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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRaul Castro, 96-year-old former US ambassador and Arizona governor, detained at Border Patrol
By James Eng, msnbc.com
Castro was governor of Arizona from 1975-77 before serving as U.S. ambassador to Argentina from 1977-80 under President Jimmy Carter. He was U.S. ambassador to El Salvador from 1964-68 and U.S. ambassador to Bolivia from 1968-69 under Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.
A 96-year-old former Arizona governor and former U.S. diplomat says he holds no grudges against the U.S. Border Patrol agents who he says detained him at a checkpoint for more than a half-hour in stifling heat after his pacemaker apparently set off a radiation sensor.
Raul H. Castro says although he wasnt mistreated, agents could have been more sensitive to his age and condition.
I feel theyve got a job to do and I dont condemn them for doing a job, he told msnbc.com on Thursday, but once I was identified and I was 96 years of age and told them I had medical treatment the day before, I expected a little more.
A friend who was driving the former governor at the time wasnt so forgiving. Anne Doan, who teaches as the University of Arizona, called the treatment of Castro humiliating and absolutely ridiculous.
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/05/12582496-raul-castro-96-year-old-former-us-ambassador-and-arizona-governor-detained-at-border-patrol-checkpoint?lite
malaise
(269,278 posts)Is it an absolute fucking disgrace - heads should roll, but with that finger pointing moron brewing up her shit, expect this to disappear.
malaise
(269,278 posts)jackasses wanting power. They don't even have respect for elders who have served.
This disgraceful detention should be making people very angry.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)opposing the actions of the US boarder patrol when he's the person ultimately in charge of them.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)just driving from Nogales to Tucson
freeramsey
(1 post)treestar
(82,383 posts)Once they knew he was 96, they should have let him go. What could he be planning, even if he were an actual criminal?
and detaining someone of that age in that kind of heat was obviously dangerous to his health, whether he had a heart condition or not. These people seem to have the same level of common sense as those who work for the TSA.
UTUSN
(70,783 posts)against the AZ law, against what was left of it, the profiling and discrimination. I was told in no uncertain terms that the detention was performed by the Feds, not by AZ law enforcement acting under the AZ law. I grant that point.
My lament, shown in the highlighting below, was that former Governor CASTRO (of whom I had never heard before), seemed to be collaborating with the oppressors because of all the things he said to excuse them and not complaining. But there is still wiggle room for complaining about potential discrimination: His companion said she was not questioned at all, and if there had been any real threat wouldn't her role as potential accomplice needed to be checked out? Maybe he didn't have a medical disclaimer from the outfit that did the radiation procedure, but surely he had ID and his age alone might have been instant credibility for a medical procedure having been done, at least to let him stay inside air con.
**********QUOTE********
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/05/former-arizona-governor-raul-castro-detained-border-checkpoint_n_1652020.html
.... Castro told The Associated Press on Thursday that [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]he believed the stop was prompted[/FONT] by a monitor being set off, [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]not on his appearance[/FONT].
"[FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]I don't think being Hispanic had anything to do with it[/FONT]," Castro said. He said he was detained for 40 to 45 minutes; the federal agency said it lasted 10 minutes.
The former governor [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]downplayed the detention[/FONT], noting that he [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]wasn't pleased with the way he was treated but didn't file a complaint[/FONT]. He said that he understands Border Patrol agents are "there to do a job" but that they need a better system for dealing with elderly people. He said he was exposed to the sun during part of the questioning.
"[FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]Once I identified myself[/FONT], who I was, and that I had been to the doctor, I was under medical care, I [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]have a pacemaker[/FONT] on my heart, (I would have [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]thought) that they would have[/FONT] been more considerate and [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]said, `Keep on going[/FONT].' But that didn't happen," Castro said.
*************UNQUOTE********
mapwife
(1 post)Once again, MSNBC's story is incomplete and you fell for the roos with all your curse words and negative comments.
MSNBC didn't tell you this wasn't racial profiling because it is a Border Patrol check point that stops all traffic on that road. Stopping all traffic isn't racial profiling. 96 year old Castro has a pacemaker that set off a radiation alarm which sent him for further screening. He said himself that he wasn't racially profiled.
This all happened back on June 12th and some media only picked up on it now and some didn't report all the facts either.
UTUSN
(70,783 posts)Since the SCotUS decision on the AZ law came down on June 25, it is natural for this topic to be of interest over days and weeks, and what parts did "the media" and MSNBC leave out: They said he was stopped by Feds, that the trigger was radiation. I've seen more than three threads with different media links and I haven't seen one that specifically cited racial profiling, although the layers of the timing and persons involved lend themselves to reasonable digesting of all the possibilities.
And the AZ governor's and ARPAIO's behaviors and the AZ law make "all your curse words and negative comments" seem like rain from heaven.
And I, for one, will always fall for kangeroos. (ON EDIT: I swear I posted this before I saw pinboy3niner's post below.)
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)You fell for the roos.
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)life?
chalky
(3,297 posts)n/t
kdmorris
(5,649 posts)"how does one fall for a roo?"
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)...it must be at least a furEEsome.
Marr
(20,317 posts)I'll never forget this one. Concern and "roos" noted.