Sara Carter describes the “lawless” borderland exposed in tonight’s For The Record

September 12, 2013

Writer

As Congress draws closer to a vote on immigration reform, the truth about the undeclared war on our border is exposed in For The Record: Borderless. While politicians in Washington insist people are only sneaking into the country in search of the American Dream, never before seen surveillance footage shows far too many violent criminals and potential terrorists are organizing and crossing the border in plain sight - putting America’s safety in jeopardy. Hear from the people who actually live along the border and learn from some of the foremost immigration experts when For The Record: Borderless premieres TONIGHT at 8:30pm ET only on TheBlaze. Not a subscriber? Start your 14-day free trial of TheBlaze TV HERE.

On radio this morning, Glenn spoke with TheBlaze’s chief Washington correspondent, Sara Carter about tonight’s For The Record. Sara describes the situation at our southern border as “lawless,” with ranchers forced to spend day in and day out watching, guarding, and protecting their property. From drug cartels who have set up transit routes straight through American ranches to the often violent trafficking of humans and contraband, those who live along the U.S./Mexico border live in constant fear. What are the implications for the nation as a whole?

Read a full transcript of the interview below:

GLENN: Tonight, For The Record takes a look at the situation in our nation as borderless, and it truly is. And we are going to talk to ‑‑ we sent our cameras out, For The Record, to talk to the people, Americans on the border that have never been interviewed before. Not just by the press but not even by our own government. Nobody has taken the time to interview these people, and they are the people that have safe rooms in their house. They are the people that can't say, "Get off my land." They are the people that lock their children truly in closets when they see something coming across the border because they know there's no help coming. Sara Carter is our senior Washington correspondent for TheBlaze and she is the woman who really broke and really helped free Compean and Ramos. She's the one who really broke that something was going on and something was wrong with that story. She's also the woman who brought us the story of the underground tunnels, and we have been so fortunate to be able to hire her and make her our senior Washington correspondent. She was instrumental in this episode of For The Record, which will air tonight, is it at 8:30pm? Is that right?

SARA: It's at 8:30pm, that's correct, Glenn.

GLENN: 8:30pm tonight.

SARA: It's tonight at 8:30pm ET.

GLENN: Okay. So Sara, tell us ‑‑ tell a little bit about what we're going to see tonight.

SARA: I think we're going to show the American public, our viewers, the reality of living on a lawless borderland, a borderless land between Mexico and the United States. They are going to get it from the words of the ranchers themselves that have to spend day in and day out watching their property, from drug cartels that are utilizing their transit routes straight through American ranches, moving humans, moving contraband and the fear that these ranchers feel all the time living among those drug cartels and the dangers that it poses to the rest of the United States.

GLENN: The interesting thing here is there is ‑‑ these are people who have lived on the border their whole lives and some of them for generations.

SARA: Correct.

GLENN: And they have had these ranches for generations, they grew up, and they have always seen ‑‑ one of them said in one of the interviews that, you know, "I remember growing up and the guys would come to work in America and they would come across in the daytime and then they would go back across at night. And we would see them and we knew them and they weren't bad people."

SARA: That's right.

GLENN: This is a whole different world.

SARA: It's a totally different world now. And this is coming from, like you said, Glenn, generations of ranchers who have lived on the border. And I can tell you from interviewing them -- both sheriffs who have lived on the border for a long period of time, who had their mothers and fathers live on the border -- this is a whole different group of people crossing our border and this should scare everyone.

GLENN: I saw the ‑‑

SARA: This is not the same group.

GLENN: I saw the episode a couple of days ago before the final edits, and I will tell you that I ‑‑ it leaves you ‑‑ you know, the first thing I wrote back to the executive producer was, "Well, that just opens up a whole can of worms. There's about 700 other shows that we have to do on this now," and one of them is: It gave me the impression that there is coordination between the drug cartels and our side, the good guys supposedly. Do you feel that's going on?

SARA: Oh, yeah. Glenn, I mean, look, we've seen it in the past. We've seen people, you know, working for Department of Homeland Security that have are being caught red‑handed, you know, being paid off by the drug cartels, allowing cartel members to move across our border. You're talking about billions of dollars in the narcotics and contraband trade moving back and forth and that money purchases people. That money is their power, it's their control. And you have these coyotes working for the drug cartels that are literally stationed along the border watching our own border patrol agents, watching our own law enforcement, and they look for anything, in this case they can do to get someone on their side to allow them to move their contraband across the border. If they don't move it in the darkness of night, they move it straight across our highways during the day and right through our own law enforcement. And this is something that we need to look into in the future as well. But it goes beyond just the illegal immigrants who are crossing the border who are looking for jobs, this is about a new breed of people moving across the U.S. border. These are bad guys and they have bad intentions and they really do not care about the national security of the United States and they don't care about what they cross into our country.

