Watch out, Mexico! Bill O’Reilly says that if you don’t release American Jon Hammar from your prison by Christmas, 2013 “will be a bit rough” for you. Who knows what kind of danger lurks in the No Spin Zone in that case? A boycott? Or maybe Captain O’Reilly will pick up his weapon and lead an invasion!
As I posted previously, last night O’Reilly issued his marching orders to Mexico that they release Hammar from the “bogus” jail confinement – or else! Tonight, O’Reilly read an email on the air about that from a woman named Stacie. She wrote admiringly of O'Reilly's "nonstop pursuit of justice" and said that's why "we've been faithful watchers."
O’Reilly commented:
You know we’re on this, Stacie, and hope the corporal will be released by Christmas. If not, the new year will be a bit rough for the country of Mexico. Trust me.
Memo to O’Reilly: While I’m sure that every Mexican citizen is quaking in fear at the thought of what vengeance you might wreak, you might want to consider the fact that if you’re trying to get a concession from a foreign country – like, say, the release of an American citizen you feel has been wrongly jailed, even though he broke a Mexican law – it usually helps if you apply a modicum of diplomacy with the foreign country as opposed to making them feel like their backs are up against the wall. That is, unless you have a team of Navy SEALs ready to run a rescue mission.
She called it “a clerical error”, but that can’t be since the perp was her son not the Mexicans. He ignored the law and I believe that’s no excuse even in the USA.
I’m also pretty convinced that the border guards would have warned Hammar against crossing the border without the proper paperwork had they actually seen that gun.
Finally, I believe that border entries are plastered almost wall-to-wall with billboards saying “NO GUNS”.
In any case, I think even the Mexicans would like to get him back into the USA but not at the cost of appearing to kowtow to another country. Bill O’Reilly is not helping by giving them orders: it can only get their backs up and perhaps delay the release of that young man.
It’s a shame that your defense appears to be a smear against the Mexican Ambassador. If you read his statement, you would see that he put a great deal of time and thought into his response, which included taking the time to review the case itself.
Nobody is saying that Jon Hammar is a bad person. The facts are that he broke Mexican law, and he was on Mexican soil when he did it. The Mexican legal system has been processing him since August and his court date will be in January, after which I’d expect him to be deported back to the U.S. in short order. I’m sure that Hammar will never make this mistake again, and that a lot of other Americans will pay attention to the mistake he made, and not repeat it themselves.
I see no indication that Ellen threw him “under the bus”, and his post-combat issues were not even being discussed or dismissed in the manner you’re suggesting. The issue is that he broke Mexican law and the Mexicans take this issue quite seriously – in the same way that we would if a Mexican national came up here with an illegal gun. It appears that the Mexican authorities are actually trying to look out for Jon Hammar in that they’re not just throwing him out into the general population. From what we’ve seen so far, it looks like they’ll deport him back to the US once his trial happens, which should be very short, given that this is a simple infraction that was caught before he could do anything else.
The reason Bill O’Reilly’s name has come up is because he’s making a cause out of Jon Hammar, going so far as to make threats against another nation and then tell the President that he wants Executive action on the matter. Ellen is simply pointing out that O’Reilly is wildly overreaching again – he’s trying to get people like you very upset about a matter that he’s figuring you won’t know much about. And he’s hoping your moral outrage over what’s really a technical matter and a clear violation of Mexican law will allow him to once again grandstand – just as he regularly does on a host of issues. Ellen’s action here is to appropriately call O’Reilly on his shenanigans and to make sure that it’s been publicly noted that he’s doing it again. This way, when O’Reilly goes on TV and says “I never do things like that”, people who have been paying attention can immediately correct the record for him.
I’m pretty sure that sums it up- I doubt they’re quaking at anything he could do, because he has no authority to do anything serious… which may be the only thing keeping him from getting a letter telling him to roll back the tough guy talk.
The cartels, however? They think they own Mexico’s government, so if he offends them with his tough guy talk, they’ll send someone to tell him in person. And I actually am worried about it going that happening.
O’Reilly probably had a bad time once in Tijuana. That’s why he has such a case against Mexico. Plus, I think the people down there are a little darker than he likes.
I propose we all march to the border on the US side of course and watch Bile take on the Mexican Federales all by himself.
I don’t know much ,but what I do know is that Mexico does not put American citizens in jail for no reason,
There is much more to this story of this I’m convinced.One good thing came out of his newest obsession we can now celebrate Christmas in peace,I guess he figured that war was a lost cause.
