Illegal Immigrant Likely Killed Arizona Rancher

[RedCloud]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsZRJgTLoYk&NR=1

This seems to be a RW talking point right now. There is no confirmed evidence that it is an illegal alien.

Lazy butt McCain wants the federal government to do something about it.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/local/apx_illegal_immigrant_rancher_death_033010

Meanwhile, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer joined U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in calling for federal officials to send more National Guard troops to the Mexican border.

"The federal government must do all it can within its power to curb this violence and protect its citizens from criminals coming across the border from Mexico," McCain wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a former Arizona governor.

So there you have it: They are coming down hard on the death of this rancher with 35,000 acres. Now they want the border sealed. And whip up the anti alien faction.

Back if it gets crazier.

[JonLP24]

1. This has been all over the local news this week

Only thing they ever say is "May" have been an illegal immigrant. I guess it's likely since it was near the border but they use the incident so others can be given a platform on how we much beef up border patrol and adding the National Guard there as well.

[abbeyco]

2. What's crazier than Grampa McCain

standing in the desert screaming, "And stay off my country you damn brown kids!"

Then he totters off and calls the President and asks for the National Guard.

I must have thought it was a teevee show or a dream...but I guess anything crazy like that is possible with McCain.

[Vogon_Glory]

16. JD Hayworth? That's the AZ Republican primary alternative n/t

[Seedersandleechers]

3. Keep us posted

Thanks.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Bullshit until proved true.

[Ian David]

5. I'm sure the guy was really sweet to everyone else and never made any other enemies.

:sarcasm:

[SargeUNN]

6. Arizona is more racist than any state I have been in

I don't know if the guy was "illegal" or not, but I have lived in Arizona for almost 3 years now. I moved here from Mississippi where I grew up during the Jim Crow Era and I was shocked by the rampant racism I see here. I couldn't believe that so many here hate blacks, Mexicans, and anyone that isn't white with such hatred that I didn't even see in the Jim Crow South.

Also the Libertarian idea is so heavy here, as is the teabagger movement, that Arizona has become more like Somolia than it is like Mississippi. Jan Brewer has all but killed Kid's Care (version of SCHIPS) and 3/4 of our legislature is made up of Birthers. Education is below Mississippi, which is normally the bottom in education until Arizona dropped below Mississippi a few years ago), and with this attack on Kid's Care Arizona might soon have more crib deaths, and even take away Mississippi's long held title of the state with the shortest life spam.

[alstephenson]

8. Well you've learned alot about Arizona in your three years here.

And you are spot on. Add a little Sheriff Joe to the mix and you have a perfect storm.

[SargeUNN]

9. Yeah Sadly but then I did a show at KPHX/Nova M

so I had to learn a lot. I also had my encounter with Arpaio because he was upset that I had Dan Saban on my show and even had Dan guest host once. He went after my sponsor with his goons calling them to try and pressure them to drop their sponsorship, but when they didn't he raided them.

[alstephenson]

18. Hi, Jeff! I used to listen to your show.

Are you still on the air in Phoenix? I bought a new car last year with XM-Radio so I haven't been listening to KPHX lately. I always enjoyed your show and appreciated that you were active in the local progressive community (such as it is).

[JonLP24]

11. +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1

:applause:

[aikoaiko]

13. head to the mountains where the hippies are armed.

:evilgrin:

[MajorChode]

7. A number of possibilities come to mind

1)He could have been involved in the drug trade himself, and was killed as a direct result of being involved in those activities. It's quite common for ranchers and locals to be involved in the drug trade close to the border.

2) The picture on the news station appears to show him with a holstered gun. He may have went looking for trouble, and found it, instead of letting the authorities handle it.

3) He could have been killed by a family member or someone locally that was trying to rob him. Lots of people get killed for reasons that have nothing to do with the border.

It's pretty rare for Mexican drug dealers to kill US citizens. This brings a lot of law enforcement to the area and disrupts their business. These types of activities are avoided by the cartels at all cost. There have even been cases were rouge cartel operatives have been shackled and delivered to law enforcement by the cartel themselves.

