The notion of Erik Wackernagle committing a "felony assault of a federal officer" is absolutely absurd and entirely out of character. Border Patrol is one thing, think of it what you will, but beating down peaceful people and charging them for something they are incapable of doing is the real crime at hand.

In response to your post, let me take a few moments to give you some insight into the character of a Border Patrol Agent and the consistently thankless job they perform.

I truly appreciate taking a stand for what one believes in. Border Patrol Agents devote much of their lives to something they believe in. They sacrifice more than most will ever know, while America is asleep, stopping dangerous things and dangerous people from crossing the sovereign borders of the United States. I assure you, the federal government pay does not match the sacrifice. This sacrifice does not stop at the agent, it extends to their families.

I will agree that many migrants are only trying to make a better life for themselves and their families, and I might do the same if in their shoes. However, if I chose to do so, I would realize that I was breaking the law and if caught, I would be prepared to face the consequences. I do not believe I would endanger my immediate family in making my journey; I am guessing I would leave them at home.
It should be noted that many entering the United States are not trying to better themselves. They use the border as sanctuary to dodge legal authorities on both sides of the border. These are dangerous individuals to include; murderers, rapists, narcotics' smugglers, etc. that prey upon the migrants from their own country.

The illegal economic migrant should understand that when he or she chooses to make an illegal entry, they are indeed breaking the law, and are placing themselves in the direct flow of these "criminals-in-the-mix." They also place themselves at odds with the United States legal system and the enforcement branch of Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Border Patrol.

The illegal economic migrant makes an alliance with criminals to further his or her illegal entry and actively avoids the Border Patrol unless things go wrong. When they are in trouble, because they recognize who the good guys really are, they actively seek Border Patrol agents for assistance.

In reference to the environment, you should take a look at the before and after pictures of some of the historically high border traffic areas. In areas where traffic was reduced using agents, technology and, yes, a fence, ecosystems have been restored. Ecosystems do continue to be destroyed, not by a fence, but by the footprints of illegal migrants treading on them and the trash they leave behind.

Concerning compassion, I can not count the number of times I have handed my sack lunch to the family in the back of my sedan, knowing I would not have access to food for many hours. I did this because I knew that no matter how hungry I was, they were hungrier. I have seen the pre-cursor to the John Doe sites, actual bodies in the desert and I would not wish that fate upon my worst enemy. There is not a single Border Patrol Agent that believes the penalty for illegally entering the United States should be corporal in nature.

Although I applaud your initiative and overwhelming commitment, I think it is slightly misdirected. In today's environment, symbolism aside, we must be able to identify every single person entering the United States and their purpose for doing so. Have no doubt, there are people who wish to harm U.S. citizens and drastically alter our American way of life.

Instead of focusing efforts on eliminating the fence, which by the way is only a small portion of the overall strategy to secure our borders, I would encourage you to contact your congressmen/women to support and encourage immigration reform.

There must be a more proficient and effective manner to apply for and receive documentation to work in the United States legally. I stress legally, because once you have chosen to bypass our laws and illegally enter the U.S., you SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED AMNESTY. The new reform should only include verifiable, law-abiding persons in need of and eligible for productive employment in the United States. With the aging baby-boomer generation we will need more workers than we are currently producing within the confines of the United States.
As far as the actual "No Border Camp" event, I know of no other agency that can dispatch that number of officers to such a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment and resolve it in such a methodical and efficient manner. The on-scene agents could not have predicted that day's events. To the untrained eye, the video is compelling, but potential riot situations are anything but predictable. When the protestor made physical contact with the agent, he crossed the line. The situation escalated and then immediately de-escalated; not a small feat in such a situation.

There seems to be no doubt in my mind that the "No Borders Campers" have their heart in the right place. I only question the agenda and tactics.

God Bless America

This probably should be on the message board, but at the moment it is very clogged with flaming and whatnot.

I am wondering if the person who was shot point-blank with the pepper pellets, pursued, and then beaten in the head by many police is okay. Does anyone know her/his condition?

Thanks, and much peace.

I wasn't there and it was very convenient that you could only see the Agents' reactions to what the crowd was doing and not the actions of the crowd itself behind the camera man.

