This is a cautionary tale about reporters eagerly attacking other reporters working a developing story. Because it’s not possible to provide evidence as quickly as some might demand it doesn’t mean the story is false.
On July 24, Kimberly Dvorak, of the Examiner, and Don Amato, of the blog Digger’s Realm, broke the story about two Texas ranches outside of Laredo, Texas, being seized by members of Los Zetas drug cartel. Today, Ms. Dvorak posted a copy of the police blotter which provides a good deal of the information necessary to confirm her initial story’s claims:
After 16 days of denials by Laredo law enforcement and local officials regarding a Mexican drug cartel takeover of a Laredo area ranch, a Texas police blotter proves the alleged incident did in fact happen and that multiple agencies responded to the scene of a seized U.S. ranch…
“On Friday 7-23-10 Laredo Webb informed that their county SWAT Team is conducting an operation in the Mines Rd. area. According to LT. Garcia with LSO (Laredo Sheriff Office) received a call from a ranch owner stating that the Zetas had taken over his ranch. As per the 17 (reporting person) he informed them that they stated La Compania (area business) was taking the ranch and no one was permitted on the ranch without permission. SO (Sheriff Office) will have an unmarked green Ford Taurus with two officers stationed at Los Compadres and a white Chevy Tahoe with two officers stationed at Mineral Rd. The LSO (Laredo Sheriff Office) will maintain surveillance in the area and advise if action is taken. Susp (suspect) Veh (vehicle) are described as a gray or silver Audi, a BLK (black) Escalade or Navigator and a van truck with a logo of a car wash spot free on the side. Border Patrol also has their response team on scene. Also known info of BMW’s and Corvettes entering and leaving the area. Auth LT Lichtenberger if assistance is requested LPD (Laredo Police Department) will secure the outer perimeter. (07/24/10 07:42:10 NR1873)”
Dvorak’s latest post confirmed several details that I had been able to ascertain through other sources. One important detail was different: only one ranch was investigated and under surveillance, not the two originally reported.
The original story quoted multiple anonymous sources in law enforcement and was quickly picked up by Michelle Malkin, Jawa Report, Big Peace and DBKP among others. Almost as quickly, the story was branded an Internet rumor,” “conspiracy theory,” a “hoax” or outright lies by the usual suspects from the Progressive Left/amnesty crowd.
One expected this crew to crank out immediate rebuttals–without offering any proof–such as Right-Wingers Stand By Their Fabricated Mexican Drug Cartel Raid Story.” What one didn’t expect was for Soros-financed attack dog Media Matters to cite a right-leaning blogger as evidence the story was a “rumor”–not once, but twice.
Law enforcement was not denying the story. I tried six times to get the Laredo PD to flat-out deny the story, but received a host of “can’t confirm” and “can’t say anything.” A tip for the aspiring reporter: be aware of the “non-denial denial.” Spokesmen who are trying to keep a lid on a story –because of a continuing investigation, so as not to scare off targets of surveillance, for whatever reasons — will often offer a host of creative answers in lieu of a flat-out, simple “no.” It’s often not only advisable, but necessary, to parse carefully what spokesmen say.
Local media sources confirmed on July 28 that no written statement had been issued and that no local law enforcement officers had issued a simple denial. It’s telling that despite reports of “numerous media inquiries,” local law enforcement issued no written statement for nearly a week after the story broke.
The local paper, the Laredo Morning Times, reported on the story, confirming that no law enforcement agency had gone on the record with an outright denial. After speaking several times with the paper’s reporter, Nick Georgiou, I felt that his story was very fair — but it wasn‘t a rebuttal.
However, the LMT’s article was offered as proof that the story was a hoax. As one blogger put it, “You’d think the local paper would know, wouldn’t you?”
Not content with merely disagreeing with what local law enforcement was saying, within 24 hours of the story breaking, one blogger tagged those who had reported the story “Laredo Truthers” — which likely set a record for the quickest use of the discussion-quashing “truther” label. It was after this salvo that Big Journalism published The MSM in the Fog of War: What’s Going On in Laredo, Tex.? In it, I laid out several reasons why the story might well be true.
