299 Comments

I’m completely sickened. Charges should be brought against those men and Abbot for depraved indifference to human life. Part of their prison sentences should be copying the poem on Ellis Island over and over for decades as they live in cells next to non white people.

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Make those murder charges and treason! I think Governor Abbott and the Texas Military and National Guards people who interfered with the rescue, should be sent on buses up to Chicago with no coats and shoes too. Today it has currently warmed up to -5 degrees Fahrenheit/-21 degrees Celsius.

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Preach!!!

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And a rousing "AMEN" from the choir!

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The National Guard is problematic. HOWEVER, they can be recalled to go to some hot spot to assess and alleviate some shenanigans going on anywhere in the world. Perhaps 5 or so years on foreign soil would be salutary for them. Abbott has no say over regular military in Texas, after all. And his little private army would be so out of their depth that it is pitiful.

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You don't understand: Texas has its own private army that dates back to 1823, before there was even a Republic of Texas. They've acted as a border patrol from the beginning, but they've also been involved in a lot of other murderous shit. Mexicans call them Los Diablos Tejanos (for good reason.) The Texas Rangers have done some less-evil things over the years, like stopping the assassination of President Taft and the president of Mexico at the time, or taking out the Republic of Texas dipshits in the 1990s (without killing them all), but throughout their history, they've committed atrocities that far outweigh the good, like wiping out an entire border town whose citizens were Mexican, killing every male resident within, including the young and the old.

In the '30s, when the Dept of Public Safety was created, they became an elite force within DPS, which gives them some cover -- the Rangers are now law enforcement and investigate crimes, and who the regular Highway Patrol aspires to be. Their very existence as a unit is protected by law -- they can't be legally disbanded. The Rangers need to be seen for what they are: a well-trained, well-armed militia under the command of the governor.

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I'd vote for the bus too, but you don't need to send them very far. It's almost noon, and the temp is 23F in Austin right now. In fact, I'm expecting the grid to break down shortly.

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With hate crime enhancements.

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Yes!!!!

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So how do you all prefer your frog? I believe we’re now at medium-rare.

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Trump’s chief advisor in charge of torture, Stephen Miller, asserts the poem [on the Statue of Liberty] to which I think you refer, was a late add-on, and so he claims it bears no weight. Note: that poem (below**) was written by Emma Lazarus in 1883, while the Statue of Liberty, on which it was placed, was erected in 1886.

Of course Stephen Miller would never lie nor distort because George Washington is his idol, obviously. (cf https://www.amazon.com/Hatemonger-Stephen-Miller-Donald-White-Nationalist/dp/0062986716 )

This is beautiful!:

** THE NEW COLOSSUS

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus

November 2, 1883

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Yes that’s the poem. How is Miller alive in this century? I thought all Hitler’s SS were dead by now. Must be another Dorian Gray.

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As you may know, the horrendous irony is that Miller is Jewish, the grandson of Holocaust survivors. You ask, from what 1930s time machine did Miller emerge from?

The following personality bio comes from https://www.amazon.com/Hatemonger-Stephen-Miller-Donald-White-Nationalist/dp/0062986716

“Radicalized as a teenager, Miller relished provocation at his high school in liberal Santa Monica, California. He clashed with administrators and antagonized dark-skinned classmates with invectives against bilingualism and multiculturalism. At Duke University, he cloaked racist and classist ideas in the language of patriotism and heritage to get them airtime amid controversies. On Capitol Hill, he served Tea Party congresswoman Michele Bachmann and nativist Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions.

Recruited to Trump’s campaign, Miller met his idol…”

Miller’s literally The Psychopath’s Psychopath.

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It is shocking. I knew he was Jewish but from the way he acts one would think he is the leader of the Aryan race. His ancestors are rolling. I hope his family disowned him.

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He’s a “home boy” from my neighborhood. He was well-hated in high school and loved it. His family is nice and decent folks. Far as I last knew, they shun him

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‘Who knew what evil lurked in the hearts of men ? A copper, that’s who. After ten years you thought you’d seen it all, but the shadows always dished up more. You saw how close men lived to the beast. You realized that people like Carcer were not mad. They were incredibly sane. They were simply men without a shield. They’d looked at the world and realized that all the rules didn’t have to apply to them, not if they didn’t want them to.They weren’t fooled by all the little stories. They shook hands with the beast.’

Policeman Sam Vimes in Nightwatch by Terry Pratchett (2002).

Miller, Trump and MAGA zealots are not psychopaths. They have shaken hands with the beast. This was a free choice on their part. Only the enforcement of enlightenment progressivist Rule of Law can break them.

