Every now and then something happens to make the news that just staggers the mind. It's almost as if some people are either so incredibly stupid or contrary that they make statements they can't possibly themselves believe.
Take for instance the Border Patrol head who is adamant that his job is not to protect our borders.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Carlos X. Carrillo, Border Patrol chief of Laredo, Texas, told guests at a town-hall meeting Thursday. "The Border Patrol's job is not to stop illegal immigrants. The Border Patrol's job is not to stop narcotics. ... The Border Patrol's mission is not to stop criminals."
Carillo is either totally incompetent, or first in line for a high-paying executive position within the North American Union. He's towing someone's company line, but it sure isn't the Border Patrol's.
Surely I jest, right?
T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing 12,000 front-line agents, said he was baffled by the Laredo chief's statements.
"It is shocking that such a high-ranking official would make a statement that is so completely at odds with the law and the Border Patrol's mission," Mr. Bonner said. "It is equally disturbing that no one at a higher level has taken any steps to reassure employees and the public that the Border Patrol will continue to intercept all illicit traffic that it encounters.
In fact, Carillo contends the sole job of the Border Patrol is to stop terrorists from getting into the country, not illegal immigrants. Yep.
But wait: here comes the back-pedal.
David Aguilar, head of the Border Patrol, defended Mr. Carrillo and said his comments were taken out of context.
"Our mission is to protect our country's borders from all threats," Mr. Aguilar said. "Our highest priority is keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering our country.
"We have never, nor will we ever, decrease or minimize our aggressive efforts in enforcing the rule of law."
One of these two men is either lying or ignorant. Either way that's a bad thing.
