By Judi McLeod
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Somewhere there's a heartbroken woman in a wheelchair whose hopes ride on the words of President George W. Bush, who said in an interview with KFOX TV in El Paso, Texas, that he would "review the case" of betrayed Border Patrol Agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos.
When American authorities sent her husband to prison, Mrs. Jose Alonso Compean was left all alone in a wheelchair, and it made no difference that the youngest of her three children was a one-month-old babe in arms.
Everyone remembers the inconsolable tears when Mrs. Ignacio Ramos, the mother of three little boys, ages 6, 9 and 13, had to say a heart wrenching goodbye to her husband.
After the limelight died, like the obedient servants they always were, the border agents surrended themselves to authorities and were headed to federal prison for what Congressman Tom Tancredo described as "doing their job"--in specific terms, pursuing an illegal alien drug smuggler.
At last count, the pair was scheduled to be transferred from the El Paso jail to a federal prison, where they will be in lock-up for the next 11-12 years.
On the same day that Bush uttered his first words indicating that there may be a review of the case, Congressman Duncan Hunter introduced legislation aimed at freeing the two public servants.
"Agents Compean and Ramos fulfilled their responsibilities as Border Patrol agents and rightfully pursued a suspected and fleeing drug smuggler," said Hunter. "It is irresponsible to punish them with jail time.
"The security situation on our Southern land border requires a strong law enforcement presence. This conviction demoralizes our nation's Border Patrol and sends a clear message that we are not serious about protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws.
"We cannot turn our backs on Agents Compean and Ramos or the rest of the men and women proudly serving in the U.S. Border Patrol. These two agents deserve our full support..."
There's been a pall on the land since Compean and Ramos were sent to prison; a pall that ruined the partying in Washington to celebrate the first woman Speaker of the House that came complete with singers Jimmy Buffet and Tony Bennett.
The pall originated with a tableau forced on Americans during the Christmas holidays, a time when families' returning to the homefront is everything.
The tears of the wives of the border agents were not lost on John & Josephine Q. Public.
Average Americans could smell the crass politics involved in this all-too-human tragedy.
If the President and American Congress are caught up in a self-made quagmire of politically correct border control, then why should their own employees be forced to bear the brunt?
There was no internal memo sent by administration to border guards with words warning them, "Don't try too hard in doing your jobs. A presidential election is in the offing, and we need the Hispanic vote."
There was no Cindy Sheehan to capture headlines on the way the border is not being controlled, no public demands to allow border guards a safe return home.
Instead, it was business as usual for agents Compean and Ramos--right up to trial, sentencing and separation from family.
Almost overnight, the American government was in the business of separating families; stripping their dignity away and imprisoning men who thought they were doing what the government pays them to do.
The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) is resolved to see this through.
They do not want bones or table scraps from political leaders, they demand the immediate release of the two agents.
"Our political leaders MUST understand in no uncertain terms that the American people want these brave Border Agents released from prison IMMEDIATELY!" states a CFIF media communique.
"Every hour Compean and Ramos spend in prison is an hour too long. Their incarceration is a shameful blot on the United States and they MUST be released NOW!"
Meanwhile, the political machine moves on in Washington, D.C. The President is preparing his State of the Union address; Nancy Pelosi is posing for pictures in her latest fashionista raiment.
Pray that the heartache of the Compean and Ramos families is replaced with bear hugs and tears of joy outside the federal prison from which their husbands and fathers will--Please God--be released.
And for the politicians who let it happen--never forget!
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
Pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. 107, other copyrighted work is provided for educational purposes, research, critical comment, or debate without profit or payment. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for your own purposes beyond the 'fair use' exception, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Views are those of authors and not necessarily those of Canada Free Press. Content is Copyright 1997-2018 the individual authors. Site Copyright 1997-2018 Canada Free Press.Com Privacy Statement