Calm down. If a Federal Agent tells you to back up in a situation like that, you should back up. They are not coming into your home like jack-booted thugs and taking you to camps, so don't compare the two. If that Agent tells you to back up, it's for a reason and it's usually a safety reason. No Federal Agent wants to get in the middle of that crappy situation because they know what the demonstrators want. The demonstrators want a fight to look good on their cameras so they can be martyrs. That results in paperwork and problems for the Agents. Every one of those Agents knew they were being filmed and knew the trouble that would come down from the higher-ups who are worried about a future political career or their next raise. Every Agent knew that if it got ugly, the shit would hit the fan. They all knew that they could possibly get suspended or even lose their job. So if all that happened, I'm pretty sure they felt it necessary at the time.

And for my opinion on illegal immigration:

If they want to come here, enter LEGALLY and be inspected. 1 in 9 illegal aliens that are arrested by the Border Patrol have criminal records IN THE UNITED STATES already from the previous times that they were here illegally. I, for one, demand that all people entering this country be inspected for OUR safety. I'm tired of the liberal media pussy-footing around stories of murder, rape, narcotics and molestation by criminals who are in this country illegally. Most of the time the media never even mentions that they are illegal aliens. THEY ARE ALL NOT GOOD PEOPLE JUST HERE TO WORK.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year not only from free services given to the non-taxpayers (out of OUR pockets) but they also send the money they make home to Mexico and points south which keeps it from cycling back into our economy.

I'm not sure about you, but I would rather spend my tax dollars on American citizens that need our help. Do you know someone serving overseas?? What if they are injured or killed? Wouldn't you rather see your tax dollars go to them and their families? Work programs for those under the poverty line, abuse shelters, substance abuse rehabilitation, ect, ect.

Why is it OUR responsibility to take care of Mexico's poor, criminal, and poor criminals?? Do you have any idea how Mexico treats those entering their county illegally??

Direct your righteous indignation towards Mexico and points south at how they treat their citizens, not at the US goverment and their Federal Agents for how they protect US AND OUR BORDERS.

You try being a US Border Patrol Agent for a while and see how you feel. Risk your life daily and be spit on by all.

Oh, and they are not immigrants or migrants. They are illegal aliens. My great, great grandparents were immigrants. That is, until my great, great grandfather died on the ship over here and left his wife to care for their two children. No one spoke English. Guess what? They learned English quickly. They worked, they embraced America and became citizens. They did not fly the German or Irish flags. They flew the American flag because that is what they were. Americans. If you love your original country enough to fly it's flag either above or even with the American flag, or without the American flag completely, feel free to return there ASAP.

"100 Border Patrol officers and attacked a group of about 30 demonstrators on the u.s. side and with pepper gas pellets, tazers, and batons. 2-3 people were severely beaten and more suffered from the use of chamical weapons."

Tasers? Erroneous. Last I checked, the Border Patrol doesn't employ the use of tasers. Get your facts straight. Severely beaten? You don't know the meaning of the words. 'Chamical' (sic) weapons? Just so you know, every Border Patrol Agent who's authorized to carry and utilize the pepperball launching system and/or oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray got a nice healthy dose of it during their training. Oh, and it's almost completely organic in nature--vegetarian and vegan friendly! No animal parts to be found.

Long story short, ya fucks with the bull, ya gets the horns. Buck up, y'all. Find a worthy cause to champion, sissies.

Hippies,

Why do you constantly chant and cry when people of intellect voice their opinions against you. You shout, stay off of our website, and so forth. Are you saying that we are invading your "borders" on this site? Isn't this a free and public website? Are you not infringing on our rights? This just goes to show what pathetic, hypocritical, dumb assholes you really are. Instead of rioting against civility, you should be dancing and singing in rememberance of all the men and women who have lived and died, and continue to fight for the rights that we as Americans enjoy.

Hey everybody,

as a participant, my friends and I are completely disgusted in the way things were handled, from the get go I was in communication with what I thought were a sound and energized group of free thinkers. What I got was a confused bunch of idiots who had no plan, no message and definitely no idea as to what was going on.

