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Comments Related To: Volunteer-Humanitarian Convicted of Littering while "Trying to Save Lives"

By: BorderExplorer send a private message
Tucson : AZ : USA | 5 months ago  
Web-designer Walt Staton, 27, a volunteer with a Tucson AZ humanitarian aid group, routinely places sealed jugs of drinking water in the Arizona desert at the Buenos Aires National...
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Reach Credibility Credibility of 5
READ MORE: Walter Staton, Bill Walker, No More Deaths, Fish and Wildlife Service, 9th Circuit Court, U.S. Border Patrol, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, migration, desert deaths, littering
More News From: Tucson : AZ : USA
Reported by Billie Greenwood
Billie Greenwood

Member Since Dec 09, 2008

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Comments
  • Reply
    Posted By slydog slydog | 5 months ago
    What a travesty of Justice. Littering? It's right outa Alice's
    Restaurant! What?..the authorities don't have the "cajones" for
    charging them with "aiding and abetting human beings?" Oh..sorry..
    illegal immigrants! Gimme a break! I hope you enjoy the song I
    attached..I don't mean to demean the importance of the story..I just
    thought it fitting.
  • Reply
    Posted By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    Thanks for the outrage, Andy. And get this (I didn't have space for this quote from Staton's attorney in the article): "What really surprised me, though, was . . . this trial must have cost the government more than $50,000. They say there aren't enough agents on the border, that they can't stop terrorists from coming into the country . . . and then they spend all of this time and money prosecuting a humanitarian who is putting out water to save lives."

    I'm at the public library, so I'll check out the vid in a bit when I get home. Thanks! I'm looking forward to it.
  • Reply
    Posted By slydog slydog | 5 months ago
    Sadly..the Kingston trio song wasn't available..but synchronicity
    steeped in with something almost as good. I left and found another
    water song to boot! Now I gotta get to work on Slydog Cafe (pt 3)
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    Great job! Yes, too bad the Desert Pete song wouldn't work, but "Cool Clear Water" is a classic. It made me lonesome for my girlhood days seeing Gene Autry again. Thanks a lot, Andy!
  • Reply
    Posted By FauziaSultana FauziaSultana | 5 months ago
    Hats off for this guy!After being caught he still persists,thats the amazing part of your story,Border Explorer.
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    Great comment, FauziaSultana. He's so dedicated and committed to his cause. That is remarkable.
  • Reply
    Posted By nadeem_arian nadeem_arian | 5 months ago
    BorderExplorer!! Thank you for introducing such a brave and kind person to us.
    I think we should support him to expand the area of littering if it is meant to save lives. The government should even amend the law and reward him for being so thoughtful and kind towards humanity. Bravo!! Keep it up Staton.
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    Thanks for your supportive comments, nadeem_arian. I'm pleased to meet you.
  • Reply
    Posted By allknower allknower | 5 months ago
    BE,

    Thank you for the report. Holy crow, I really don't understand what message the justice system is sending out to an average U.S citizen? The 12-member jury did not have the horse-sense to realize the difference between littering and humanitarianism. Somebody should try the jury members for such an outrageous decision. They all should be sued!
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    Excellent point, allknower. Relevant info from No More Deaths: "During jury selection nearly one third of the original 31 potential jurors were dismissed after stating they had strong emotions about providing humanitarian aid to migrants and would be unwilling to convict someone who was engaged in humanitarian aid. Public support was also evident during the two full days of the trial as the courtroom remained full with 40-50 humanitarian supporters from local groups such as The Samaritans, Humane Borders, American Friends Service Committee and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, among others."

    Thanks for your comments and, may I add, I also really like your profile page and photo. I appreciate the dimension you're adding to Allvoices.
  • Reply
    Reply By allknower allknower | 5 months ago
    BE,
    My heart goes out to Walt. Would he still be willing to pursue his humanitarian endeavors after being convicted? ... very hard to guess!

    Jeez, now that coming from you was certainly a treat! You are among the top allvoices' commentators that I took a great liking of instantly! *hands a fine wine French wine to BE* *cheers*! :D
  • Reply
    Posted By powertool powertool | 5 months ago
    Wow, what a douche-bag.
    He's basically leaving bread-crumbs out for the cockroaches.

    And perhaps if people don't want to risk dying in the desert, they should, I don't know, perhaps not try to cross the desert??
    They do it at their own risk.
    All he is doing is enabling these illegal people.

    I'm sure the drug-smugglers, gangsters, and other bottom-feeding scum who have overrun LA are very thankful.

    We need real immigration reform, so that good-quality immigrants with job skills and education can be enabled to more easily emigrate here.

    And shut up I'm not a racist, I'm happy to have Indians, Chinese, and Africans come here.
    Or Mexicans who don't suck.
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    //"We need real immigration reform, so that good-quality immigrants with job skills and education can be enabled to more easily emigrate here."//

    I agree with you 100% on that, powertool!
  • Reply
    Posted By samiam849 samiam849 | 5 months ago
    slydog had it right when he said the man should really have been charged with "aiding and abetting" (albiet illegal immigrants)criminals. Of course this event tugs on the sympathetic strings of hearts, but these people understand the risk and are willing to take it. I don't belive it was his place to assist them in entering illegally. If Mr. Staton really wants to be an army of one, couldn't he head up an agency that assists people to enter LEGALLY? He'd probably even qualify for some government grant money to do it.
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    I agree that it would be much better if the migrants could enter legally, samiam849. Unfortunately, our immigration system is woefully inadequate to meet our country's current needs. It is not possible for these migrants to enter legally, even though our nation relies on their contributions. Until we achieve comprehensive immigration reform, we can anticipate more deaths in the desert. Thanks for your comment which highlights the situation that underlies this news story.
  • Reply
    Posted By samiam849 samiam849 | 5 months ago
    Most certainly our system is inadequate. THAT's what needs to be fixed. Additionally, their contributions (I'm assuming you're referring to labor) indeed do assist our economy by providing lo-cost labor. That doesn't outweigh the billions of benefits paid out in medical costs and justify the emergency room closings that are affected by the influx of illegals who can't pay. I'm FOR anyone coming to the U.S. legally. I'm FOR fixing the system that stifles the process. All four of my grandparents came here legally from Europe. They had less accommodations and rights than we provide now. I'm proud of them and glad I was born here. It's gonna' take some time but it needs to become a priority.
  • Reply
    Posted By JonathanAquino JonathanAquino | 5 months ago
    Staton was convicted because his actions were perceived as aiding illegal immigrants, a thorny issue for the United States government. It just so happens that littering is the nearest things they could think of. The case doesn't make sense unless you see the big picture. His case is being made as an example and a warning to illegal immigrants.
  • Reply
    Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 5 months ago
    Thanks, Jonathan and samiam849, for your input. You both make very good points.

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