Letter from Eldorado, TX

Greg,

Just finished your last article on Counterpunch. I’m just sick about this. The parallels to Nazi Germany… there are so many participants to this country’s unfolding disaster.

I used to live in Alpine, before it got trendy, so I just looked up the weekly newspaper “Alpine Avalanche” on the web to see if there was some kind of outcry (that whole area, including Marfa did not vote Bush). The lead story is about catching “illegal aliens,” in a culvert, with drugs. The Opinion piece was by the State Rep on military appreciation week.
I live in Eldorado now and recently canceled my subscription to the weekly paper here because I could not stomach the same kind of news (very right-wing), the final straw being opinion pieces by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (on border issues) and my so-called Republican-talking-points Rep (on border issues). One of the last issues I got had a picture of the jail dispatchers (celebrating jail dispatcher week) dressed identical with black boots, some had their pants tucked into their boots. I being an Outsider get followed around when I drive through town, it’s a Neighborhood Watch on wheels. (It’s actually very serious.) They all (small town) follow along with each other (and who are they being led by? I wander).

The police blotter is unbelievable. The people seem to call the police for anything and the police are busy looking for “crime” to help the people be safe. (?) This area is thick with law enforcement, I think they must be training. There is virtually no crime out here (we’re the only town in the county, and it’s likewise around). It’s very excessive.

And, now the “forces” begin to build on the border. I heard Gov Perry say on the radio this morning: “The federal government is not doing enough to protect our border” (or something similar). As he went on to describe the need for money. It’s like a rally cry.

One thing this beefed-up border patrol (as though it’s not already beefed-up, have you been to the border lately? Try Del Rio for one) will provide is JOBS!

I could go on and on… I appreciate what you write, it’s very needed.

Stephanie

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