M A R I A C H I S A N T E P O R T A S !
October 11, 2006 — Reports of an elephant crossing the river or people
trying to smuggle an elephant across were rampant Tuesday while an
elaborate political stunt was taking shape near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
It was a while later that the stunt, which was a photo shoot, was
abruptly met by federal agents.
“The elephant never made landfall into Mexico, but I tell you
something, he could have made 15 laps back and forth, but no one showed
up,” said Raj Peter Bhakta, a former star on the NBC show “The
Apprentice,” who also is a Republican candidate for the 13th District
U.S. House of Representatives seat in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Three elephants, two African and an Asian, were taken out to a ranch
near Boca Chica beach to perform, the 31-year-old Bhakta said.
He was in Brownsville to raise funds with friends and decided to get a
first-hand look at border security while he was here, he said.
In Brownsville, he witnessed half a dozen men swim under one of the
international bridges “with complete immunity” which in turn prompted
him to take the immigration issue to the next level.
Bhakta decided to see if he could get an elephant accompanied by a
six-piece mariachi band across the river.
According to his Web site, he is in favor of “sensible immigration
reform” and supports a border fence, local law enforcement assistance
with immigration laws and the use of the National Guard troops to help
the U.S. Border Patrol.
“To my surprise, the band played on, the elephants splashed away, and
nobody showed up,” Bhakta said of the stunt. “I’m astounded.”
The elephants came from Shrine Circuses, said James Plunkett, who
produces the circus. They arrived in Brownsville on Monday and were
scheduled to be on their way to Maybank on Tuesday afternoon. The
elephants and the crew were at the Rio Grande for less than an hour,
Plunkett said.
Plunkett said he and his crew were hired for a “photo shoot” and
entered the Boca Chica beach area without any notice from the Border
Patrol. However, when it became clear that the elephants were in a
quarantined area, the Border Patrol alerted the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the elephants had to be detained.
The animals needed to be sprayed for ticks.
Rumors made their way around town and back to Plunkett and his crew, he
said.
“We were hearing all kinds of crazy stuff ourselves,” Plunkett said.
Someone reported to the Border Patrol that people were smuggling
elephants, he said.
Bhakta was getting on a plane Tuesday afternoon shortly after the USDA
released the elephants and they began their journey back to Maybank.
He said he was “staggered” by what happened on Tuesday and was planning
on sharing the story with his potential constituents.
“If I can get an elephant led by a mariachi band into this country, I
think Osama bin Laden could get across with all the weapons of mass
destruction he could get into this country,” Bhakta said.
The mariachi band was not immediately available for comment.
Anmerkung Dikigoros:
Es gibt Leute in Europa, die sich darüber lustig machen, daß sich einige Amerikaner über solche und ähnliche Meldungen lustig machen. Dabei hätten sie allen Grund, sich an die eigene Nase zu fassen: Während die Amerikaner sich schon über die "Invasion" einiger arbeitswilliger, aber ansonsten harmloser Mexikaner aufregen - die eigentlich bloß in das Land ihrer Väter zurück kehren wollen -, und dafür gar Elefanten (und den völlig unpassenden Vergleich mit Ibn Lādin) bemühen wie einst die Römer den Ruf "Hannibal ante portas [Hannibal vor den Toren]!"), lassen die Europäer es zu, daß sich vor ihren Toren,
von den Kanaren bis Lampedusa, eine Invasion nichtsnutziger, gewaltbereiter Immigranten aus Afrika sammelt, welche die Germanen der Völkerwanderung des 4. nachchristlichen Jahrhunderts zahlenmäßig weit übertreffen dürften. Und denen treten sie nicht etwa mit einer auch noch so schwachen "border patrol" entgegen, sondern nehmen sie mit offenen Armen auf und füttern sie auch noch von Steuergeldern durch wie die sprichwörtliche Natter an ihrer Brust - wohl wissend, daß die nie wieder freiwillig gehen werden. Und - noch - zieht niemand die Toren und Politverbrecher, die dies zulassen, zur Verantwortung. Und - noch - tut niemand, was ein weit voraus schauender finnisch-sächsischer Schriftsteller schon vor Jahrzehnten zu tun empfahl.
zurück zu Kugelfisch und Kupfer-Kanyon. Reisen durch Mexiko
zurück zu Die neuen Inseln der Glückseligen. Reisewege nach Europa
heim zu Reisen durch die Vergangenheit. Geschichten aus der Geschichte