So Alert That They Are Seeing Noises
Okay so there’s this group running around Texas with enough ammo to declare war on Venezuela who have found a way to live the rock band life without the bother of musical instruments.
They originated in Murietta, California, and they call themselves Operation Secure Our Border. Mostly, though, they raise suspicions and money.
Note this headline on their website with a big DONATE NOW sign next to it:
Well, that would certainly scare the crap outta me.
‘Cept it never happened. Bud Kennedy at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram jumped on top of it.
The moneygrubbing “border volunteers” on their way here to play soldier published a dramatic fund-raising pitch Monday about how Texas is a “war zone” and how they barely escaped cartel gunmen who supposedly surrounded the Van Horn Comfort Inn.
That didn’t ring true to folks in Van Horn.
For starters, there is no Van Horn Comfort Inn.
“If Mexican cartels had surrounded a hotel, we would have had a few phone calls,” Sheriff Oscar Carrillo said Tuesday, accusing conspiracy promoter Eric Odom and the Murrieta, Calif.-based Border Convoy group of making up the entire story.
Wait, wait, they made up a story to raise money? What are they? The O Henry of Gun Fetishes?
And they are pestering local law enforcement.
Carrillo confirmed that the sheriff’s office had one phone call from the convoy Monday morning about 5:30. A caller giving the name Pete Santilli reported “somebody following them,” Carrillo said, but could not give a description.
Santilli is a Utah-based online talk host and entertainer.
Dude, how do you know someone is following you if you can’t give a description? You’re being followed by invisible stuff? Hell, even zombies can be described.
The El Paso County Judge pretty much got it right …
Last week, El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar wrote in The New York Times that the idea of an ongoing border crime crisis is a “myth” contrived for the fall elections.
“It’s untrue and it’s hamful,” she said by phone.
“They use the same playbook over and over again, because it’s red meat for conservatives in the rest of the country. It looks real good to come down to Texas and fly helicopters or wave guns at the border. But it hurts us.”
But the Gun Fetish Tour continues along the border because it gets attention, makes money, and scares poop out of some guy in Des Moines, Iowa, that the Mexicans are coming to get him. Helluva business.
By the way, according to their website this is how the renegade posse views themselves —
I just checked and it’s going to be 103 degrees in McAllen and Laredo today so … good luck with that heat stroke thing, guys.
Maybe they could buy a coupla guitars and get a mic and be legitimately crazy. I bet the guns fired into the sky could be the rhythm. And nobody messes with guys like that. Our oldest son, lead guitar in BRUTAL JUICE, said once, “I don’t know why folks are afraid to go out at night in New York City; we were out at 4 am and nobody bothered US.” You betcha. Nobody in their right mind would have bothered them. Fortunately they’ve gotten a little more civilized.
1Long ago there was an article in Texas Monthly about what is really the hottest place in Texas when humidity and windspeeds are taken into account. A Heat Index if you will – kind of like a Chill Factor.
Guess who “won?” Laredo!
Go for it guys!
2The guy in the photo is wearing a keffiyeh. If the heat does not get them, the crazies convinced of Islamic threat coming across the border will.
3Doesn’t the state of Texas collect taxes on businesses collecting revenue in Texas for activities performed in Texas?
4Like Anna above, I was a little confused about the keffiyeh wrapped around the neck of that supposed patriot. What’s the deal, dude? You couldn’t find a red, white and blue bandana?
5Off topic, but I’m tired of trying to comment on crazy people.
Re Marge Wood’s story, I went to a science fiction convention in NYC in 1977, and after the costume contest a bunch of folks went down the street to a midnight showing of Star Wars. When asked if they weren’t afraid to be walking around New York at 2 AM, one replied, “Who’s going to mug a group that includes three Darth Vaders?”
6HEY, now. At least O. Henry did TIME for his scams.
Love, Lex in Greensboro, Mr. Henry’s birthplace.
7The O. Henry of Gun Fetishes? More like the Marquis de Sade of Gun Fetishes. O. Henry lacked the weird sexual component. Also lacked the fetishes.
8Speaking of seeing noises….
9http://people.csail.mit.edu/mrub/VisualMic/
3 of my 4 grandparents came here illegally across the border with Canada. Which border needs watching?
10Corinne Sabo, didn’t Ted Cruz arrive here legally with his parents? If that is correct, we really do need immigration reform. What we don’t need is a bunch of racist ammosexuals terrorizing children who have every right and reason to seek asylum here.
11But Corinne presumably your grandparents and you are white, Despite what the wingers claim it makes a lot of difference. The Cruzer’s even more white than not besides being Cubanadian.
12@d’rocket: “Cruz is a Cubanadian” for the win!
13The name Pete Santilli rang a bell and I looked it up. He was involved in leading a bunch of bikers were were going to go into Mexico last June and break out an American Marine who has been held there for 3 months waiting for trial. The Marine sergeant apparently made a wrong turn and would up in Mexico with 400 rounds of ammo and a loaded AR-15, 45 caliber handgun and a shotgun. They never crossed the border as the organized rescue mission fell apart on the way down.
14P.S. This took place in San Diego, California.
15Now where would a good old red white and blue American boy get him some Arab gear? Amazon?
16So, a guy in a convoy of cars called to complain about being followed – perhaps he’s not clear on the definition of “convoy.” You know, where there’s a string of cars, all following the lead car. ..
17@RepubAnon
18(cue music…)
“Breaker one nine … we definitely got the front door, good buddy. Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy…”
This group never made it down to the border. Today they were screaming their hate in front of the office of the Mexican Consul here in San Antonio. They apparently weren’t able to get national news coverage, so, tomorrow they plan to move their protest up I35 to Austin. Maybe Rick, Greg, and Dan will appear with them. Stay tuned for the latest developments.
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