Pat Dollard — who covered aspects of the story — said, “Keep in mind the Top Two Big Scores for bloggers: 1. The Scoop and 2. The “I’m Superior Because I Didn’t Fall For A False Scoop” post. The myth-busting Laredo “debunkers”–who are citing a phone call to a heretofor-unknown-to-them source at a police department (a source who any reporter of police matters knows may have to issue denials of events in order to protect ongoing investigations, or ongoing operations pertaining to those events) as full and final evidence of the falsity of Dvorak’s story–are chasing the second, and at this point in the game are heavily invested in it.
The final irony? In this case the only people guilty of lazy, sloppy, shoddy, agenda-driven, factually incorrect reporting — the ones who owe the world a retraction, and who owe an apology to Kimberly Dvorak.
Another guess: there is a subset of the blogosphere which is terrified that they will report a “planted story” by the Left and, by the very act of reporting, will lose “credibility.” Their motto seems to be, “If it’s not on CNN, it didn’t happen.”
Why even have a New Media, if it acts like the Old Legacy Media? Whatever happened to just reporting the story — especially one that’s developing, instead of hastily rushing to quash it? Sources who come forward with information may begin by remaining anonymous. However, they may encourage others to later come forward on the record. “Anonymous” sources doesn’t necessarily mean “not credible” sources.
With the 2010 and 2012 elections coming up, there will likely be stories that take longer to develop than a single blog post. Because the MSM doesn’t quickly confirm them, they shouldn’t be strangled in the cradle by those who come late to the story or disagree from afar.
Just ask Brad Thor.
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88 Comments
Please check the spelling in the head line
We suffer from the same problem vis-a-vis the President's remarkable document lockdown – "lazy, sloppy, shoddy, agenda-driven, factually incorrect reporting."
Quite a few of the "lazy", "agenda driven" and "factually incorrect" post on here. They repeat left-wing slurs, and left-wing disinformation (and often turn right around and admit they really haven't been paying attention, and aren't sure what is going on – doesn't stop them though) all in defense of a man they otherwise admit is one of the dirtiest, lying pols they have ever seen in operation: they also appeal to the MSM whilst simultaneously deriding the MSM for their lying and dishonesty. As you say:
"Whatever happened to just reporting the story — especially one that’s developing, instead of hastily rushing to quash it?"
The Zetas are just hard working immigrants looking for a better life and dealing the drugs that Americans are too lazy to sell themselves. Just ask any judge in AZ, they'll probably tell you it's their right to take your ranch because you're a racist!
I agree that a "refusal to confirm" isn't a denial. But neither is it an affirmative.
Possibly a source of what's really happening in Mexico, although it appears to be spun so's not to ruffle feathers in Mexico City: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_47...
When the State Department authorizes departure of family from a location, you know things are getting very bad:
Here's part of it:
"The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico about the security situation in Mexico. The authorized departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates in the northern Mexico border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros remains in place. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Mexico dated May 6, 2010 to note the extension of authorized departure and to update guidance on security conditions and crime."
Okay, let me get this straight. You are reporting on a story that cannot be readily verified, but you claim that this doesn't mean it's not credible. Fair enough. But does anyone else see the irony of reporting this story on Andrew Breitbart's website? Don't you automatically lose credibility by nature of AB's track record for fabrication?
Please check the spelling of headline.
I thought it was understood by most that a developing story may have some inaccuracy's just because it WAS a developing story. Nothing wrong with that to me so long as the reporter was stating that no facts have been confirmed. If later evidence disputes what was already reported, a real journalist would report that as well WITH AS MUCH FANFARE AS THE ORIGINAL STORY~! Why? Because that now IS THE STORY.
If any reporter, paper, radio station, blogger, television station, media outfit does not do that, they should NOT BE TRUSTED, FOR THEY ARE DISHONEST.
ROFLMAO. You — "I choose to believe the congressman regarding the n-word" — are giving someone flak over writing about something that couldn't be verified? That's rich.
Do you see the irony?
There will be more coming on this and there will be more until our gutless government is forced to secure the borders.
Did you get dropped on your head as a baby or what?
What ever the truth is; this is what we should seek no matter what our initial prejudices.
It is good for you to give a critical counter point.
Not good for you to then agitate with an uncalled for attack.
Rosehips – Only the more ironic that you spend your days posting on AB in attempts to refute anything and everything that AB carries, regardless of the sources. Me thinks thou protestith too much! Hey, for me, I know if you are objecting, it has got to be credible.
mousie, if you reread my comment, I say "fair enough." Yes, I see the irony. We accuse each other of the same things. But, I am not calling him on running a story that hasn't been verified. I am only pointing out the irony.
