There was a slew of criticism directed towards border patrol agents after they had used tear gas to repel hundreds of migrants trying to storm the U.S.-Mexico border. Rocks were also thrown by the migrants, where three agents were hit with minor injuries due to wearing their riot gear.
Some have even gone as far as comparing law enforcement’s response to the Holocaust and the deadly chemical weapons attacks in Syria.
For Eli Crane, Navy SEAL veteran and CEO of Bottle Breacher, the comparisons are way off base.
“I’m always amazed at how so many critics are only willing to put themselves in the shoes of those in the caravan who honestly just seem to want a better life,” Crane told Townhall. “I wonder if these critics spent the day in the life of an border patrol agent on our southern border who routinely get shot at, assaulted and targeted with rocks and cinder blocks if it would open their eyes to the bigger, more total picture.”
Having been exposed to tear gas himself, along with the author of this article, Crane points out how there is no comparison to the murder of millions of people:
I have personally been exposed several times to tear gas in the military and though it’s not fun and uncomfortable it’s not that big of a deal. These are exactly the types of wild, irresponsible, attention seeking comments that continue to perpetuate ‘fake news’ and very low levels of trust.
What exactly would they like to see our Border Patrol do when they are being assaulted during a bum rush of over 1,000 migrants on the border. Lock arms and hope that the mob doesn’t break through? Practically any LEO or veteran who has ever been trained to handle violent and non compliant personal understands how quickly a situation can get out of hand if you apply to much or too little force to stop a threat. Isn’t it funny how we have never seen this kind of outrage in the nearly 500 times these same deterrents have been employed since 2012?
“Any security expert will tell you that real security is an implementation of overlapping deterrents. In this case real border security would include, a wall, highly trained agents, aerial surveillance accompanied with cutting edge security technologies to harvest intel and data,” he continued.
Crane told Townhall it is a very difficult situation, but that does not excuse the blatant disregard for the nation’s laws:
Unlike many critics I am willing to put myself in the shoes of people on both sides of this event. If I was living in poverty in South America or anywhere else for that matter I would absolutely want to give my family a better life and opportunity as well. I would want to come to the USA. I, however, would not join a caravan or hire a coyote. I would legally apply for US citizenship and wait in line like so many intelligent and hard working immigrants who had come before me. Just as my parents taught me from a young age that nobody owes me anything. I would not and do not believe that the USA or any other country owes me the right to join it. I would make it my mission to prove that I could contribute to the country I so badly wished to join.
“There is also not a snowball's chance in hell that I would ever show up to another’s countries border waving my home countries flag and throwing rocks at their armed guards,” Crane said.