GLENN: Okay. One ‑‑

SARA: And we have to remember that.

GLENN: One last question here. I notice that some of the ranchers had their voice disguised and they were filmed in the shadows.

SARA: That ‑‑

GLENN: Others were shockingly open with who they were and I mean, why did ‑‑ why did some of them say, "Yeah, show me." Was there no fear? Was it ‑‑

SARA: You know, no, I think there is fear. I think these are brave people. And you're brave when you fear something but you do it anyways. Some of these ranchers decided that they wanted the American public to know that they meant business, that they weren't just going to hide in the shadows, that they were going to tell them exactly what was going on and they were going to go fully on the record with it. And they are putting their lives in danger.

GLENN: Big time.

SARA: I mean, they are talking out against the most egregious and dangerous drug cartels in Mexico.

GLENN: And one of them is ‑‑

SARA: ‑‑ that utilize that area of the border to move their contraband. And they wanted the American people to know that there are some of us that are willing to stand up to this and they want the government to know, the federal government to know that it's their job to protect the American public. And for those that went into the shadows, they have reasons to hide too. They have children. They live, you know, they're new to the border or their ranches run right across areas where they have seen enormous amounts of violence and they've been threatened themselves. So for some there is a real reason to go in the shadows, and for others they feel like this is their time to speak out and get people to listen.

GLENN: Okay. Sara, thank you very much. Appreciate it. It's For The Record tonight at 8:30pm ET. It follows Pursuit of the Truth where we are looking for new documentary filmmakers. It's a new entertainment and information show all kind of wrapped up in one. Great show we produced together with Vince Vaughn and his people. And it's a great show. Tonight, premiere night on TheBlaze TV.

Don’t miss For The Record: Borderless, TONIGHT at 8:30pm ET only on TheBlaze. Not a subscriber? Start your 14-day free trial of TheBlaze TV HERE.

Do aliens... EXIST? Or is it a distraction?

Rastan | Getty Images

Yesterday, whistleblower David Charles Grusch, a decorated Air Force veteran claimed the Department of Defense has a secret team aimed at "retrieving non-human origin technical vehicles, call it spacecraft if you will, non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed."

Talk about UFOs and aliens has typically been siloed to the realm of sci-fi and "conspiracy theories." However, in recent years, publicized evidence of UFOs and whistleblowers, like David Grusch, have brought the once fantastical subjects into the mainstream. Could it be that alien life forms do, in fact, exist? Have they already arrived and been kept secret underneath the government's nose? Or could this all be a ruse to distract us from more pressing stories in the news cycle?

We want to hear from YOU! Do YOU think aliens and UFOs are a distraction tactic, or do you think there's truth behind these whistleblowers?

Do you believe the government has intel about UFOs?

Do you believe the government has intel about alien life?

Do you believe the government is hiding this intel from the general public?

Do you believe alien life exists?

Do you think the media is using this story to distract us from other issues?

Remembering D-Day: We are called to the same standard

Universal History Archive / Contributor | Getty Images

79 years ago today, my grandfather jumped out of a plane. He was 17 years old when he joined the 101st Airborne Division, and at the ripe age of 18, he boarded a C-47 aircraft with the rest of his company destined for Normandy. On June 6, 1944, he jumped out of that plane onto Utah Beach, becoming a part of what would become the largest amphibious invasion in military history, Operation Overlord, or, as it's more commonly known, D-Day.

Though only 18, my grandfather was one of the oldest soldiers in his company. He recounted how many, like himself, lied about their age in order to have their shot at fighting for their country. As Omaha Beach veteran Frank Devita recounted:

We were all kids. We were too young to drink. We were too young to vote. And we were too young to die.

And many of them did.

On June 6, 1944, almost 160,000 troops from the United States, the British Commonwealth, and their allies began what would become the ultimate demise of the Third Reich, concluding one of the darkest chapters in human history. 2,500 of these soldiers were American boys who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Normandy, where most of them remain, their bodies never making it back home to the country for which they paid the ultimate price.

2,500 of these soldiers were American boys who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Normandy.

Underwood Archives / Contributor | Getty Images

In an age seemingly devoid of courage and virtue, it is natural to picture these soldiers as the greatest of men. And they were. However, we must remember these exemplars of manhood were boys, young boys, who exhibited the courage and virtue that we so seldom see in those twice their age today.

We must remember these exemplars of manhood were boys.

Remembering D-Day is not only sobering regarding the loss of life and innocence; it's sobering to consider how far our country has strayed from the ideals exemplified by the "greatest generation."