Glad you got a kick out my comment!
And I saw the irony before my comment. But my point about the N-word is that the Congressmen have not been pushing the issue. Tea party members are so insistent that they are not racist, that they make ridiculous statement like saying that AB's tape is "unequivocal proof." That is so untrue.
haha flytie. you are not the first person to ask that on this forum.
Breitbart has never fabricated anything, widehips – who, exactly, is the fraud now, hmmm?
I do have some concerns of the accuracy of the story. But I do know that the police and federal agencies in Texas as elsewhere keep a tight lid on stories that involve drug cartels, national security and so on. It is not always in the public interest for the police to reveal information in on going investigations.
Ha! Unless of course you count fabricating a story about a racist.
The old media have an interest in killing or quashing any story that breaks on the net, perhaps if they may
quickly prevent it's gaining credibility they can pick it up themselves via their old traditional methods and
report on it in two weeks or a month. They continue to dream of the old days, when we waited for them to
get around to reporting whatever they felt like reporting, if they felt like reporting. We knew nothing they
didn't bother reporting. My, my how things have changed.
The Fourth Estate is dead !
.
I will gladly admit that I am one who had serious doubts of the situation from the very beginning, as the only 'evidence' provided was rumor and hearsay. The Police Blotter posted in the article is the first piece of legitimate evidence I have witnessed (assuming it is legit), and will make me take a second look at the issue. However, it is still my opinion that much more evidence is required to completely verify or deny the story – it isn't too much to ask for a news crew to have gone to the scene.
However, people act as if the situation is unique, when in fact, it is quite a common strategy by cartels, smugglers and dealers.
A common strategy is that these criminal entities will buy a series of houses in a new suburb (many have popped up in Tucson, AZ, Phoenix, AZ, Yuma, AZ, etc. – usually 3 homes all triangulated with line-of-site between the buildings. One home is the drop house for storage of 'merchandise,' another is used to secure the money, and the other houses the dealers and their weapons. This technique makes it difficult to pinpoint which buildings are involved, and if one goes down the others might be safe, or have time to bail out during a raid
Well, I really gave no critical counter point, until the jab at AB. The point of my comment was that it is ironic. I agree with the author that just because the story hasn't been verified, that doesn't mean it should not be run.
It is ironic that I am attacking the right for accusing the Congressmen of lying, without proof and I am accused of supporting their allegations of racial slurs when they have no proof. I find that ironic.
But sorry for raising issues from another debate here. mousie started it. lol
Which means a real reporter will continue to "investigate" until it can be proven or disproven. Walking away lets statements like "depends on what the defenition of is is…"
So the video is computer generated or something, huh? You fail to acknowledge the purpose of the video: not to show that Sherrod is a racist( which she actually is) but to show that the entire NAACP crowd was a bunch of rabid racists, clapping and cheering before she ever arrived at the surprise moral of her story.
Shoo, Shoo! Hey, Martha, where's the RAID?
"Tea party members are so insistent that they are not racist."
You think?
Perhaps you would feel some of that insistence if you were slurred in print as a "Communist" or a "child molester?" Conservatives, as a whole, don't think about race, don't care about race.
That's one reason applying the 'racist' label to good people they know bothers them more than if they themselves were accused: like myself, they consider it the equivalent to being back in grade school, when another kid would stick their tongue out at them. It's been so over-used, it's childish and says more about those brandishing the charge than it does about those on the receiving end.
the truth is not being told………..all polling is BS………with lies being reported and truth ignored………..can anyone believe any of the poll numbers ???????????????????????????
big doin's going on inside this country,,,,,,,the enemy is within and holds high office
this seems to be beyond the R.I.C.O. Act, it is all corrupt to the bone
The founding fathers gave the press the resposibility of being a watchdog not a lapdog
Exactly. The congressmen (and this has been pointed out to rosehips multiple times, I assure you) have not been pushing it because they and their accomplices in the media want it to be a "truth" they can use and that can't happen if too much attention is focused on the utter lack of evidence. Everyone is just supposed to accept their version of what happened and that's what's been going on in the msm. So, it only makes sense to counter them at every turn and to demand proof that what is becoming the left's "fact" is actually true. Otherwise their fallacious version of events will become one of their truths. They've had a lot of practice at this sort of thing. They're experts. They're just not used to people fighting back.
This isn't the same kind of story though. This is a story about odd behavior from officials that still hasn't been resolved. Is there a story there? We won't know unless the officials on the ground tell us one way or the other.
Like the Gulf oil spill where reporters were kept out. Now there are facts that don't add up to what was said earlier. Anyone gonna follow up? There's a story there if someone's willing to investigate it.
This is NOT elected officials with a vested interest in discrediting people who disagree with them making unsubstantiated claims that were picked up without question by a corrupt media. Claims that only a religiously fanatical Democrat would continue to believe.
I'm growing weary of this GOTTCHA GAME
I've seen it played here and everywhere else before. We are constantly told how important it is to verify….trust nobody, do you own work. So we did. We all did. After that weekend, this story went away…no progress report, no updates.
Until today……
GOTTCHA! TOLD YA SO!
The trouble is….this isn't a game.
If foreign nationals ENTERED SOVEREIGN US TERRITORY AND SEIZED US PROPERTY FROM A US CITIZEN, THAT IS NOT A GAME. THAT IS AN INVASION.
I don't give a rip about what "SOME BLOGGER SAID OR OFFICIAL DIDN'T DENY." I'd like to know the facts of this story.
Was Sovereign Territory of the United States invaded and property owned by a United States citizen seized by force, by foreign nationals?
A simple yes or no will do.
Just pointing out your usual hypocrisy. All in the name of getting at the truth.
You obviously never read the story, so you're just vamping some nonsense. Pundits on the left are running from the Sherrod story, but not before several of them admitted AB didn't smear her and the video and article held all the context needed to understand what the story was about. It's the way you stick with the talking points even when they're debunked over and over that makes you seem so thick. You really should open your mind.
Where there is smoke….
You're right, the story isn't verified. What's odd, and represents exactly the kind of thing that used to make investigative reporters motivated, is the lack of official 'yea' or 'nay'. So, while the early details of this story might not be true, there does seem to be something strange going on. I understand why they might want to keep their ongoing "projects" under wraps, though.
I lived in a neighborhood with just the strategy you've outlined. It was creepy. We basically kept our heads down when we walked out the front door to make sure we didn't witness anything. Ah, college days.
where there is smoke, rainmaker…..
You can't see because your eyes are watering and it blurs your vision. Where there are cool things like cameras and cars….there are "ON THE GROUND" HARD FACTS.
And right now…..a few of those would be handy. In fact, kinda important!
Not sure why this would be considered a "Gotcha??" Though the confirmations just came out at BigJ, it's been available at three of the sites listed above since Monday. Anyone who had more than a passing interest easily found it by Googling it.
16 days might seem like a long time–especially to the reporters who had to endure the body slams in print–for confirming evidence, but sometimes, it takes months.
The facts don't come out as fast as readers sometimes wish they would. That goes double for the reporters who chose to subject themselves to a lot of vitriol for the sake of merely reporting the story.
The police report is a good case in point. Getting that out incurred some professional risk to the person who leaked it. And no amount of demanding it would have hurried its release. In fact, probably just the opposite. More will come out and when it does, it will be on the timetables of those who choose to release it, not the reporters. That's a sad fact. Be glad that it doesn't take years like in the period from 1950-2000.
Read the police report at the link and make up your mind on the simple yes or no.
Thanks for the comment.
We have government bill boards in sections of Arizona warning citizens of the danger posed by illegal activities related to drug and human traffickers, and we are supposed to believe that nothing happened outside Laredo. Arm yourselves, you may find your self in harms way just traveling in your own country.
Oh, come on. That's Dvorak's evidence? An easily faked graphic of a supposed police blotter?What's its source? Who provided it? Where's the corroboration? Why is it this hasn't been reported by any national or Laredo-local news services? Do you really think TV crews would sit on what would have been the biggest story of the year with guaranteed national air-time? Are they all "in on it?" And what about individual citizens in the area? No one saw anything? No one was scanning police radio frequencies?
I'm sorry, but until Dvorak and Amato come up with evidence that can be independently verified, they have no credibility. And Big Journalism does itself no credit by joining in their game.
I call it "gottcha" because almost as soon as this story broke, there was an eerily orchestrated attempt to shift the emphasis from the EVENT to the SIDE ISSUE of "confirmation." The resulting "confusion" may be a story in itself. DISinformation is useful to any number of folks for any number of reasons.