What’s seems untoward about BOR’s behavior is that he’s made his opinion known on the matter numerous times now yet he keeps bringing it up again in his usual threatening/chest-thumping style. Yes, BOR, you’re pissed off – we get it aleady! But, because he keeps choosing to find ways to bang this drum (even via his emai!), I can’t help but wonder if there’s not more to it. As per BOR’s typical modus operandi, there usually has to be something in it for him too. Since the BOR couldn’t keep Obama from getting elected and the so-called “war on Christmas” is over, does BOR need another reason to rant/rage in an attempt to keep himself relevant? From what at least one of the FL politicians involved has said, Hammar will most likely be released soon (depending on your definition of soon, I suppose). So is BOR just looking to get some credit when Hammar is eventually sent back home (whether BOR had jumped into the matter or not)? It would hardly be the first time that BOR has tried to take some credit for something that was already going to happen anyway (i.e. Senator Jim Webb’s GI Bill).
BOR has clearly realized that this is the perfect opportunity to make harsh attacks on Obama and not be seen as the anti-Obama pundit he truly is. After all, most everyone wants Hammar out of jail and back home with his family, right? The folks will simply think that BOR has Hammar’s best interest at heart and will overlook how much BOR enjoys this chance to take pot shots at Obama. BOR can also go after Hillary, another Dem that he doesn’t like. I hope NHs caught the snide insinuations, inappropriate remarks and chuckles at Hillary’s expense during BOR’s segments last night with Colmes/Crowley and later with Cameron/Rosen. Geez.
Btw, BOR has managed to get himself on today’s “The Five” show. Last time BOR was on “The Five”, he used his appearance there to attack Obama because he had not declared the Occupy Movement to be terrorists. Gee, I wonder if the Hammar matter will be a topic of outrage? BOR on “The Five” = attacks on Obama?
The story is here http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_22053899/trucker-released-from-mexican-prison-arrives-el-paso?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com
Billy should send Intern Jesse to Mexico to retrieve Hammar. Let’s see if Jesse has the guts to go to Mexico.
What seems to have happened here is that Mr. Hammar broke Mexican law by bringing a firearm into their country, in direct violation of the big signs at the border that say “NO GUNS”. The Mexican police, knowing they have an American national in custody, have separated him from general population while the matter slowly makes its way through their legal system. Eventually, he’ll be released and deported back to the U.S. with a warning, but I would bet this would be in January.
It’s been amusing to hear pundits like O’Reilly demand that President Obama personally get involved in this matter. Which means they’re asking the President to personally intervene on behalf of someone who willfully broke another country’s laws. And I strongly doubt that’s going to happen.
I feel for the family but this is only the latest of a long list of incidents where Americans have done something illegal and then have to be bailed out by the Embassy (i.e. State Department). Most of the time it’s sheer stupidity (drunks bathing in fountains) or non-respect of the sort of laws that exist even in the USA. Some Americans seem to think they can do anything they please off American soil and they squeal like piglets when they’re caught (I’ve had to translate for them on occasion).
Embassy staff are understandably fed up with having to explain over and over again that even the USA cannot simply snap its fingers and over-rule the sovereignty of another country. Just can’t be done, period. And those same witless Americans would be appalled – appalled I tell you – if a foreigner were to demand any preferential treatment in the USA. That’s not a thinking person’s position.
The country I’m most fearful of visiting is actually the USA. In addition to the country being awash with firearms in the hands of a disorganised militia, there are numerous “black holes”, especially since the Patriot Act weakened the right to Habeas Corpus. Some years ago, a friend of mine went to NY with her boyfriend. As he was a diplomat he went through the fast-track line while she took the normal route. When she didn’t come out the other side, he started asking around. Even with the Embassy behind him, it took him over five hours to find out where she was …. chained to a bench in a poorly-lit, rarely-used hallway. The officers who’d done that had forgotten all about her.
I, too, wonder why FoxNews has taken up the case of this particular man. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he were someone’s relative (e.g. Brian Kilmeade’s).
PS: Brian went on and on about young Hammar being a former Marine. Why on earth should that cut any ice with non-Americans? Brian’s so clueless it hurts to listen to him. But I will continue to do so because it’s always better to know what sort of people are spewing out all the silliness I hear from that side of the big pond.
So saith
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I’m Sam Spade Ver 2.0.0.1 build 2012!!
Watch out World!!!
GRRRRRRRRRRRR…… ROWWWWWWW….