Replies

Rangers confiscated equipment Simcox was carrying: his pistol, two two-way radios, a police scanner, a cellular phone and a digital camera. "It's evidence of him conducting a non-permitted activity in the national park," Weigand said.

Please Mr. Ranger, what activities are permitted on a park? Is everything prohibited that is not explicitly permitted, or do we have the right to do anything we wish, except for those things that are explicitly prohibited?

Go to www.americanpatrol.com and take a gander at the picture posted at the top. You will note that the park fence is not marked. It looks like every other cattle fence in the area.

Now note the mountain in the background on the right. The main public areas of the park are located there, in a canyon just out of view.

When I read the original account in the newspaper, I had to wonder why she was in this deserted corner of the park and why she she had these guys who were on private property under surveillance for an hour. Then I read Henry Harvey's account (posted on the same page) and remembered that there are only about 30 rangers on the entire southern border.

Chances are good that this is the same rangerette who took copious photos of American Border Patrol's equipment and members when we passed through the park on 18 January enroute to the San Rafael valley on the west side. She looked vaguely Hispanic and her behavior seemed slightly "off" -- kind of a fake friendliness.