The site preached one thing and when we got to the camp, we saw just the opposite. I could not believe the way some of the campers carried themselves, and when we began to set up came, you tore down bushes to create a wall. What was that all about, it clearly sent the wrong message, on one hand your protesting a wall and yet you build one to keep people out.

The actions throughout the week were even more confusing, we were supposed to have daily meetings to disucss ideology and ways to better ourselves and the world we live in and instead whenever someone would try to call the camp to order, they were ignored and still the music played, a bit hateful for my taste, since the music had nothing to do with the evnet.

When we went to the detention center on friday, that became the joke of all jokes, we went from supposedly protesting the Evil Immigration Empire and what exactly did we do we walked around the camp and shook a fence and then decided to go out in front of the Detention center and block traffic, what that had to do with Immigration issues and your message left me and my bros totally confused.

It was at this point that we left "your protest" and quite glad we did, for we could have been one of those individuals who got hurt for nothing, other then someone who clearly (saw the video numerous times) as my friends and I agree violated the space of the agent and therefore got what he deserved. You say that this attack was without warning and that people got tasered, beaten, and sprayed with pepperballs, and so forth, dude what is up with you? Are you so into spreading propaganda, that you would sacrifice the cause ( which has yet to be determined), wake up and realize this.

We were there and we saw what went on and we freely decided that you (No Borders Camp) are nothing but a bunch of freaks with no cause but your own. Now your response as I seen in the replies, will be to tell me to fuck off and that I'm the migra and or better yet I'm a race trator, so let me beat you the punch, I AM NEITHER, I along with my bros went to the camp with the intention to make a difference, but instead found people who only wanted to make noise, disgrace and incite the Agents into action.

So Listen up you wannabe protestors, and you know who you are, YOU STATED THAT THIS PROTEST WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL, AND THROUGHOUT THE CAMP NOT ONE MENTION WAS MADE OF THAT HISTORIC EVENT.

Finally, I close with this question, in the artist rendering of Guns turn us into Monsters, Why is the male subject brown, why not white?
Just another confused message your sending, to your Mexican\latino brothers and sisters.

STAY CONFUSED AND OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

SORRY I ATTENDED

You and your little organization, and I use that word loosely, are perhaps the most pathetic collection of posers and wannabes I have ever encountered in my entire life. In fact, let's forget that perhaps. You are indeed the most ridiculous group of over-priviledged white children that I have had to deal with. You used this town, it's people, and it's many issues simply to draw attention to yourselves because mommy and daddy are too busy making money to pay attention to you. Please do not deny that the majority of you come from wealth. One need only count the number of laptops, i-pods, digital cameras, and top of the line tents to know you are rich kids who can afford to leave school behind for a week to go camping. But instead of taking out your teen angst on your parents you chose to focus it on the government whose protection your live under. And why should'nt you? If you tell Dad to go fuck himself he'll take his money with him and then how will you be able to afford more bongos.

You came here with no clear message, no clear goal, and obviously no plan. You show up to draw attention to the evil of borders and then proceed to build one around your camp.

Not long ago some very brave and patriotic americans taught us all how to fight for what they believed in. They marched, boycotted, and sat-in. They showed us what it was to believe in a cause and fight for it. They fought and many died so that others would have the right to live a better life....you on the other hand had a dance party. You watched movies on your $1500.00 laptops. You slept in $200.00 sleeping bags and took videos and pictures to put on your blogs to prove what a rebel you are. You played your songs and preached anarchy, chaos and the destruction of government as you consulted your lawyers. You skipped the workshops and meetings to sit by the fire and play guitar or go to clubs in Mexicali. You booed your own organizers when they tried to stop the "dance contest" to have a meeting. You so eloquently voiced your hatred of the Border Patrol by saying, " I'd rather grab another dude's sack than do your job." Not quite Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.

You wasted days of your lives and you know it. Nobody in Calexico gave a damn about what you are doing. They laughed at all the silly white kids trying to be revolutionaries. If you doubt my words then just consult the local paper. I believe the name of the editorial, which was just about the only press you had in the area, was entitled "No Borders Camp: Dumb idea". The only interest you got from the south side were from the chollos who stole your shit when you were busy cursing the Border Patrol for their "unnecessary presence along the fence". Right...who needs law enforcement there anyways, except maybe those of you who expressed fear of walking the distance between the camp and the port of entry.

