Guest post by Phil L.:

An Ounce of Empathy Finally, a win for humanity on the border issue! Anyone with an ounce of empathy for human beings dying in the desert heat has to celebrate the decision handed down by Judge Raner C. Collins. Two 'No More Deaths' volunteers, "Shanti A. Sellz and Daniel M. Strauss were facing prison time in the high-profile case that was scheduled to go to trial next month." The problem was, they obeyed the rules. "In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins said the two were following guidelines that border volunteers had been using for several years without being arrested. "Sellz and Strauss were arrested July 9, 2005, near Arivaca after they were stopped by Border Patrol agents with three illegal entrants in their vehicle. They were volunteering with No More Deaths, a faith-based group that during the summer provides food, water and medical aid to illegal entrants walking in the desert. "The two said they were following a "protocol" they'd been taught by No More Deaths, checking with a lawyer and a doctor by telephone before they began driving the entrants, whom they described as being severely dehydrated and ill. It seemed that both sides of the immigration issue wanted to use this a rallying point." Yes, both sides were using it as a "rallying point"! One side considers 'illegal immigrants' as undesirables, breaking the law, not entitled to any humanitarian aid. In other words they want to let human beings die in the desert's of the United States. They will even try and prosecute volunteers who give aid to these "illegal entrants". The other side doesn't look at the 'illegal immigrant' issue. They look at the rights of human beings to live and ultimately get back to their families healthy. Maybe the United States is finally coming to its senses, at least 2 young volunteers will not have to suffer the inequity of justice!