Journey For Justice Dec 5th, Day 5: Army or National Guard and military exercise on the Rio Grande

The first thing I see as we approach the underside of the bridge - in addition to the cleared land which I later realize is a fuckin golf course - are a bunch of men in army fatigues and an entrance to the shores of the Rio Grande.

As I approach the shore line, a young soldier marches up to me with one of those ugly, violently offensive ar or ak or a-whatever rifles slung across the front of his chest, with a slew of bullets dangling there and other weapons as well.

He addresses me but I ask him to wait a minute and tell him I need to video record this conversation.

He actually says okay and waits until I turn on my phone and think I'm pressing video. I find out later that I was not really fuckin recording him but about half-way through our conversation the young womon from Brazil who is traveling with us and documenting our journey rushes up to record our interaction. I try to recap what we had talked about thus far.

He has tried to order me off the place where I am trying to take pics of the river. I ask him what authority he has to order me around. I let him know that I am not on a military base, where he does have that authority.

I ask him if he is border patrol, national guard or military.

He claims he is not national guard and I can see on the side where cloth is showing out from the rifle that it says "army".

I ask him if that is the same rifle that recently killed 19 children and two teachers 60 miles away a few months ago. He pats his rifle and says the rifle didn't kill them, a terrorist did.

I'm 'amused' incredulous - not - and say exactly how is a 17 year old disturbed teenager from the community who is not a member of any u.s.ofa. white supremist terrorist groups, exactly how has he decided this youth is a terrorist? A terrorist armed with a military-grade rifle.

I tell him he needs to also explain why he thinks he can tell me I can't go to the bank of a river to get a picture. He then relents, sweeps his arm around to include the other armed men standing around, and claims they are in the middle of a military operation.

"A fuckin military operation of u.s.ofa. soil?" I demand incredulously. "Not on a military base or federal land but on the edge of a golf course?"

I ask him then how long this operation will take place and when will they leave so I can take unhindered pictures of this river.

He claims that is something I can never know, like he's on a top secret mission and not on a hunt for human beings that are so desperate they are treading through a river in cold weather to try to seek asylum in this country.

The womon videoing tells me she will send me the video clip after she returns to Brazil and has a chance to edit and copy it. I'll post it here when I get it from her.