[JonLP24]

12. About 1

It's a possibility but he was well known in the area by other ranchers and other local people and his family has owned and operated the ranch for around 100 years. I say that because it could be difficult to conceal such an activity but not out of the question. I don't have a link as this is the information I got from the local news. They also played a few clips from videos of him at the ranch.

[TorchTheWitch]

14. or you could try reading the article

They followed tracks from the scene back to the border. The day before the rancher's brother reported drug smuggling activity on the property where drugs and several illegal aliens were found...

"Dever told a Tucson newspaper that while investigators don't have a motive yet, retaliation has been raised as a possibility. The day before the shooting, the victim's brother, Phil Krentz, reported drug smuggling activity on the ranch to the Border Patrol.

Agents found 290 pounds of marijuana on the ranch and followed tracks to where they found and arrested eight illegal immigrants. All were still in custody when the shooting occurred."

The guy's ranch is close to the border and is known as a common smuggling route. It's MOST likely he was killed by a smuggler that had been using his property as a route to get mass quantities of drugs from the Mexican cartels into the US. Drug smugglers will kill kids, grandmothers and anyone that tries to get in the way of their smuggling. The actual smugglers are the little people in the cartel chain and stuck between the wants of their brutal masters and US authorities. They'd have no problem killing anyone to keep from getting caught or killed themselves. These are not nice people.

[MajorChode]

17. or you could try reading what I wrote

I read the article. Thank you very much for your concern anyway.

Go back and read my post and you'll find possibility #2 specifically allows for the possibility of cartel involvement.

That whole area for hundreds of square miles is a "known smuggling route". The cartel smuggles drugs anywhere they can. For a ranch that size it would be more surprising if it WASN'T a "known smuggling route."

I've spent a lot of time throughout the Rio Grand valley. I work professionally with the CBP all along the Del Rio and Laredo sectors. I know dozens of agents on a first name basis. I know the border very well. With all due respect, it sounds as if you have no idea. The cartels are not stupid. They are very smart people. They may kill Mexicans with seemingly reckless abandon, but they do NOT kill Americans to the extent you claim. It is counterproductive for them to do so. That doesn't mean they didn't kill the rancher, it just means that it would be very unusual for them to do so, and if they did I suspect there is much more to the story than you might think. 290 lbs of grass can be carried by 3 drug mules. The cartels loose far more than that on a daily basis due to seizures. They don't really care as about 90% of their mules never get apprehended even on a good day for CBP. Their entire operation expects loss and doesn't bat an eye. Their mules carry the drugs in homemade backpacks made out of burlap bags and spray painted black and the wholesale value of their drugs is next to nothing. They really don't care if they get caught. In many instances their mules are under 18 and the US government does not even prosecute them per the current policy.

[MiniMe]

10. Sorry John, the National Guard is serving overseas in 2 wars

[rabs]

15. Spillover into New Mexico today

Richardson Orders National Guard To Patrol Mexican Border
POSTED: 1:23 pm MDT March 31, 2010

SANTA FE , N.M. -- Gov. Bill Richardson, after meeting with top law enforcement officials Wednesday morning, ordered the National Guard to patrol the border with Mexico and ensure the safety of New Mexico citizens.

"I want residents in southern New Mexico to know we are taking this border violence very seriously by adding a National Guard presence along with state, local and federal law enforcement patrols along the border," Richardson said.

Richardson ordered New Mexico National Guard Major General Kenny Montoya to send guardsmen to the border area. The guardsmen will work with the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, which his coordinating the law enforcement presence along the border.

more

http://www.koat.com/news/23015308/detail.html

(Feel for the poor guys and gals that will be called to active duty and put in the middle of nowhere for who knows how long, especially with summer coming up.)

[MajorChode]

20. Talk about knee jerking

JTF North is already doing just that already. I like Bill, but he's just playing into the irrational fear and there's already way too much of that already.

http://www.jtfn.northcom.mil/subpages/mission.html

[Lord Magus]

19. Wait, I thought McCain said he was done with participating in government.

So sit down and shut up, old coot.