You curse the Border Patrol and the immigration laws of the United States. You don't see the service they perform for you and your loved ones on a daily basis. That's because you don't want to see. You made your mind up before even arriving here. I doubt most of you have ever even been to a border town before except when you were on your way to spring break. You chose to ignore the countless criminals, drug smugglers, and terrorists who would very much like to cross our borders and do what they wish. You don't care to ask how many murderers, rapists, child molestors, wife-beaters, gangbangers, drug dealers, drunk drivers and other assorted miscreants are apprehended or deterred by the men and women of the Border Patrol every year. Take the time and look at the victims of crimes perpetrated by illegsal aliens in this country. Maybe you can invite the parents of one of the many little girls who were raped and murdered by an illegal alien to your next camp. I'm sure they'd have lots to talk to you about.

You came here hoping for a confrontation and you did everything you could to provoke it. But you could'nt get the Border Patrol to bite. You called them names, you insulted them to their faces and they did what they are trained to do....their jobs. For four days they stood face to face with you as you preached hatred and violence against law enforcement. You called them fascists and pigs, and they did not hit you. Because better people than you fought for you to have that right.

You tore down the flag that better people than you wore on their uniforms as they fought for freedom, justice and the destruction of tyranny. The same flag that represents the rights you hide behind. When you began your little "day of artistic expression/riot" there was a homeless man on a bench outside the Clinic on first street in Calexico. As agent after agent ran to defend their brothers and sisters from you ne'er do wells, he yelled out to them with anger in his voice, " They tore down my flag!!!, those little sonsuvbitches tore down my flag". You managed to piss off the most disenfranchaised man in Calexico, way to go kids. You dishonor every American who put on a uniform and actually did something to make the world a better place. And you do it the day before this country celebrates it's Veterans. Men and women who held the hands of their comrades as they died horrible deaths in places you won't go because they don't have a wi-fi connection or a Starbuck's.

You spread lies to make your little "event" seem more important and intense than it really was. You label a picture with one agent holding a camera as "heavy surveillance". When anytime a Border Patrol Agent looked at his watch he had 12 of you filming him. You show pictures of agents arresting illegal aliens and tell tales of how they are deprived of water, even though the picture clearly shows a water cooler on the back of the air conditioned truck. You say that the pepperball guns agents used carried rounds that can make a person, evacuate their bowels instantly...did you see that in a movie or what? What kind of James Bond bullshit is that? Honestly, with all the "artists" there, did'nt any of them take creative writing? Your press release concerning your "kissing booth" yesterday, which was suspiciously released almost immediately after it occured, claims that your people were tased? Did the Border Patrol use their imaginary tasers on you. Maybe their invisible? They must keep them locked up next to the "super-shit yourself guns". Go call your local Border Patrol Station, or Customs and Border Protection, or the Department of Homeland Security. or Michael Chertoff and ask them to show you the tasers that the Border Patrol has. You could, but you won't. Because we both know the Border Patrol does not carry the taser in it's arsenal of non-lethal weapons. At the very least watch your video of the "brutal attack". Where are the tasers? Where are the scenes of the 15 agents beating one protestor? Come to think of it, where are the first few minutes of the confrontation as bongo boy repeatedly pushes against the agent trying to talk to him? Where are the videos of your companeros on the south side throwing rocks and bottles of piss at the agents. Must have ended up on the cutting room floor right? You people have a real knack for propaganda. Joseph Goebbels would be proud of his 21st century proteges.

When you can't lie you play stupid. A Bi-National kissing booth? Another strike at the heart of the evil American Empire. I truly had to smile as you tried to slip it in that you only wanted to cut a small hole in the International Boundary Fence, aka Federal property. No big deal right? Maybe you won't be pissed off then when somebody starts cutting holes in the side of your houses( I mean your parent's houses of course).