The Patriot Act comes to mind.
If armed foreign nationals have invaded sovereign US territory, that is a matter of National Security. It would not be sinister or suspicious at all if THAT is the reason for the story being "suppressed." or for Disinformation regarding this story to purposefully be injected into it, or NOT denied.
Nobody in the public or media has a right to know the "on the ground" facts of this story at the expense of jeopardizing the safety of Law Enforcement tasked with securing our border or an ongoing investigation of a possible invasion…or the new "feel good" term, "incursion by foreign nationals."
BUT…
If the Patriot Act is being ABUSED for the sake of "politics"and DISinformation is being spread over the internet and media to obscure political negligence regarding border security…then THAT is an abuse of the powers granted the gov't under the Patriot Act. That's a Watergate moment…a "What did the gov't know and when and for how long have they known it" story.
While we're busy running down who said what about it or who didn't NOT say what about it….who's looking into our Border Security or possible abuses of the Patriot Act by this gov't?
IOW….gottcha!
I read the link and still cannot definitively say whether the confusion is DISinformation, indication of a gov't overstep or bits and pieces of an unfolding story. Hopefully details will flesh out at some point.
Thanks for the reply and the point to other sites….interesting reading.
Obviously, the incident at Falcon Dam didn't happen because not a word of it was reported anywhere–and still to this day, hasn't been reported by the local Laredo press–for weeks after an "army" of law enforcement descended on the dam in time to find dynamite planted by Los Zetas.
In fact, US law enforcement was only alerted to the fact when Los Zetas handed out fliers and used bullhorns to warn those on the Mexican side of the border to get out because they were getting ready to blow up the dam.
That happened in May. In June, the Houston Chronicle reported on the story using (mostly) anonymous sources. The Chronicle is reliably lib, are they hoaxers and liars? Fox News next reported the story–almost 3 weeks later when they stumbled upon it during a House sub-committee hearing and the House members were briefed on it.
I strongly suspect that there is little evidence that will convince you, short of a front-page story in the NY Times. Which isn't going to happen.
Law enforcement had their reasons for keeping a lid on this story. In no way do I fault them for that. Having been once been associated with local news, your estimation of the resources of local news is better than my own. During the entire Edwards scandal, not one word appeared in NC local news, despite the Raleigh News & Observer and Charlotte Observer being far larger than the Laredo Morning Times. When that story finally did break, I received emails from reporters asking for the email addresses of commenters who had left us tips, months after we got them and reported on them.
I didn't answer critics aggressively then because I knew what was true from a host of reliable sources who wouldn't speak on the record-even if much of it couldn't be confirmed for months.
But this isn't my story and I can certainly call out the bad faith of people like you who demand evidence and then dismiss it as it's offered. When a story like this is finally confirmed–sometimes months later–in the MSM, commenters like you slink away. It's easy to be brave waiting for a story to develop–my bet is, we'll never hear from you–and others of your stripe–after the story is fully confirmed.
Thanks For the Update! Since I live an hour and a half from the Mexico Border, here in Texas.
Right, now I got what you're saying.
Exactly right…the focus DID shift from the event to confirmation. Where it remains today. There's more coming, I know that. There were others things I would have liked to have said in this article but couldn't-either due to contractual restrictions of sources, or promises to keep certain information off the record. People can make of that what they may, but sometimes, you carry around a lot of info before it can be confirmed on the record by that often-elusive second source.
Good points, thanks.
Obviously, some on here would never have believed the reports of thousands of Mexico soldiers with Santa Ana crossing the Rio Grande and moving towards San Antonio de Bexar, in February 1836 – as the wild ravings of a few Indians and caballeros.
By the time they figure out what is going on, their Harvest will have arrived and plopped right on their little wise alert heads.
I remember when rumors were that Bill Clinton had given Yellowstone National Park to the UN's World Heritage Organization, and the MSM was nay-saying THAT! After all, how ridiculous can a thing GET before the most hard core "Conspiracy Theorists" have to cry "UNCLE!"
So a local radio host of the "moderate" variety got fed up with a local Conservative host, and called the Chamber of Commerce at the small town at Yellowstone's front gate.
I happened to hear that Live, NOT PRE-SCREENED, phone call. hehehehehehe
Thank you.
onecornpone: "The Fourth Estate is dead !"
