Amid widespread outrage and condemnation over the tear gassing of mothers, their children, and other asylum seekers and migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday, Ronald Colburn, president of the Border Patrol Foundation and former national deputy chief of the CBP, appeared on Fox & Friends Monday morning and claimed the gas—which reports said led to children "screaming and coughing in the mayhem" that resulted from it—was really just a "natural" product and "you actually could put it on your nachos and eat it."
As one observer put it, the stupidity of Colburn's statement has to be seen to be believed:
On Fox & Friends, Border Patrol Foundation president defends pepper spraying latinx migrants because “it’s natural. You could actually put it on your nachos and eat it.” pic.twitter.com/QLdQXqqNno
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) November 26, 2018
The outrageous claim and inhumanity of its implications did not go over well:
Nachos.... The layers of racism encapsulated in this short clip is extraordinary. #txlege https://t.co/mZ4gv3PYxo
— Rebecca Marques (@_RebeccaMarques) November 26, 2018
Actually BOTH tear gas and pepper spray were fired at migrants. I’ve been in a tear gas chamber for training purposes and know its effects. Either way, it’s unconscionable. As to this quote, who doesn’t like a side of racism with their nachos? https://t.co/3JLFNa7p2c
— Tim Schenck (@FatherTim) November 26, 2018
"These children are barefoot. In diapers. Choking on tear gas." via @washingtonpost we would love to see the Border Patrol president and his kids eat some pepper spray and tear gas on their nachos live on @foxandfriends then FIRE HIM AND NIELSEN #DHS who gave orders 4 this
— CSHecht (@cs_hecht) November 26, 2018