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Well, Miller is both right, and wrong. The plaque was not placed until 1903. HOWEVER, the poem itself was written in 1883, expressly to help pay for the Statue's pedestal, so has been part of it since construction began in France. One of those cases about upholding the word of the law, while breaking its spirit, as it were.

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So Rebecca, from the very interesting facts, you report, Lazarus’ beautiful poem is inextricably FOUNDATIONAL to The Statue of Liberty… literally, figuratively *and* symbolically, despite the spineless lying-skunk habits of Stephen Miller, et al. (My apologies to skunks for comparing them to Stephen Miller.)

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Stephen Miller is a freak. Like Trump, he’s not an American. Wholly unworthy and a shame to our country

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This.

Except not next to.

IN the same cells.

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With El Chapo

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Yesssss!!!

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Texas...you voted for this POS monster. Take a good look at what you're allowing to happen. Murder of women and children. The Texas Natl Guard stood by and LET IT HAPPEN. There are no words for such heinous behavior.

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Not only stood by - they probably enjoyed it, the sadistic bastards. Abbot is a sick, perverted pig and belongs in jail.

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Besides ordering his goon squad to let people drown, this despicable, heartless SOB continues with his ongoing human trafficking with no consequences or end in site. It's beyond fucked up that people in high places like Abbott, the tangerine turd and most of his twisted disciples continue to blatantly commit crimes without spending a single day behind bars. It's way beyond a two-tier system.

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How how can this be allowed? I want to scream from anger!

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deletedJan 14
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Jan 14·edited Jan 14

The sooner the better since this asshole continues to use these barbaric policies and practices while it's like he's flipping off the DOJ in defiance.

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It doesn't help that the state AG is corrupt. And that in spite of all law to the contrary, most right-wing assholes believe that Texas has the right to secede when it wants.

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I just dont know how to deal with this kind of mindset, Linda. It's primitive and overwhelming. Hate is too easy for these people.

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Trump zealots hate. I have a twin brother who loves Trump b/c Trump is getting back at people my brother hates. Women. POC. Anyone not male/female. The poor. Immigrants. Unions. And there is nothing that will dissuade him from his support because to do that, he will have to put aside his own hatred.

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Maga is nothing more than a license to hate. Shocking to watch 'good Christian folk' revel in that even as they are obtuse enough to deny that that is what they are doing.

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I'm sorry you have a brother who thinks that way.

I agree; I've been trying to figure out the appeal and it is just that Trump gives quarter to hateful people who, previously, would have been shamed for their horrible treatment of people different from them. Now they have their hate champion.

I am actually angrier at the Republicans who know better, who don't buy into the hate but will vote for Trump because he has an R after his name on the ballot.

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Indeed - have you noticed that they never say something and then produce evidence. They just make up their hate statement, put it out there and then move on to the net hate statement. But the hate is all his "fans" remember.

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I've lost friends to this madness so I understand how you feel. There's no cure.

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I'm so sorry... this is a very foreign mindset for me.

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Exactly

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Sad to have family like that😢

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Only my brother - everyone else is sane.

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This is the face of evil. I have seen it all my life and now it is utterly out of control. What's frightening is that no one seems to be able to do anything about it. We are headed down a dark and terrifying path and I have no answers.

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I'm frustrated that no judge will simply nod to the Bailiff and say, "Take him to jail... he is contempt of court."

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They're all terrified of his brownshirts. Trump has made a mockery of the rule of law.

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How is it possible they no one is doing anything about this?

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Agreed. But this needs to stay in the news. Abbott MUST be held to account.

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I wonder why the department of homeland security has not issued arrest warrants for Abbott and Paxton both. They are breaking Federal law

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No madam, I live in Tx and most certainly did not vote for that fu_ker. The tx governor has apparently caught the wave of hatred from tfg, the wave he is spreading across all of our country. I’m surrounded by the evil of Republicanites, & I, along with other folks with any kindness in their hearts, am just utterly sick at what has become a horrible place to live!

I can’t sell my home & move away right now. But I aim to tell everyone I know about the murder(s) happening at the border.

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What’s even sicker is the fact that the military can disregard orders that violate the Constitution and the Law I’m pretty sure this is one of those cases. Allowing a mother and her two children drown to death.

This Abbott is a psychopath. What was achieved aside from watching them dying?

This is way over the top. I know we aren’t part of the UN War Crimes Committee. But this is murder to the Nth degree.

What is wrong with Abbott aside from his pleasure of watching them die in cold blood!

I just can’t ...

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I worded the War Crimes part wrong. We along with 123 other countries did not sign the ICC agreement where they can be charged with these war crimes in the Hague.