And LONG LIVE ITS WELL-DESERVED DEATH!
Recently, a local paper (helmed by a Dem) ran a "Letter to the Editor" from the Chair of the local Democratic Party. A reader replied, "Why don't you just run a Letter to the Editor from the manager of a store telling how their products are better? Think how much the store could save on advertising!"
It took a while, but people are beginning to catch on…
Tyler520: "..if one goes down the others might be safe, or have time to bail out during a raid."
You forgot one thing there – that the series of houses are connected by underground tunnels.
TexasStomp: "Was Sovereign Territory of the United States invaded and property owned by a United States citizen seized by force, by foreign nationals?"
I can't answer your question other than to say:
1. Some branches of law enforcement still do not reveal all they know in order to perform their jobs effectively.
2. Not all U.S. property seized by foreign nationals is technically "stolen." More often, the owners of the property are made a "deal they cannot afford to refuse" (for many reasons, including their lives) by the wealthy foreign nationals…
By the way, Stomp, I never doubted for a minute that something happened on the border.
I also never doubted for a minute that it was covered up for any number of reasons – by any number of groups.
In earlier times, some of the news agencies would have been charged with treason for recklessly endangering our country, our people, and developing situations. In recent years, this has become commonplace in order to get a story or, more often, to further their own political views.
Because the truth has been kept from We The People for far too long, we now have a voracious thirst for up-to-the-second truthful news. And that's good!
Except – Sometimes, we need to temper that thirst with the knowledge that the very information we seek could tip off the "bad guys." Elliott Ness could never have been as effective if the Mafia had been tipped off about all his upcoming raids. General Patton could never have been as effective if the enemy had been tipped off about his plans.
As far as border security goes, it just doesn't get much plainer what's going on.
When the states are sued by the Federal Government for doing the job the Federal Government refuses to do for its own political gain—
When the Senate Majority Leader publicly advises a particular ethnic group (involved with border issues) not to vote for the opposing political party—
And when the Governor of a border state says he knows how to solve the border security issue – and is given the "brush off" by the President—
That's all you need to know really.
Thanks Tex,
I'll keep an ear to the ground too. Wonder if anyone's suicidal enough to do a piece on Los Zetas, lol. Or maybe they already tried…akkkkk. :-O
I sure don't want to jeopardize anything the BP or Feds are tryin to do on the border. They got enough on their plate. But if we find out this is a blatant cover up…a total abuse of the Patriot Act by Obama or Justice….
Katie bar the door…….
I hear that, Tex….
And how not like Perry to probie slap him, lol. He must REALLY be worried about his reelection.
And where are all the lawyers in this country?
Are we really to believe that just tanking tort reform in HC bought absolute silence from them for this long on this many blatantly illegal oversteps by this gov't?
And yet….their silence is literally deafening!
Recently, the Dallas Morning News ran an article and factual evidence that 60,000 ANCHOR BABIES PER YEAR ARE BORN IN TEXAS ALONE – AT A COST ESTIMATED TO BE $10 BILLION PER YEAR! (That's just for the medical bills!)
Those 60,000 per year anchor babies don't take up residence by themselves – they have parents, grandparents, siblings. When you multiply the cost of just one year's anchor babies and extend it to other government give-away programs ~ you quickly see why this country is literally collapsing under the weight of the burden!
In 2009, Lubbock, Texas had a population of around 270,000. In just 4 1/2 years, there are enough anchor babies born in Texas to EQUAL that population!
If you add 2 parents and 1 sibling to that number, there are enough anchor baby increases IN ONE YEAR TO EQUAL THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF LUBBOCK, TEXAS!
Anyone who is still confused as to why Texas Governor Rick Perry is not coming out loud about Illegal Immigration needs to consider the above information —
AND the fact that Dem Power Player Bill White, as Houston Mayor, made sure that Houston was a SANCTUARY CITY.
Think about that for a moment…
You've got it backwards. The leftists are so insistent that the Tea Partiers are racists without any proof. Even after video showing nothing happened. Besides, you can't prove a negative.
Well Tex,
That is just insane. No state can sustain that kind of population growth, not even Texas. But I don't see a way out. Hispanics do NOT practice birth control…overtly anyway. I don't see the Catholic Church changing their policy on that one either. So those "anchor" babies will keep on comin.
