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Episode 3: Badges, Blood, and Borders

Episode 3: Badges, Blood, and Borders

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The final episode confronts the most controversial aspects of Ranger history, particularly their role in border conflicts and treatment of ethnic Mexicans. It examines the darkest period of Ranger history during the Mexican Revolution (1915-1919), when some Rangers conducted extrajudicial killings along the border during the "Hora de Sangre." The episode traces how legislative investigation led to significant reforms, the Rangers' sometimes difficult adaptation to civil rights-era challenges, and their gradual transformation into a modern, diverse law enforcement agency. Through interviews with current and former Rangers and descendants of those affected by historical abuses, the narrative explores how the institution has recently begun to acknowledge its troubled history while maintaining its core identity. The series concludes with reflections on the Rangers' dual existence as both a real law enforcement agency and a powerful cultural symbol in American mythology.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.