DENVER (AP) – A federal warning to beware of campers in national forests who eat tortillas, drink Tecate beer and play Spanish music because they could be armed marijuana growers is racial profiling, an advocate for Hispanic rights said Friday.
The warnings were issued Wednesday by the U.S. Forest Service, which is investigating how much marijuana is being illegally cultivated in Colorado’s national forests following the recent discovery of more than 14,000 plants in Pike National Forest.
“That’s discriminatory, and it puts Hispanic campers in danger,” said Polly Baca, co-chairwoman of the Colorado Latino Forum….
Forest Service officials said they believe illegal immigrants are being brought to Colorado by Latin American drug cartels for mass cultivation of marijuana.
Pointing to “campers” who speak Spanish, drink Mexican beer, etc., does sound like profiling. To avoid it perhaps the Forest Service should have issued a simple factual, non-profiling statement along the lines of the following:
The U.S. Forest Service has determined that illegal immigrants from Latin America brought to Colorado by drug cartels are growing marijuana in national forests in the state. Please contact authorities if you see any.
I was raised in the Midwest, but have lived in Texas for 15 years now – let’s see, tortillas? yep a few times per week including breakfast sometimes; Tecate? yep, although sometimes I prefer Shiner; Spanish music? every now and then – heck, hit the search button and it’s a fifty fifty chance. I wonder if the Forest Service will try to arrest all 25 million Texans? (Idjits – but I’m sure I can trust the government with my health care.)