Marijuana with a Side of Injustice

Here is a case of backwards justice: Today two border patrol agents serve the first day of eleven- and twelve-year prison sentences, respectively. In February of 2005, the two guards stopped a suspicious-looking van on the U.S. side of the border. Inside they found an illegal Mexican immigrant, who had successfully (well, up to that point anyway) smuggled nearly 750 pounds of marijuana into the U.S. When the illegal immigrant/drug smuggler tried to escape by running toward the Mexican border, one of the agents shot him in the butt in an attempt to prevent his escape.

The drug smuggler did get away, but was later contacted by a U.S. Homeland Security official who heard about the incident and offered immunity to the smuggler if he would testify against the two officers. Last March, a jury found the officers - the U.S. officers protecting our country from 750 lbs. of marijuana to be sold and distributed to your friends, neighbors, and children - guilty of several charges including assault with a dangerous weapon and violating the drug smuggler's "civil rights." Does that seem strange to anyone but me? An illegal immigrant smuggling drugs into our country is - at the initiation of an agent of our own government - is given excessive liberties while U.S. officers in charge of stopping said illegal immigrants/drugs are punished, and punished severely.

At this point, nearly two years after the incident at the border, there are allegations - and even some evidence - that the border patrol guards did not follow standard operating procedure in firing upon the smuggler. Whether that is true or not, the fact is that these two officers are serving double-digit jail sentences (away from their families and children, I might add) for preventing over $1M worth of illegal drugs from entering our country. One of the officers (Ramos, who was nominated Border Patrol Agent of the year in 2005) is quoted as pointing out, "There's murderers and child rapists that are looking at less time than me."

Meanwhile, as these men serve the first day of their decade-plus years in jail, Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, the illegal immigrant attempting to smuggle in the drugs, has been granted complete immunity from all charges by the U.S. That's right - because someone thought the U.S. border guards needed to be made examples of, Davila is no longer legally culpable for entering the U.S. illegally or bringing in almost a ton of pot with the intent to sell and distribute to American citizens. He is now actually suing the U.S. Border Patrol for $5 million, citing that his civil rights were violated. (I suspect he is doing so with the help of several opportunistic lawyers and U.S. officials looking to make some cash.)

Has justice been served here?

If you don't think so - and I certainly do not - let the White House know. You can call the White House directly and leave a message at 202-456-1111 or email them at comments@whitehouse.gov. Ask that President Bush pardon Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, the two border patrol agents imprisoned for doing their jobs and guarding our borders. They'll know who you are talking about. Seriously. In less time that it took you to read this, you can send an email.