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Cries From the Border
Opionion Journal ^ | Thursday, May 25, 2006 | LEO W. BANKS

Posted on 05/25/2006 12:10:09 PM PDT by Warhammer

HEREFORD, Ariz.--Last July 6, Mercedes Maharis awoke at 11 p.m. to the roar of a Border Patrol helicopter hovering outside her living room here, two miles north of the Mexican border. It was pitch black outside. The chopper blades pounded so hard that her windows shook as if under artillery bombardment. She opened the door and heard people screaming and running as the chopper herded them off the hill toward three Border Patrol trucks below.

In her nightgown, shaking with fear, Ms. Maharis grabbed her camera and filmed the scene. "I had to film it because nobody would believe it," says Ms. Maharis, 63, a self-described Indiana farm girl. But she also acted out of instinct. Ms. Maharis is a filmmaker, and she incorporated images from that night into a documentary called "Cochise County USA, Cries From the Border," an account of how the ongoing invasion from Mexico has impacted life in one border county.

--snip--

For the Maharises, promotional trips are difficult because they cannot leave their home untended, fearing it'll be ransacked. Illegals have turned their mountainside palace into a prison. That's Ms. Maharis's personal trauma. "This is my home, and I don't want to be driven from my home," she says. "We came here to live our retirement in peace, and if we can't we'll have to leave." But the nation's trauma worries her more, and she's hard-pressed to understand how George Bush's immigration plan will do anything to help American citizens on the border.

"This is uncivilized, and something has to change dramatically," Ms. Maharis says. "This is like a pot on the stove that's going to boil over, and pretty soon. I had to use my skills to make a difference or my conscience wouldn't let me rest."

Mr. Banks is a writer in Tucson.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: aliens; illegalalien; illegalsarenice
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To: Restorer
"I am not aware of any effective way for an employer to tell if an applicant is illegal. "

Are you kidding??? All you have to do is ask them to speak English. If they can't, you know you have an illegal on your hands.

21 posted on 05/25/2006 1:28:25 PM PDT by jackibutterfly (.)
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To: jackibutterfly

Try it. You won't like the consequences.


22 posted on 05/25/2006 1:31:23 PM PDT by Restorer
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To: Warhammer

I remember when she first put this out. I wonder if she got enough screnings to get her qualified for the Academy Award for Best Documentary?


23 posted on 05/25/2006 1:33:29 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (© 2006, Ravin' Lunatic since 4/98)
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To: RoadTest
Cameras are nice but perhaps grabbing a gun would have been more appropriate considering.
24 posted on 05/25/2006 1:34:47 PM PDT by ANGGAPO (LayteGulfBeachClub)
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To: Warhammer
Has anyone here seen the film? Does anyone know where I could order it?

Haven't seen it yet, but it's available through our Hastings bookstore, and may also be available from Amazon.com.

Friends of mine who have seen it say it is a very accurate depiction of what we are going through down here.

25 posted on 05/25/2006 1:58:11 PM PDT by HiJinx (~ www.proudpatriots.org ~ Operation 4th of July ~ Supporting Those Who Serve ~)
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To: Tammy8

Texas feels for ya'll Tammy! Hopefully, someone in Washington does also.


26 posted on 05/25/2006 2:40:18 PM PDT by wolfcreek
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To: RoadTest
How does one film in the dark?

Probably with the help of the helicopter’s searchlight.

27 posted on 05/25/2006 3:04:36 PM PDT by usurper (Spelling or grammatical errors in this post can be attributed to the LA City School System)
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To: Warhammer

"We came here to live our retirement in peace, and if we can't we'll have to leave."
But the nation's trauma worries her more, and she's hard-pressed to understand how George Bush's immigration plan will do anything to help American citizens on the border.
"This is uncivilized.... "

:o)


28 posted on 05/25/2006 4:01:43 PM PDT by traumer
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To: brazzaville
Spend a few evenings in the Los Angeles area and you will see a lot of spotlights
being used by LEO aircraft.


Absolutely true.
29 posted on 05/25/2006 4:04:41 PM PDT by VOA
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To: RoadTest
How does one film in the dark?

Infrared lamps and film equipment.

I've seen it on a few "nature" shows. One was about some rarely-seen nocturnal
cats in Africa (big-housecat sized).

The animals are totally clueless about being film, as long as the
operator makes no noise/movement and is downwind.
30 posted on 05/25/2006 4:07:46 PM PDT by VOA
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