79 years ago, Americans knew what they were fighting for. As a Jewish man born in Berlin, witnessing the rise of fascism and socialism at the expense of individual liberty and the sanctity of life, my grandfather was eager to go back to his birthplace as an American soldier to fight for the fundamental principles of life and liberty that he and his family had been denied in Nazi Germany.

They were some of the lucky individuals who were able to escape—and there's a reason why he and his family chose America as their new homeland. The life and liberty they had been denied in Germany were regarded as sacred in the United States.

Yet, do we still regard these things as sacred?

JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / Contributor | Getty Images

Most of the United States still hold that the sanctity of life is contingent upon convenience and circumstance. Economic policies continue to morph closer to the socialism adopted by the rest of the world in the 20th century, penalizing the success and merit that was once tantalizing to immigrants like my grandfather. Moreover, 2020 extinguished any doubt that the freedoms we hold dear are expendable at the whims of our ruling class.

This isn't the same America that provided refuge to my grandfather's family nor is it the same country that he and his brothers-in-arms fought for.

On this anniversary of D-Day, it is important that we remember the sacrifice given by the young American boys, who became the greatest of men, on the beaches of Normandy. However, perhaps it is just as important to remember that we are called to the very same standard as they so powerfully exemplified: to love our country and the principles of life and freedom that stand in stark contrast to much of the onlooking world and to have the courage to defend it, even if it requires the level courage that these young men were called to.

5 new AI your children may be using and how to counter them

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With the rapid emergence of widely available AI, it's no surprise many parents are concerned about how interacting with AI might affect their children. It feels like we are just barely beginning to understand how the internet and social media affect childhood development. Now, we suddenly have a whole new dimension to unpack, with reports of people developing emotional attachments to AI and students using AI to write entire essays. It's no wonder why some parents are starting to feel overwhelmed.

Here are 5 of the most prevalent AI programs discoverable to children and the options parents have to deal with them.

Snapchat “My AI”

Image of chat with MyAI on Snapchat

Snapchat

What is it?

My AI is an AI chatbot built into Snapchat. It's designed to look just like another human user, though it will always stay on top of the "Chat" page and can be identified by a robot emoji on the right side of the screen. The bot can be given a custom name and avatar, answer questions, chat, and provide recommendations, much like ChatGPT—the software that powers My AI, albeit less powerful.

Like ChatGPT, My AI has many biases—typically left-leaning, and is subject to mistakes and inaccuracies. Unlike ChatGTP however, My AI may claim to be a real person and a friend to the user, which might be misleading to a young person. Perhaps most disturbing, it can access your location—provided you allow Snapchat to know your location.

If you want to protect your children from My AI, you have a few different options.

The first is to disable My AI within Snapchat. Naturally, Snapchat has made disabling the bot a premium feature, only available to Snapchat+ subscribers. Assuming your child does not already have a Snapchat+ subscription, you can purchase a one-month subscription for $3.99, disable My AI from the Snapchat+ management screen, then cancel the subscription. Users are reporting that once the subscription ends the bot remains disabled, though note that your child can easily re-enable the feature at any time and it cannot be password protected.

Your other options are to either block or limit the use of the entire app from within the settings of your children's phones or to educate your child on the dangers and nature of AI.

ChatGPT/OpenAI

What is it?

ChatGPT is one of the most popular AI programs available on the internet. Its sophistication and power make it as formidable as it is fascinating. Glenn had a conversation with ChatGPT, which demonstrated its power and intelligence. It's an AI-powered chatbot and much like other chatbots, it can answer questions, chat, and provide recommendations. It can also write essays, do math worksheets, translate back and forth between many languages, write computer code, and much more. Like My AI, it can be inaccurate at times and has major left-leaning biases. The company responsible for ChatGPT, OpenAI, has other AI tools, such as DALL·E 2, an image creation program that utilizes the same AI as ChatGPT.

If you want to protect your children from ChatGPT, you have a few different options.

The first and most important thing to do is to make sure that your children know that using ChatGPT or any other AI to do homework, write essays or complete tests or quizzes IS CHEATING. There have been multiple stories recently about students using ChatGPT to write papers or do homework and the consequences they faced once they got caught. Long story short, it never ends well for the student. Make sure your children understand that although AIs are not humans, using them to complete school work IS STILL cheating.

If you want to prevent your children from accessing ChatGPT altogether, you can block it along with other websites using your web browser's child settings. Here are instructions on how to block websites for your child on Google Chrome.

Replika

What is it?

