Minnesotans haven't heard much from rabid xenophobe Ruthie Hendrycks for a while, but a new letter in the New Ulm Journal demonstrates that she hasn't stopped fighting her war against brown people.
The head of Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform (MinnSIR) and the Minnesota Minutemen, Hendrycks first came to statewide attention in 2006 as the running mate for Sue Jeffers' gubernatorial primary challenge against Tim Pawlenty.
Although her group--MinnSIR is a ficticious name registered to Hendrycks herself--never seemed to get more than 100 people gathered together in one place at a time, she was a go-to interview for anti-immigrant quips for the media until the November 2009 Tea Party Against Amnesty at the Minnesota State Capitol. Ruthie was the target of a classic punking by "Robert Erickson," or Nick Espinosa.
A report in the Arizona Republic, the impetus for Hendrycks' letter to the editor, doesn't seem to be online at the Journal anymore, but the Phoenix paper in still running Come on, Border Patrol, you're better than this. Here's part of what spurred a reaction from Ruthie:
The U.S. Border Patrol, kicking and screaming, on Friday announced clarifications in its use-of-force policies.
They are small changes, just a statement of common sense. That they have to be said — and come only because of pressure from Congress and the press — says much about the need for greater oversight and restraint at this agency.
Border Patrol Chief Michael Fisher told agents to stop jumping in front of vehicles they're trying to stop. He said they can no longer fire on a vehicle "merely fleeing from agents."
And if someone starts throwing rocks at them, agents should move out of range instead of immediately shooting.
Recommendations to this effect were blacked out of a congressionally requested report into 19 deaths, only to later be revealed by press reports. That's an indication that enough pressure driven by disturbing truths can bring change even to this recalcitrant agency.
Had these policies been in force, Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez might be alive today.
He's the 16-year-old boy shot in the back while walking down a street in Nogales, Sonora. Border Patrol agents firing through the border fence hit him multiple times.
Agents say he was throwing rocks. Witnesses say he wasn't. At any rate, the distance and angle between him and the agents would have rendered rocks ineffective.
A year and a half later, questions about the boy's death remain unanswered. . . .
Hendrycks disagrees in her screed, The lesson - Don't throw rocks, in which she appears to fully believe that throwing a rock at a Border Patrol officer is grounds for immediate execution and any investigation or criticism of such action is simply "bias":
. . .It is apparent that the Arizona Republic welcomes the approach for those defending this nation, re: U. S. Border Patrol, to turn and run or use non-lethal force when confronted by potential deadly rock throwers on BOTH SIDES of our sovereign southern border.
Their biased position miserably fails to address the actions of those throwing the rocks; instead it attacks the actions of those on the front lines of our southern border; fails to address why Mexico, who claims to want friendly relations with the United States, does not take a pro-active stance against these assaults; it fails to acknowledge that these actions are utilized to advert/command attention of the Border Patrol to further assist with illegal entry of humans/drugs elsewhere on the border; and, of course nothing is said with regard to the physical harm that these brave men and women endure, day in and day out... no mention of gratitude for their service, just a biased concern with those acting out violently to begin with.
Common Sense - instead of a bias - would tell anyone... if you do not want the negative actions Border Patrol must take when terrorized by foreigners/illegal aliens throwing rocks -DON'T THROW ROCKS! . . .
We're told that as the Brown County Republicans have become more inclined toward Ron Paul and libertarianism, Hendrycks has been left behind. Given the GOP's need to be more open to Latinos, perhaps that's not a bad thing. Approving of the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old is so unviting.
Read more about the Border Patrol policy changes in the Republic's in-depth report, Border Patrol tightens use-of-force rules.
Photo: Taide Elena, grandmother of Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, held a portrait of Jose Antonio in front of the U.S./Mexico port of entry in Nogales, via Tucson Weekly.
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