Border Rhetorics: Citizenship and Identity on the US-Mexico Frontier

7. Shot in the Back: Articulating the Ideologies of the Minutemen through a Political Trial

7 Shot in the Back Articulating the ideologies of the Minutemen through a Political Trial Zach Justus This is a day of shame for America. it is every bit of the sickness i felt as a teenager after the assassination of JfK. it is the sickness i still feel when i think about that day. it is that horrible feeling you got after 9-11. it is the destruction of America as a free country . . . with laws and gosh forbid, justice for all. —CTHELiGHT, a participant in the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps’ online public forum on february 17, 2005,Texas Border Patrol agents ignacio Ramos and Alonso Compean pursued and shot drug-trafficking suspect osvaldo Aldrete-Davila. Davila was given full immunity for his testimony against the border agents despite the fact that agents confiscated one million dollars’ worth of marijuana that he ditched while running from them (Seper, “Gonzales”). The agents did not follow procedural guidelines in that they failed to report the incident to their superiors (Gilot). in the next two years, US attorney Johnny Sutton brought the agents to trial and oversaw their prosecution and conviction (Serrano). in this chapter i explore how the trial was appropriated by the nativist organization the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC), within their online forum, and what the trial meant to this particular group.The analysis sheds light on how the “battle” over the border spilled onto the bodies and stories of salient parties. The rhetoric within the forums highlighted the existing tensions between the group and different components of the government . The other discursive implication of the episode is that it allowed the Minutemen to “side” with specific Hispanic-Americans (the agents) and hence complicate the typical charge of racism leveled against them. The fact that there was even a trial of Ramos and Compean implies that at least some facts were disputed. That being said, certain points have been widely agreed on. Seper reported on some of the generally understood specifics after the verdict had come down: 118 / Justus Records show that after Mr. Aldrete-Davila was spotted in his van near the Rio Grande, Ramos gave chase while Compean circled around to head off the suspect.When Mr. Aldrete-Davila jumped out of the van and ran south to the river, he was confronted by Compean, who was thrown to the ground as the two men fought. Ramos said that when he arrived, he saw Compean on the ground and chased Mr. Aldrete-Davila to the river, where the suspect suddenly turned toward him and pointed what looked like a gun. Ramos said he did not think the suspect was hit. He said Mr. Aldrete-Davila ran through the bush, jumped into an awaiting van in Mexico and sped off. An investigator from the Department of Homeland Security’s office of inspector General found Mr. Aldrete-Davila in Mexico, where he was offered immunity in exchange for testimony. (“Gonzales”) After their conviction on the grounds of assault with a deadly weapon among other charges, Ramos and Compean were sentenced to eleven and twelve years, respectively, in prison. The trial, conviction, and sentencing all served as points of concern for many lawmakers. Seper reported, “Dana Rohrabacher yesterday asked Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to investigate what he called ‘the exceedingly harsh prosecution’ of two US Border Patrol agents now facing 20 years in prison” (“Gonzales”). Even Dianne feinstein remarked that, “undue prosecution of Border Patrol agents could have a chilling effect on their ability to carry out their duties” (Seper, “Gonzales”). These fragments of commentary are only a precursor to the reactions from the MCDC. The Minutemen were almost universally outraged that Border Patrol agents were being sent to prison for the mistreatment of a drug smuggler. Before delving further into the controversy, some background information on the group is warranted. The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps The MCDC is an anti-illegal immigration organization founded in Arizona . The group’s stated goal is “to see the borders and coastal boundaries of the United States secured against the unlawful and unauthorized entry of all individuals, contraband, and foreign military. We will employ all means of civil protest, demonstration, and political lobbying to accomplish this goal” (Declaration Alliance). The MCDC is well known for the tactics alluded to in its statement of purpose. for instance, MCDC volun- Shot in the Back / 119 teers conduct regular border “operations” in which...