21 JAN 07: INFIL-TRAITORS?
Uh-oh - seven months of investigating at Fort Benning have ended with the arrests of alleged illegal immigrants. Some of them could face felony charges. For instance, if the word "Jihad" is in their names....
The clamp came down this past week at the Fort Benning gates, by Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents. Even this far South, you have to watch out for ICE in the winter.
Federal agents made 21 arrests of possible illegal immigrants, who apparently were doing construction work at Fort Benning. These suspects may not realize there was a legal way around all this. Simply do a different kind of "work" -- by enlisting and doing a tour in Iraq.
The U.S. Army's Corps of Engineers actually is in charge of Fort Benning construction work. The Corps explains it hires contractors, and it's up to the contractors to hire legal workers. So in a way, this is a case where the Army says: "Follow THEM."
Fort Benning officers say illegal immigrants can get past security checkpoints and onto post, if they're in a car where one person has legal identification. This is the most unusual spinoff of "Safety Cab" I've ever found....
But Fort Benning promises rule changes are coming later this year, to more closely check the identification shown at its gates. For instance, a system of badges is planned for contractors. Now THAT should settle everything! Just ask the Muscogee County Marshal how easy a badge system can be.
Only WRBL's web site has mentioned the national background of the illegal immigrant suspects. It shows they're from Mexico, Guatemala and Italy -- yet I'm still a bit concerned. Is there a security hole here, which could allow potential terrorists onto Fort Benning? To hear Hugo Chavez talk, not everyone coming to this country from Venezuela nowadays might be a baseball player....
Even further: does news of this crackdown open a door for other people to invade Fort Benning? The SOA Watch protesters might quit coming to town aboard charter buses, and simply use a convoy of mid-sized cars.
There are other loopholes which terrorists could exploit to enter Fort Benning, which are even more obvious. But maybe I'd better stop here, and NOT list them. I might be accused of aiding "the enemy" - although a spike in readers from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would inflate my ego a bit.
(I'll only drop this hint -- if Columbus city workers don't need that fence around the Second Avenue bridge, it might look nice and useful at the end of Saint Mary's Road.)
OVERHEARD OVER HERE: Two young women had just finished a discussion with Columbus Police officers. They walked into a South Lumpkin Road business, ready to talk about it -- but in a quiet tone of voice.
"We were in that Cuban grocery store, and they accused her of stealing some water without paying for it. We offered to go to the back to have them search her, but they wouldn't.... I think it was a race thing, 'cause I've got money, honey."
Maybe it's more than a race thing -- because the grocery stores near these women are Mexican and Puerto Rican, not Cuban.
We'll let the police sort that out, while we send some Instant Messages....
+ To The Courier newspaper: If your "Street Committee" really thinks REGINALD Pugh is a Columbus Councilor, it's seriously lacking in "street cred."
+ To whomever put up posters on Victory Drive saying, "Chill Will, the Poor People's President": Is that what they're calling Mr. Clinton now?
+ To the Lee County Commission: Did you forget it, too? I didn't realize until late Friday night that Friday was the 200th birthday of Robert E. Lee. But there were no celebrations - not even by Lester Maddox's relatives.
+ To Hyundai of Auburn: Aw, c'mon - what do you mean, your mailing "will be your only notice!!"? I've seen your grand opening commercial on TV at least once....
+ To John Sumner, the general manager of Bill Heard Chevrolet: What happened to Phil Carter? His jackets were a lot more interesting to watch in commercials than yours.
+ To Carol Johnston of the Auburn University fisheries division: That was fascinating! You recorded fish underwater, making noises to attract mates during breeding season. The next time I'm around single women, I guess I'll actually speak up a bit.
+ To the Northern Little League All-Stars: What a surprise - seeing you bag groceries Saturday at a Winn-Dixie store! As I recall, Kurt Warner's sports career went in the other direction....
+ To Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick: How could you? I mean, you should know the law as well as anybody else! You should have known 20-ounce bottles can't be carried aboard airplanes these days.
+ To the man who was sitting at the edge of the road outside Port Columbus Friday, wearing a western hat: I guess someone already told you, didn't they? The Pro Bull Riding was in town LAST weekend.
COMING MONDAY: Did I say this Hurtsboro thing was getting very ugly? Just you wait....
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