Little or no compassion? That is what is I expect from the right wing.

ChattyKatty - My comment was directed towards the attitude you have that people who come here illegally are lesser humans. Read your comments again - that is what you insinuate.

Yes - in my picture I hold a baby in my arms - and YES my husband works very hard and taxes are taken out of his paycheck. How DARE you assume that someone doesn't pay taxes or is "legal" because of a picture?

I have two children that I stay at home and take care of - minus ANY help from any kind of government agency. My husband, myself, and my children were all born in Victoria. Any more questions???

Shame on you for making such an assumption. That truly shows how your small-minded brain works.

My comments on this article are about human lives being taken. It was a sad event. I said NOTHING about my views on immigration and the like.

I was just pointing out that if you want to take a hard political stand - that is great. But you have such a hard stance that your compassion is not there for the people who died. They died and you simply do not care because they are not "from here."

Regardless of how you feel about immigration laws, you cannot disregard the value of someone's life.

No one is saying they should be forgotten. That does not mean we should put a whole story and that horrific photograph in the paper everytime there a lack of better things to write about.

These are humans and they should never be forgotten,ever.
Good job advocate.

This story has been covered over and over since it happened years ago...Opening the paper Sunday morning it was the first thing I saw...

We are already aware of the reality of what happened that day. I did not need to see that picture. There I was trying to eat some breakfast and needless to say, after seeing it, I folded the paper up got up and took a shower without eating breakfast.

If this had just happened yesterday, okay maybe...but the continued exploitation of this story is revolting. Let it rest already.

The two issues with blogs are credibility and newsworthy topics. Like the Advocate; staff and reporters - this newspaper lacks both.

I have to agree with everyone that this was totally inappropriate for a Sunday lead in. I missed that. What has made reading the Victoria Advocate interesting is trying to determine why they are becoming so trashy compared to the many years past.

Was there a major change in management? An agreement to revert to yellow journalism? A decision to become part of Mexico and the above ground rail road that feeds the rest of the US with illegal entrance undocumented persons?

There are so many very important stories imparting information that impact all the residents of Victoria that are not being told each day. How sad.

The story of the first responders could have been written from an entirely different slant. But it appears management and editors chose to go from the point that would cause the most outcry. How ignorant of all on the paper's staff.

Say what Kenneth?
Democrats hold the majority of the Hispanic vote and would rather illegals die than give that up. If they had their way we'd just open the border.

This is one time did I disagree 100% with your statement.
1) Look at the percentage of registered Hispanics or those that sign up on election day..It is small, so the Democratic Party is not calling for open borders to generate votes.
2) you are confusing compassion and tolerance with a cynical motive of encouraging a death wish.
3)Again, if you would look at the Immigration Reform Comprehensive plan supported by the Democratic Party,you would see it calls for strict border enforcement first.

Rather see illegals die?

What has become of the Advocate; baby’s coffins and bodies of dead children on Sunday Morning Front Pages!!! What has this paper and it's “Ethics Board” become, have you no shame? Is this now The Victoria Enquire or a Mexican rag? The Advocate continue to exploit these poor souls in death to no end , can we ever expect an end to this human tragedy from the Advocate – “The Fatal Funnel” and all this sensational B.S.

This reporter and the Advocate have done too much damage to Victoria’s judicial process by exploiting possible child abuse victim by subverting the grand jury and judicial system. Has the Advocate’s “Ethics Board” thought of what they are doing to the city’s image, YES it is a ETHICS ISSUE.

A TOTALLY DISGUSTED VICTORIAN

Dear Pogofire,
Please permit me a brief explanation to the point your raise. We published the photo because we thought it was central to the special series we're doing on the tragedy and its aftermath.
As I wrote in my note to readers Sunday, we thought it was vital for readers to understand what the victims and the first responders endured. We recognize others may feel differently about this difficult image and appreciate hearing your feedback. We do try hard to take into account the sensibilities of our community.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly. My office number is 361-574-1271.

I was disgusted to see the picture of the dead bodies in the trailor on Sunday morning! How can the advocate think it's right to display such a horrible image. The little boys lifeless body was enough for me to shut the paper and sadly weep for what these people went through. We are so lucky to live in this country, and yet so many Americans complain day after day because to them it's not enough. People always want more, never being satisfied with what they have. These people died horrible deaths trying to get a taste of the "American dream". Anyone that thinks they deserved this has no heart, these people were human like you and I, being born in another country doesn't make you anything different.

