Did you go to a Catholic school that was like Mel Gibson’s brand of catholicism or something? I went to catholic school in the late 80's and apparently our class was when they stopped trying to correct kids from writing with their left hands which helped me alot being left handed and all.

I’m calling bullshit on that. No way he’s had over 100 dogs killed and people are still selling.

With the greatest of respect, as a person who suffers from mental illness myself, please don’t lump racists in with us. Racism may correlate with certain psychological conditions, but it’s important to remember that psychological conditions don’t cause racism. Racism is a value judgment that people bring to the world,…

And it’s fed by right-wing media. That “ISIS coming over the border” nonsense was pulled straight out of Frank Luntz’s ass and broadcast over Fox, Limbaugh, ClearChannel, and the rest in their network of paranoia and delusion.

Great article. It’s easier to demonize a person than to humanize them. The neighborhood made Rusty into a boogeyman and he played the role, but it turns out he’s just a sad, lonely dying man who needs to understand the people in his community just as much as they need to understand him. 

She’s here legally and let him speak for himself. I’m the parent of an 18 year old girl and wouldn’t worry if she did the same.

That’s why the west doesn’t shake hands with the left. The Latin for “left” gave us the word “sinister”. Romans would enter a house with the right foot first.

If the story about the dogs are true, it likely wasn’t the immigrants killing the dogs - there was probably someone who hated immigrants who also hated dogs that would kill/torture those dogs and they might have even had the balls to suggest it was immigrants that were doing it to Rusty. I could imagine the border…

Lately it has become increasingly clear that many populations accept as reality (to say nothing of policy) ideas which have emerged from paranoia, neurosis, mendacity and various forms of both mental and physical illness.

Well, on average, Border Patrol staff aren’t exactly known for being sympathetic to immigrants and Rusty is probably right ‘enough’ for them.

Maybe brown locals* (with their paperwork in order) should start asking Rusty for change at the gas station. After a week or two of getting calls to deport people who all turn out to be legal immigrants and/or US citizens, ICE will conclude Rusty is no longer a reliable spotter for “illegals”.

Another weird thing he told me was that he can tell when someone crossing the river is a Muslim, or “a Mohammedan,” as Rusty said, just by putting his left hand out. According to him, a “Mohammedan” will pull back in fear.

I second this sentiment- at that age I may have thought about doing what Kayla did, but never would have acted on it.

The mother in me has to say this: please be careful and leave this crazy old man alone. I applaud your bravery, but that SOB could really screw with your life.

The question is, why the fuck is Border Patrol listening to a guy like this? He is clearly in need of some kind of help, but they just take him at his word when he claims that he someone is in the country illegally.

Kayla’s writing style is super engaging. I’m not sure how much of it is influenced by Debbie Nathan’s editing but my guess is that tone and style are all Kayla and readability and flow were helped by Debbie.

I’ve known some people like Rusty. One of my mother’s ex-husbands was like this, mean and petty because his life was shit, but also because he really craved the attention, especially being law-enforcement adjacent. Would drive to fires in case the fire company needed his (untrained) help. Listened to police channels,…

Another weird thing he told me was that he can tell when someone crossing the river is a Muslim, or “a Mohammedan,” as Rusty said, just by putting his left hand out. According to him, a “Mohammedan” will pull back in fear.

Thanks for this article, Kayla. I’m impressed that you conquered your fear of this man and interviewed him. I wouldn’t have been so brave at your age. I look forward to reading about your next visit with him.

So Rusty is a pre-internet troll? I should have sympathy for him but fuck that, you don’t deport people because you’re mad, sad and lonely. That’s some psycho shit.