A Constitutional Convention even if held is not likely to change the 14th amendment either. At least the times I've heard shows with Constitutional lawyers on it….they say it just won't get ditched. Why is legalease to me…but the bottom line…they say it just won't happen, period.
Rock meet hard place unless we pay then a 10th of what they will cost us over their lifetimes to MOVE NORTH!.
I could go for that. Call it the "Texas Rapid Transit" program!
Cut them a fat check, put them on a bus and tell'em as they're loading up….there's a Bench Warrant out for them….just in case they think about comin back, bwahahahaha!
yeah, sometimes, but not always. Depends on the infrastructure in the area. Tunnels are common in rural areas
haha old, don't ya hate having bug bites that itch like mad but you know you shouldn't scratch cuz that only makes them worse?
mousie, c'mon. talking points? How so?
I don't know where I am getting talking points from, unless that is what you call my reaction to the tapes. I haven't read any articles by journalists who are running from the Sherrod story. Can you point me in a direction where I can get up to snuff?
Wasn't the story pulled?
C'mon. The tape was edited to make her appear more racist than she may be. I am not saying she has no prejudice. I contend we all do. But I find an unbalanced amount of outrage among some of the reactionary right that makes the outraged appear racist. When you harp on and on about the New Black Panthers, as if they have a large influence on anyone, it makes you seem like you are trying to feed flames. Not you personally, but those who are obsessed with the NBP party.
I understand it was in retaliation of the NAACP statement. I think they exaggerate too. I got an ireporter livid yesterday when I said as much.
You are right brian, it is almost impossible to prove the incident didn't happen. Why do people insist you can?
believe me Mondo, i have been called a Commie and a Marxist many times. I don't contend that the Tea Party is full of racists, but racists exist, as in all parties.
That's a more-than-fair reply.
Unfortunately, the MSM narrative is not that racism is a behavior that mostly exists on the fringes everywhere…but that racism exists in the heart of every Tea Party member and only in the hearts of Tea Party members–and if no proof exists, they will be happy to supply it.
This manufacturing of charges to fit their narrative in an attempt to discredit those who disagree is not only a despicable practice, it's dangerous. It's necessary to counter it wherever and whenever it appears.
Thanks for your comment.
No. It's still available. Unless you're talking about the story that was de-linked because the author was a douchebag. Yes, that one was pulled. But the story he told wasn't actually debunked and he doesn't work for any of the Bigs. It was a link to a story, nothing more.
If reporters are running from the Sherrod story that means they're not writing about it anymore. You do recall Chris Matthews admitting that the video AB showed included the redemption, right? And then he was forced to reshoot the entire show and they didn't show the repeat as they normally do. Odd. Noted leftist, Joan Walsh, also admitted it was in context and wasn't a smear. So … yeah, that talking point kinda bit the dust too didn't it?
not in Arizona!!…….never would have happened!……true or fake story…we had a rancher killed…ranchers here have listened and learned…also on private property…BP,NATIONAL GUARD,local Sheriff's have no say on what or how we conduct ourselves…only the ranchers can….nighthawkin in the old west meant watching over the cattle during the dark of night…..these days its a whole different ball game!!…..>>>***
ouch mousie. you have sharp fangs for a rodent. Nah, don't watch matthews and haven't followed the story all that closely. And I don't take note of leftists, unless it's Dennis Kucinich and maybe a few others.
If you haven't "followed the story all that closely", then STOP MAKING CLAIMS ABOUT IT. Geez.
Well, until enough evidence accumulates that you haven't followed this story all that carefully either, and then you'll either admit your ignorance or skulk away into the shadows.
I too have had run-ins with the local news agencies. Their coverage or non-coverage of something has nothing to do with the reality on the ground. I learned that one first hand.
You are a FOOL if you think that something is only legitimate if it appears in the national or local press. Do I think that TV crews would sit on this story? Absolutely. And they'd sit on it for the same reason that not a single US publication has published the Danish Islam cartoons.
For you to pretend that newsmen are brave souls in this day and age is LUDICROUS.
Then maybe you should take that as a hint.
Kucinich, the nutbag? In what way do you take note of him? Hopefully to note that he is a nutbag.
If you are a supporter, that would explain A LOT.
And yeah, I agree with mousiemarie – you really didn't follow the story but you have a lot to say about it. Sounds just like Obama and "the police acted stupidly". Must be another lefty defect.
