on our border." Jim, you are missing some words in your quote of Tony.
ReplyDeleteWhat the fuck, Tony, we do need help. Channel 5 did a story the other day with a local constable asserting there wasn't enough border patrol manpower and local law enforcement ACTUALLY needs help. If you weren't busy with the church wine and cheese, you would know this. I can't believe this Obama bundler is going up to Washington claiming we are fine down here. I trust a local law enforcer over this coconut who can't say "Matamoros" or "Mexico" right. The next time you have a thought, Tony, let it go.