Barack Obama’s El Paso speech continues to ignite controversy.  While Emperor Obama was fiddling around for laughs before a specially selected crowd of adoring fans on the Tex-Mex border, his bungling attempt at humor was not drawing cheers and laughter among the citizens of Portal, Arizona.  Fox News reports:

The residents of the Chiricahua-Peloncillo drug and human smuggling corridor that runs from the Mexican border north through eastern Arizona and western New Mexico are circulating a petition to send to the White House in response to President Obama's recent immigration speech.

"It is with great wonderment and sadness that we listened to your May 10 speech on immigration issues.  All of the joking about moats and alligators cut residents of Portal, AZ, to the core as we sheltered with friends or at a Red Cross evacuation site, to survive a terrible fire that still threatens our lives and property, as well as our ecotourism-based economy," the letter reads.

On Sunday, a massive fire broke out in Horseshoe Canyon, about 50 miles north of the Mexican border, which residents and law enforcement say they believe was started by criminal illegal aliens. Last year, a fire in the same location caused more than $10 million in damages.

"During its first 24-hrs, the fire consumed a greater area than did last year's fire over a 6-week period. Local residents were roused after midnight, and some slept fitfully in cars after fleeing with family photos and any valuables that could be quickly assembled. Elderly retirees left with medical supplies, including oxygen tanks on which some depend," the letter reads.

For all of the Obama regime’s fact-free claims that our southern border is secure, the reality of life along the border is fraught with danger.  Last year the Obama regime succeeded in erecting signs warning American citizens not to venture into the 3,500 acre Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge due to the seizure of that territory by the Mexican drug cartels.  The “Fast and Furious” invasion of America has yet to be addressed in any meaningful way by anyone in the Obama camp.

The ATF (when not starting fires in North Texas) has fueled the border war through its gun running operations which have led to the murder of countless civilians on both sides of the border and the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry late last year.  The gun running programs have been approved by Eric Holder’s DOJ although he has denied any personal knowledge.  Perhaps Mr. Holder has been too busy fighting Arizona’s immigration reform efforts to oversee his department’s gun running activities.

It is no wonder that citizens like firefighter John Gee feel insulted by Mr. Obama’s sniping remarks.  Gee, who is one of the petition drive’s organizers said:

“I’m really disappointed at current border security, I’m really disappointed at the president’s speech saying that people like me wants moats with alligators, but moats with alligators might work, nothing else,” he told FoxNews.com. 

“We’re doing everything we can to get the word out that this is serious problem, it’s not just a border issue, the drugs and crime are moving through the corridor and they keep going to major cities. I don’t know if this letter will help, but nothing else is."

Meanwhile, Mr. Obama could care less for the plight of these hard-pressed American citizens, he has his lazar-like focus on raising record amounts of campaign cash to fuel his quest for a second term.  God help the good folks of Portal, Arizona.  God help us all.

May 15, 2011

paboehmke@yahoo.com