I was stunned to see Anthony Esposito’s reaction (Jan. 30) to a Washington Post article ( in the Sun Journal Jan. 26) about inspection stops made by the U.S. Border Patrol.

Equating those inspections to the “atrocities of the Nazi regime” is bizarre in the extreme. I have gone through Border Patrol checkpoints dozens of times during my nine trips to the U.S. Southwest border to participate in border watch activities. I was hardly “subjected to increased governmental surveillance.” Every time I have stopped at these checkpoints they simply ask: “Are you a United States citizen?” I say: “Yes.” They say: “Have a nice day,” and I am on my way.

I suppose, to a certain extent. I can understand the reaction of the writer because it is a new, and unexpected experience, but to draw a parallel to the “Nazi regime” is more than uninformed — it is downright subversive.

What comes across U.S. borders, in addition to the illegal aliens, are criminals and drugs. I have talked to dozens of Border Patrol agents and have seen them perform a difficult job under strenuous situations with high levels of professionalism.

These Border Patrol agents are part of the Customs and Border Protection division, with emphasis on the word “protection.” They can operate anywhere within 100 miles of the border. They are just trying to maximize their effectiveness, with limited resources.

People should be thanking them for what they do, not castigating them.

Robert Casimiro, Bridgton