Pubdate: Sat, 05 Feb 2011 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Copyright: 2011 El Paso Times Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/townhall/ci_14227323 Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829 Author: Charlie Edgren Note: Charlie Edgren is editorial page editor for the El Paso Times. NAPOLITANO TUGGED ON SUPERMAN'S CAPE IN EL PASO Janet, Janet, Janet ... Please don't come to El Paso and issue what is essentially a dare to Mexican drug cartels. "Don't even think about bringing your violence and tactics across this border," Janet Napolitano said Monday. "You will be met by an overwhelming response. And we're going to continue to work with our partners in Mexico to dismantle and defeat you." As I read her challenge, a Jim Croce tune started drifting through my mind, along with the words: "You don't tug on Superman's cape "You don't spit into the wind "You don't pull the mask off the 'ole Lone Ranger "And you don't mess around with Jim." Today, Croce might have included, "You don't double-dog-dare the Mexican drug cartels." So Napolitano issues the challenge and then hightails it back to Washington. Leaving us to face the music. Yeah, we've got police and sheriff's deputies and Border Patrol and state police and constables and such. But I've always figured the main reason we aren't Juarez is because the cartel types figure lots of us civilian types have guns and might just put up a fight. Unlike the unarmed populace they face in Mexico. While that might sound like the makings of a good spaghetti Western, it's still not a good idea for Napolitano to, in so many words, dare the cartels to do something on this side of the border. Janet, we have enough problems without you standing up and yelling across the border, "Hey. You drug cartels over there. You want a piece of us? C'mon!" Napolitano also said that the U.S.-Mexico border is more secure today than ever before. I guess that depends on your definition of "secure." The family and friends of Arizona rancher Robert Krentz, killed on his ranch by presumed drug smugglers in May 2010, might have a different opinion. So might friends, family and co-workers of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, shot and killed near Rio Rico, Ariz. in December while attempting to apprehend armed subjects. A Hudspeth County road crew shot at from Mexico in January might have a different definition of "secure." Border Patrol agents who get shot at or rocked from the Mexican side might dispute the "secure" designation. But, according to Napolitano, I'm wrong, because the border is more secure than it ever has been. Uh-huh. Hey, do you suppose there's a way to make Susana Martinez governor of Texas as well as guv of New Mexico? I met her last week and she was impressive, and a sharp contrast with Rick Perry. For one thing, she's making a frontal assault on the state's financial problems instead of downplaying them and pretending they don't exist. And she's taking actions that are unpopular in some quarters, such as a microscopic examination of Spaceport America, one of the state's most progressive, high-tech and important projects. Because it's supported in part by taxpayer money, she wants to make sure everything is on the up-and-up with contracts and such. If not Texas, maybe at least she could be governor of El Paso. Bet she'd have that MHMR mess cleaned up pretty quickly. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake