The running community across the United States is shocked once again by the brutal killing of Laken Riley on the UGA campus by an illegal alien. There is evil in this world, it is undeniable. There are horrible people in this world who will attempt to bring harm to you or your family. There are things you can do to mitigate and prevent these risks and sometimes it’s out of your control.
Laken was doing everything right. She was running on a known route, in a well trafficked area by other runners and walkers and informed her friends that she was going out for a run. She did nothing that increased her risk of confronting evil. She didn’t seek it out, she wasn’t careless in her personal choices or actions. By all accounts she was doing everything right. She was simply a Free American Citizen going out on a run in a known safe area.
Trump was right and that reality is now undeniable in this case. Trump was correct when he stated that other nations were emptying their prisons and sending them North to enter the United States of America illegally. Venezuela is not the only country doing it, but in this case it was a Venezuelan criminal who committed this crime.
The Executive Branch of the United States of America is failing to protect American citizens from these criminals and in many cases give them parole to navigate throughout the United States uninhibited. The murderer refused to enter America through a legal port of entry and instead continued his criminal lifestyle by illegally entering America. At one point this criminal was apprehended by Border Patrol, but the will of the President was unsurmountable and he was allowed to stay in America.
All of us are going to die and for most of us we have no idea when or how that will happen. Certainly Laken did not think that her time was now when she went on that run. Her interaction with this Venezuelan criminal could have been 100% prevented by the United States Government. This particular murder by this specific person could have been prevented, if only the Government would prohibit illegal entry and deport all trespassers who subvert our laws and choose to violate our sovereignty.
The United States of America is a great nation, welcoming to millions of immigrants who choose to enter through a legal port-of-entry with the proper documentation and legal reasons. We are no country at all if we can’t control the flow of people and goods into our country.
I personally despise the fact that this case so intricately weaves together running and politics. I’m not advocating for a particular party or candidate; I am advocating for American Citizens and Legal Migrants who respect our laws. I am advocating for a U.S. Government that respects American citizens enough to place America and Americans first in all decisions, actions and policies.
Runners, particularly women ought to be able to run without fear. They ought to be able to log their miles without fear of harm, harassment or danger. This is not to be ignorant of emerging threats or to make high-risk decisions, but a belief that in a free country, free-citizens ought to be safe from the the effects of their governments actions.
In my previous posts about Eliza Fletcher and Susan Karnatz I identified steps and actions a runner can take to mitigate the risks of a dangerous person or situation. However, this situation is a little different because it requires the runner to influence and change the government that is allowing foreign countries to empty their prisons into America.
This situation is extremely saddening and heartbreaking.
For her family. For her friends. For her community.
For the running community.
For our country.
An ounce of prevention, in the form of controlling our borders, deporting trespassing foreigners and local governments to cease harboring and enabling foreign criminals could have stopped this pound of pain.