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I agree with you 100%, but just know that many Texans did not vote for that shitass, but meanwhile, back in the blue state of NJ, my dad's next-door-neighbor has a roof-to-ground banner photo of Trump hanging on her house. The good people and the bad people are spread around everywhere.

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I live in the most liberal city in Arizona (Tucson) but in an area that's surrounded by Trumpers. Even the guy who washed my windows had a Trump hat. I think next time I'll wear a Biden/Harris shirt.

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I'd get a different company. Anybody that aligns with such a disgustingly cruel mindsert gets banned for supporting Commander Crazy Pants. His supporters don't deserve your money.

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Get Biden-Harris buttons. They’re inexpensive and go with everything

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My big red old F150 (we camp) has a bumper sticker that says ‘Sometimes a truck is just a truck.’

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I'm sure the voting is rigged in Texas, to make sure the ,slimeballs, (also known as Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz), win!

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We all need to vote in numbers too big to ignore.

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I'm from NJ. There are plenty of assholes there and always have been. Luckily they are (mostly) outnumbered by the sane.

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Well that’s definitely an eyesore!😳

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I agree there are good and bad everywhere, but can't believe there are enough bad people in Texas to vote Abbot in, I feel it must be rigged.

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Texas is gerrymandered all over, and voter suppression is a way of life there.

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The woman and her kids were statistically likely to be Christians. Just as many in the TNG are statistically likely to be Christians. Not that that should make any difference at all. None whatsoever.

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What Abbott and his lackeys did was murder! It is inhuman, abhorrent, and a shame on the State of Texas.

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You think we all wanted this? The Republican party took control of the state 20 years ago and the actual majority no longer has much of a voice.

You think Ted Cruz could win an election if it WASN'T rigged?

We aren't just sitting in a corner moping and whining (ok, I actually whine a LOT about it) but I guess one problem is that those of us who are still marginally sane believe in the rule of law and in democracy. It's hard to fight assholes who see no limit to the atrocities they'll commit to stay in power.

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I fucking hate Abbott. Many people may not know this, but the migrants he’s sending here to Chicago are wearing shorts and flip flops. The air temp is -9 with a windchill of negative -20’s. They are staying in the airports, police stations, and tents. What the actual fuck is wrong with these people?! Where’s the humanity? Where’s the empathy?

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It's certainly not in the GOP, or in any of those "religious " MAGA people.

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Didn't DeSantis' and Abbott's plans for sending immigrants to other states get ruled illegal by some court, somewhere?

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I have no idea. But the reason I posted this is because most of the news has headquarters in NY. I hear about NY, Philly, Boston, and the I-95 corridor, but there is, in fact, news in other parts of this great big country.

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In addition to the cruelty, how are they allowed to appropriate state funds for these transports? Don’t the tax payers care that their money is used for these heartless stunts?

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Yeah, I saw that Pritzker called him out but there's nothing anyone is doing about it. Arrest the fucker already for trafficking.

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Sick bastards 🤬

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deletedJan 14
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It’s fucking brutally, dangerously cold here, and the city is running out of resources for them.

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deletedJan 14
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It’s mostly donations to neighborhood groups: clothing and food banks, etc. I haven’t seen anything on my local Chicago channels about monetary donations.

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This story is so sad. They did nothing wrong and the f****ing Texas National Guard watched them drown for NO REASON!😡 Obviously they were coming here for a reason....this just makes me sick. I hope trump freezes his ass off in Iowa-and those national guards rot in hell. Damn

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How do you watch someone die and know you could’ve helped? How are they different from Hitler’s SS ??????

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No difference at all. This is what Trump intends if he is reelected.

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Horrific! Soulless monsters!

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They’re depraved

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It isn't any different and again shows exactly why we need to Vote in numbers too big to dispute. 💙

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They’re not different.

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That is the point Dr. They are not any different in this situation.

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deletedJan 14
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That’s what any DECENT human would’ve done.

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Hope he slips on a patch of ice and whatever happens from that.

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I'm up here in Montana where I have shut all my blinds and pretend to be living in a cave while our temperatures dip to -72 in some areas. Putting it in perspective: It's now 78⁰ F warmer in my refrigerator than the back yard and there is a 105⁰ difference between the inside of the house and outside.

Reading about the shit going on outside my cave, I'm tempted to stay in here forever. JFC.

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Wendy, you stay in your cave. I love Montana-gorgeous state-but have great respect for the extreme cold. Be safe. 🥶

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Jesus, Wendy, and I've been whining all morning about it still being -6 where I am, with even the wind chill only -26. Hats off to you! Best stay in the cave for a few days.