Replika is an online companion that custom builds an AI "companion," a chatbot with a customizable name and avatar. Though similar to My AI, Replika creates an avatar whose appearance and function is much more lifelike than My AI, and, consequently, more intimate. Replika advertises itself as "The AI companion who cares" and will remember things that are important to you in order to be the perfect "companion."

The app rewards users for time spent talking with their AI companions with points that can be spent on unlocking more clothes, jewelry, hairstyles, accessories, etc., and gives the user the option to skip the points altogether and purchase the digital items with real money, a common tactic in apps and mobile games.

The major thing that sets Replika apart from other chatbots is its ability to "role play," flirt, and send "hot photos." These features, which play a major role in Replika's advertising, are meant to promote Replika's use as a replacement for a "partner."

If you want to protect your children from Replika, you really only have one option.

You can block the app and website on your children's devices. Replika does not have a child mode or any way to disable explicit content, it is either all or nothing.

AI Dungeon

What is it?

AI Dungeon is a spin-off of the popular role-playing game, "Dungeons and Dragons." It's a text-based game where the player chooses or creates a scenario and plays out the scenario with the AI. For example, the player might be cast in the role of a knight and can type out what the knight says and does, and the AI will give text responses to the players' actions in an attempt to create an interactive story.

The game can be played for free, but players can also purchase access to more powerful AI, which in theory creates better stories. Moreover, you can purchase additional game modes. The major concern is that the AI can generate explicit material as well as violent scenarios, which it can describe quite graphically.

If you want to protect your children from AI Dungeon you really only have one option:

You can turn on "safe mode" from within the app settings, but it can easily be deactivated. Your best bet is to block the app on your children's devices.

YouTube

What is it?

It might surprise you to learn that the algorithm that decides what content gets recommended to you on YouTube is AI-powered. It sorts through millions of videos and decides which ones to recommend to you based on many factors, such as the channels you are subscribed to, your watch history, trending videos, etc. The goal of this AI algorithm is to keep you hooked and watching, which generates ad revenue for YouTube.

YouTube is owned by Google, and both companies have a long track record of left-wing biases, which permeates YouTube's algorithm. This can lead to videos about gun safety being labeled as "promoting violence" and videos of drag queens being promoted to children.

If you want to protect your children from the YouTube algorithm, you have a few different options.

You can set up a YouTube Kids account for your children, which gives you a lot of control over what your child can and can not find and watch on YouTube. Be warned, due to YouTube's left lean, videos such as "Drag Queen Storytime" are still available, though the channels that post them can be blocked.

It might take a while to set up properly, and things may get through the cracks, but you could set up a relatively safe YouTube account for your children. The other option, of course, is to block YouTube on your kids' devices, and web browsers, keeping them from accessing it at all.

TAKE THE POLL: Are your CHILDREN using AI?

It feels like lately hardly a week can go by without some new AI advancement—or warning—making headlines, but unless you have been paying VERY close attention you might believe the power of AI is something relegated to technical institutions or Silicon Valley labs and only accessible by the most highly trained computer wizards. But as Glenn has demonstrated, AI can now be accessed by anyone with internet access and can take many different shapes and forms—not just that of the ominous and awkward ChatBot. In fact, you are probably using AI without even realizing it.

If AI can enter into your life without you realizing it, would you even know if your CHILDREN were interacting with it?

We want to hear from YOU. Do you allow your children to use AI? Do you know if they are? Do you use AI? Are you aware of the many shapes and forms AI can take?

Glenn's Show Prep

Sara Carter describes the “lawless” borderland exposed in tonight’s For The Record

Do aliens... EXIST? Or is it a distraction?

Do you believe the government has intel about UFOs?

Do you believe the government has intel about alien life?

Do you believe the government is hiding this intel from the general public?

Do you believe alien life exists?

Do you think the media is using this story to distract us from other issues?

Remembering D-Day: We are called to the same standard

2,500 of these soldiers were American boys who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Normandy.

We must remember these exemplars of manhood were boys.

5 new AI your children may be using and how to counter them

Snapchat “My AI”

ChatGPT/OpenAI

Replika

AI Dungeon

YouTube

Do you use AI?

Do you allow your children to use AI?

Do you know if your children are using AI?

Did you know that AI is integral to the functions of many social media content recommendation algorithms, including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram?

Did you know that many messaging platforms your child may be using, like Discord and Snapchat, now have built-in AI chatbots?

Are you aware that AI such as ChatGPT can be easily accessed from any internet browser?

Are you aware that AI such as ChatGPT can be easily used to CHEAT school assignments?

Are you aware that AI applications exist that are meant to replace intimate human relationships and are available on most smartphones?

Are you teaching your children about AI and its potential dangers and misuses?