Exactly! The whole thing was confusing beyond belief and technically is still not resolved.
You completely missed my point. The congressmen made the accusations and no evidence was ever produced yet the MSM took it as gospel. What I was talking about is the MSM making accusations of racism about the tea party without evidence, and wants the tea party to prove their not. That's what I was talking about that you can't prove a negative.
If Mexican drug cartels can (and they have) declared "a million dollar bounty on the head of Sheriff Joe", then, this story about them invading and stealing U.S. property is hardly hard to believe.
By the way, there are many a Leftist in the U.S. who may or may not be sympathetic to Mexican drug cartels who would also be happy to assist in harming Sheriff Joe.
Our country, it's in danger.
So where are those cowards that killed innocent women and children in Waco, TX who were only practicing their religious beliefs? Now that there is legitimate work to be done they ignore it!. Oh that's right….the children in Waco were unarmed and easy marks and were not Muslim!
naw, I didn't miss your point Bri, you just missed mine.
are you trying to tell me nicely to go away lady? I might be a bit slow so go ahead and just say it…
I can't make claims because I haven't followed the story closely, Russet? Why not? I saw both the edited and full versions of the vid. Is there something I missed that renders an analysis of them as flawed? What information do I need to make it okay to comment? Am I required to read all the reactions from pundits I don't usually follow? I read what I felt I needed to get the story: AB released an edited tape that made Sherrod appear to be racist. In it, some members in the audience appear to applaud when she talks of sending a white farmer "to his own kind." The White House jumped the gun and showed their incompetence when they allowed Breitbart's tape to be the basis for firing Sherrod. Then the full tape is released that exonerated Sherrod and shows her owning her racism, overcoming it, and helping the white farmer. White farmer comes forward in support of Sherrod. AB retreats and says only that he'd like to meet Sherrod in private. AB does not divulge his source of edited tape and denies that he was trying to expose Sherrod as racist. Admits he was retaliating against NAACP's allegations of racism within the Tea Party.
Now, what else should I know?
Why is he a nutbag? Because he admits seeing a UFO?
I feel I followed the story enough to be able to comment on it. Please tell me what I'm missing.
Well, I finally got to see Breitbart's article and it only coroborates what I believed. He is clearly accusing Sherrod of racism. All attempts to claim that he was merely showing the NAACP condones racism is moot. His point is that racism exists in the NAACP and his "proof" is the edited tape. BigBadJournalism.
Dooney, I believe it's a million dollars FOR Sheriff Joe's head, not on it. No joke.
Well said. thank you.
I thought the video on Gov Perry's web site with him describing being at the foot of the stairs to the airplane delivering the letter and then describing what was in the letter, was pretty close to probie slap. Am I wrong?
Go Gibbs ! (Jethro, not that other little creep at the WH Spin Corp)
That's a good question StarO.
Couldn't the FBI or the ATF send one of their Waco modified tanks down to the border? Might discourage a drug dealer some. Could they lend one to the BP if the BP promises not to remove "FBI" painted on it? If I remember right, there were two at the big bad threat Koresh compound.
Yeah, the TV crews would do just that and they have.
yeh Pat, it was sort of….I'm just used to a more confident, cockier if you will, and certainly tougher talkin Perry.
He is worried I think. His competitor has a lot of Hispanics gonna hit the polls to secure that the border remains UNSECURE and I think Perry may have more of a fight on his hands than he's had in the past.
Also….less than a year ago Texas had $9B in surplus….now they're forced to take that school marmish fed money to pay the rent and his Republican constituency ain't pleased about that one little bit.
Add to that his refusal to be more assertive on States' Rights…being one of the last states to sign onto the Amicus Brief supporting AZ's immigration Bill, and NOT OFFERING ONE IN TEXAS…
Just very un-Perry like. I think he's got a tiger by the tail with that Houston "FRIKKIN SANCTUARY CITY" mayor who can match him dollar for dollar and Houston's a tough town to lose.
He's got just cause to worry. I still would hate to see him lose but he can't seem to find a lever. The mayor has amnesty. What does Perry have but ANTI obama? Texans ain't like Cali loons or east coast "greater good" types.
They wanna see some BEEF and Perry's having trouble decidin which cut to pick.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. I made the classic mistake of assuming a liberal could accept facts over ideology.
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