This is something that I will never forget.The pictures are devastating especially seeing the innocent little boy laying there deceased.I am proud to be an American and also proud to say that I have sympathy for what happened on that day.We are all humans and we all make mistakes,some worse then others,but know one deserves to die in this manner.

Uh Tonianne,
If your comment is aimed at me. Also please remember the rules of posting. I do have compassion. First I place that compassion for the citizens of the United States of America and all of their plights and troubles. Whomever had to deal with the tragedy has my sympathy first. I have seen unnecessary death first hand also, people burnt to death. It is not a pretty picture to keep in your memory.

My point is, we have great people in this United States that need to be helping the citizens. Here we have a tragedy tht never should have happened...never should it have happened. But when it did, it was not legal visitors, it was illegal immigrants trying to sneak into our state.

Compassion? Go to the Corners of Westpark and the cross streets in Houston. Compassion? Go to the street on Richmond where the had to close the night clubs because of all the shootings and the drunks walking a block into the neighborhoods and peeing in the yards. Compassion? Go to my local elementary school that has more classes in spanish than English. Compassion -- Go to the the hospitals in Houston where they have flashing neon lights advertising in Spanish. Stand there for an hour and see how many shootings and stabbings come in that are of one race -- this observation not selective vision. Compassion. Read the reports about the crime in Los Angelos. Most of the crime is now being performed by illegal immigrants.

Now you tell me I am not being compassionate. I am a grandmother. You are holding a baby in your arms. Do you work to pay taxes for services that baby recieves now and in the future. What I see with illegals are people who are stealing my tax dollars that I earned and paid in for my grandchildren and greatgrand children.

So yes I have compassion and love. I also believe in taking care of your own family and not asking handouts. I want schools, hospitals, the legal system, and other infrastructures available for my family and other legal citizens.

And don't give me frac about them working for jobs that other's won't have. I have two grandsons that mowed lawns, flipped burgers, changed bed pans, and anything else they could to help save additional money for college.

So yes hats of to first responders. But regretfully if the illegals had not tried to cross the border, they would not have caused the nightmares in the first place. Be honest. The law breakers caused the nightmares. Quite feeling sorry for them. Send the back over the border and have them apply to come in legally.

If I were to make such a harsh statement that made it seem like I didn't value human life - I would hide behind a fake name and no picture too.

Shame on you.

Yes - we have problems - but these were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters - babies.

Human lives. No different than you or me. We all breathe and our heart beats the same way.

In the future - if you want to make such a bold statement - "grow some" and put your real name.

The entire situation was sad. It wasted resources of the United States including first responders, hospitals, law inforcement, our legal system and our prison system.

The people were breaking the law. They knew that and hid in a truck that was airless, dark and dank. They did not even think to look for air holes. It was pack mentality wanting to steal US resources.

If they had made it to Houston. Mayor White would have given them sanctuary, while ICE raids. We need to send messages to stay at home. I have no more tax dollars for them.

Santa Anna's Curse.Imagine if Santa Anna had given up not just the Texas territory to the US but also Mexico, There would be no problem of illegal immigration to the US from Mexico. The now Mexicans would have been Americans for over 100 yrs. the opportunities they seek here would have been long established in Mexico.Imagine if they did not have to leave their homes, comm unities and families how much better it would be for them.I am not saying the US is a perfect world, but they would have one world not 2 to live in. The illegal working world and the one their hearts and family are in. Mexico would be a very different place than it is now. There would not be any time money or effort wasted in this fight to keep the countries separate as it would all  be one naion. Sometimes loosing and giving up can be more of a benefit than holding on to a failure. The Mexican government is a failure to its people, otherwise so many millions would not be dying to get here just to survive. Perhaps the Mexican people should demand to join the US as a groups of American states and not an invading country of hungry workers. How many Mexicans would be glad to give up their Mexican citizenship to be free Americans. Perhaps if they want to make a political statement, they need to address their Government to join the US legally as a combined legal group. How about states request annexation to the US to legally be US states. Santa Anna may roll in his grave. But look at all the needless suffering that could be eliminated. It would put an end to Mexican citizen abuse and Slavery in the US.

Another Great Story Gabe!

There can be something done to help prevent this from happening. The US or Texas radio stations along the border could play announcements of what can happen to them if they try to enter the US illegally. Billboard ads, radio and TV ads could be placed in Mexico to alert them of the dangers. They could also include warnings of the treatment they may be faced by their US employers. Many are abused as nothing more than slave labor. The US will not protect them. The women need to be warned that they may end up as sex slaves. I do not understand why they are not warned of the abuse they may get after they are here. I guess it is head-in-the -sand politics on both sides of the border.