You got away with vandalism and destruction of property for days, but you just could not end it peacefully. You had to destroy a little more, push a little further, break a few more laws. You read the local paper and saw what a joke the people of this county thought you were. You could'nt go back to your blogs, zines, and student papers without something to show for it. Who wants to watch a video of a bunch of hippies dancing to bad music trying to relive the sixties? That won't get hits on your site. You needed action. When the agents did'nt beat you when you called them names, or shit all over their home, and desecrated their flag you did all that was left. You commited crimes.

Those of us who were there to witness the last few days will always know the truth of what truly happened. You can attempt to rewrite history. Try to exaggerate your supposed victories and hide your mistakes and shortcomings. But tomorrow you will go back to class and Calexico will go back to the exact same town it was. You have accomplished nothing and deep down you know it. You excelled only at making yourselves look immature and foolish. We both know that in a few years you will graduate from whatever school mom and dad have paid to watch you for the last four years. They'll give you a big hug and some expensive graduation gift in return for staying out of their hair. Then you'll in turn cut your hair, buy some conservative clothing and go make money just like them. You may drive a hybrid or drop $100.00 to Greenpeace once a year as you horde the rest of your income. You'll tell all your co-workers at the bank/law firm/office about how you fought for the rights of the underpriviledged as you sip your latte and underpay your secretary who is trying to raise 3 kids on the pittance you throw them. But you will always know that you were a fake. A bigger phoney than Holden Caufield could ever conjure in his imagination.

You were all just angry little babies crying for some attention. You wanted so badly to be unique and special, yet you looked like every other sad sack at the "camp". All the bad facial hair and patches from obscure bands sewn onto your jackets can't hide the spoiled child inside. You hide them behind bandanas but they will always be there. Selfish, petty, and greedy.

We all hope you had fun on your camping trip children. Go enjoy your lives and continue not making a difference. Show off your bruises and scrapes in an effort to get laid back in the dorms. Tell your lies and post your edited videos. Just please never come back here. Stay in your gated communities where the only minorities are the "help". I ask only one thing. The next time you see a story about a police officer saving another person's life, or putting themselves in the line of fire to protect a stranger. All for the same amount of money that your dad paid to send you to school for four years to study basket-weaving. I want you to remember what you called those agents who stood shoulder to shoulder with each other yesterday. Who without a word took their place on the line to protect another agent that they most likely never met before in their lives. Who would have died to save one another or any civilian who came to close to one of your rocks. The people who truly stand for an idea. Who fight for it every single day and get no thank you but a meager paycheck. Remember that you called them Nazi's as they protected the flag that men carried as they defeated the Nazi's. Remeber that you called them fascists as they stood by for days and respected your civil rights.Remember that you called them pigs after they shared their food with you. Remember you told them their children would be ashamed of them as you shame your forefathers. Remember your hate-filled insults the next time you see someone stand up to fight for the laws of this land as you dance.

Remember what you have done. Remember it honestly and without bias. Don't remember what your editors have presented. Remember what you saw in Calexico, California in 2007. If you can find the courage to do that, then maybe there will be some hope for this generation.

I was down in Calexico the other day (not participating on either side) and I watched everything that happened. I was quite disapointed how a "peaceful" protest turned so ugly. The campers showed so much disrespect for other individuals no matter what their affiliation. A "peaceful" protest hardly involves disrespecting other's individual space and being rude! What I saw was Border Patrol responding to a pushy crowd who was crowding into their personal space and being rude. I saw no "beatings", no "tazers", and no "chasings". And I saw no one who needed serious medical attention. If you are going to report on things then why don't you report the truth? Isn't that what we all want? The truth? I was sad to see how this whole week turned out with this "Camp". If you want to make a difference and you believe in what you are doing then why all the masks and the clown make-up? I know that the actions of a few don't speak for all, but maybe next time you will want to be more careful about who really believes in this cause and the ones that are just there trying to start trouble.

some of these comments are made by border patrol and/or their informants. notice that some of them cite verbally provoking the border patrol agents at the camp and thus "asking" for a beating. it's my understanding that a lot of this attack has to do out of spite and revenge for the camp taking place. just a bunch of assholes taking on their personal vendettas, notice in the video the BP agent laughing as someone is cornered and being repeatedly shot by the pepper pellets. i hesitate calling these people human beings.