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Greg Abbott is morally destitute. He cares nothing about the sanctity of life except in the case of forced pregnancy. His MAGA cohorts and he rule Texas with an iron fist, tightly clutching an NRA sanctioned weapon of war. He said that the only thing that prevents him from murdering asylum-seekers is that sane individuals would accuse him of murder. He found a way around that. If anyone deserves to ROT IN HELL, to quote an infamous demagogue, it's Greg Abbott.

Texan women will not go quietly into that good night. There are organizations of female Texans poised to bring him down. Texas women fought tooth and nail for the Roe v Wade victory and they still have fight in them. The way we win is at the ballot box.

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Kick their asses, sisters!

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I hope so.

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I hope you’re right.

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I do hope so bc the Texas women I know have just been using the ostrich effect to the cause.

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This is so horrendous that this would be allowed to happen in the USA, Greg Abbott should be dumped out of his wheelchair into a swamp, he certainly is no better than a swamp creature. Let's see how the media handles this..

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THE CRUELTY *IS* THE POINT.

So, NEXT, will Texas Gov Greg RAbbid have his Guardsmen resurrect upon families Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy, under which “Border Patrol agents took their children from them through deceit, subterfuge, and sometimes outright violence.” (p. xii, in “MY BOY WILL DIE OF SORROW - A Memoir of Immigration From the Front Lines.” by Efrén C. Olivares Esq., Hachette Books, 2022)

PS: It is a fact that hundreds of such children taken from their Mothers and Fathers were LOST by The Trump Administration and NEVER FOUND.

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Always remember:

Cruelty is foundational to wholesome Fascism.

Cruelty and intimidation are among the diagnostic signs of Fascism, but surely *not* on the list of signs of democracy.

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I know that, but we can't just accept it as if it's not important..

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If we accept it, we are no better than they. A woman and her children, fleeing God knows what! Shame, shame on Texas. Abbot has created a boogie man to look tough. While he murdered a mother and her children. And those who are supposed to be the Saviors, stood by, gutless. God is watching. There will be Justice.

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Agree 💯

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Stephen Miller was behind that particular batch. Steve has a child now. Maybe he and his wife will do some soul searching.

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They ABSOLUTELY will not. His wife is as bad as he is, and that child should be placed in foster care. And yes, I'm aware of the dangers and deficiencies of almost any foster care program, but I still think the child would be in better hands than being raised by Nazis.

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It’s heartbreakingly horrible. I can’t even imagine being someone who not only wouldn’t help them, but would actively prevent others from doing so. I hope the “men” who allowed this to happen have nightmares about it for the rest of their lives. I hope they never sleep again.

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They also need to go to prison.

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Abbot and his disgusting ilk need prison. Or worst. This is not Christian.

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I agree with you 1000 percent...

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Christian family values.

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Yep, biggest hypocrites of all time

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✅ Thoughts

✅ Prayers

ALL done! 😀

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Thank you for being the voice of reason in this insane world.

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Texas blocked the Border Patrol from the Border where they were supposed to be to do their job and three people died? That's a Federal Crime with an enhancement as a hate crime.

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Can’t be enhanced enough for the pure evil that’s been done !Jesus Christ ,what won’t these pigs do?

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They'll do anything they can get away with. They'll just continue to go lower until they're finally stopped.

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Where the hell is the DOJ? This country is completely broken.

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That’s my question. I am horrified this happened. It is minimally reckless manslaughter and to me, outright murder. GARLAND, WHERE ARE YOU!

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author

let's give them a minute to react. it's only been a day

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You're right. This is my rage speaking. It's hard to continue being patient while watching the fascists get away with everything, now including blatant and brazen murder.

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I’ll wait until Tuesday. Then on the phone to my Senator and Congressman rep.

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I get it, I guess, but DOJ should've already spoke out.

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I see it as premeditated murder, they had planned ahead to allow these poor people to drown!

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US Marshals should be dragging them all to a Federal Court,right now ! And if not WHY! President Biden should Federalize the Texas Gaurd and arrest all involved ! Kennedy did it in Alabama to desegregate the schools ! Joe ! Take the National Guard out of that senile fucken Butchers hands!

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I'm afraid that Biden and the Democratic Party are cowards, scared to really take on the fascists.

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And the idiots will send their last $5 to LDFF because they’re afraid immigrant children will take their last $5 -- you know, for school, medicine, food, clothing. These are some meanass stupid fucks.

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What heartless asshole watches people drown and does nothing about it? What heartless asshole kneels on someone’s neck until they die? What heartless asshole wishes they could shoot peaceful protestors then holds an upside down bible for a photo op?

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Sounds about white.

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I was furious when I saw this story earlier this morning and my first thought was, “Jeff is going to tear these assholes apart in his next article”. And yes, yes you did. Thank you for capturing my fury.

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