Illegal Friendly Combatants
Fascism is nothing but capitalist reaction.
--Leon Trotsky
Fascism is capitalism in decay
--V.I. Lenin
_________
"The Border Patrol uniform is getting its first makeover since the 1950s to look more like military fatigues and less like a police officer's duty garb (New Border Patrol Garb Means Business)." The uniform is designed to be to be "more operational, more tactical," according to Assistant Border Patrol Chief Scott Garrett.
"Ramon Ramirez, an agent for 10 years, said the new garb looks more military, 'like you mean business'."
The problem with this is, the Border Patrol is not a military organization; not even paramilitary. The U.S. should not have any paramilitary organizations (other than the Boy Scouts.) So why are they adopting this posture?
There is a tactical requirement for the actual beating of the bush that is required of a field agent. While a rugged outdoor uniform is a requirement, surely our federal government could afford to provide an administrative as well as a tactical uniform. The military has several categories of uniforms, from formal to dress, office and combat wear. The border patrol should do the same.
L. Paul Bremer set the standard for glomming military garb into the nonmilitary as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority with those famed combat boots, presumably in case he had the need to hot tail it out of there. L.L. Bean-meets-Brooks Brothers chic. He needn't have worried; bringing crates of shrink wrapped $100 was a good insurance policy.
Dressing everybody up up like make-believe soldiers does not increase the effectiveness of the organization.
This Ranger has consistently opposed the militarization of civilian law enforcement. The Border Patrol adoption of military uniforms is setting a precedent that is unacceptable. What is next--FBI, ATF, State Troopers?
It is bad enough the SWAT teams of our local, state and federal police now dress like military assault team members. America is not a militarized society, although we are introducing the trappings of such through the back door. And in a seamless fusion of U.S. democracy and that which we are exporting to Iraq and Afghanistan, the two are beginning to look the same.
In the case of the Border Patrol, it is a law enforcement agency, and as such their mission is the preservation of life. Wearing a military uniform may lead them into the mindset of military belligerency and entitlement to first option of violence. The function of police is the preservation of life; unless, of course, like everything else, 9-11 has given them a license to kill in the name of the preservation of the homeland.
Having the National Guard military presence on the border enforcing civilian law was the first step in the militarization. Like most of the other unsavory actions we have witnessed these past five years, always a back door introduction, followed by the institutionalization of truncated freedoms.
The question is, since that they are wearing these new uniforms, can they now water-board illegal immigrants, once they are declared detainees, in the Rio Grande?
Labels: border patrol uniforms, mil, militarization of border patrol, militarization of SWAT
posted by rangeragainstwar at 10:16 PM
10 Comments:
Having worked alongside the Border Patrol for years, I can tell you that a military uniform acurately reflects their general self conception. Law enforcement folk often seem to see themselves as being a sort of military-lite. I think it is part of the function of the government to resist that, control that, and make sure there is no bleed of one into another- otherwise calling Homeland Security the Stasi will be all too acurate.
anon,
Yes, I'm always thankful that we were victorious over Nazism and communism. But when I read the morning paper, I feel a bit Yogi Berra-like, and have an uneasy feeling of deja vu all over again.
Ranger wonders when our dear leader will jump on board with the uniform idea. Perhaps Musharrif could be a uniform donor.
hell, ranger, i've been disturbed by folks wearing BDU's all over the place. time was when that was a kit for serious boonies. it never would have been tolerated at the exchange, the mess hall (unless you were just in from a run and leaving for another right after shoving serious calories down your throat)
BDU's/Dungarees, for serious working details
otherwise, if you appeared in public it was Uniform of the Day conveniently posted for your information.
that's why my blues and my whites were wickedly tailored in singapore and looked fucking cool.
there are border patrol units whose mission truly calls for something more functional than a suit and a tie, but my prediction is that we'll see more of this rather than less.
All this happy white hatted mad cowboy on a white horse riding into a fascist sunset gives me a major migraine. Dressing everyone up is just a symptom of the glorification of military (shhh..don't notice the real abuse OF military) that fascist societies always engage in at some point. I have to go barf now, bye.
minstrel boy,
I agree that they have a need for a utility uniform, but does it have to be military in appearance? As you note, we are seeing the militarization via the kit being adopted by all facets of society.
Well into the 80's, it was an article 15 offense to wear fatigues or BDUs downtown, unless at a Quick Stop for necessary items. No place else.
At the Officers Club at Ft. Benning, home of the infantry, there was an infantry bar downstairs where you could wear your utility-type uniform, but it was off limits at the rest of the club, except at lunchtime.
At the post theatre, you were not even allowed to wear fatigues.
Lisa here: Re. your tailoring--you must have been quite the lad!
Are you hinting that it's a bit janus-faced, our view of the military?
One must have a strong constitution (personal) to face these things w.o recourse to Maalox.
Janus-faced, why Ranger, you silver-tongued devil, you! What a pretty way of saying it! Don't make me get out my old (but shiny with practice) Army "field language" to make it clearer to those who missed mythology class!
Ahem--that was I who said Janus-faced. Jim, sitting across from me know, clarified that he would've said "two-faced f**k," in the vernacular.
He says "Janus" has more than four letters. Ranger is the biggest word is authorized to use.
--L.
le got way too much time on your hands.....get a life!
Obviously you people have way too much time on your hands. Get a life and stop finding fault with things that don't matter.
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