Minutemen joining volatile border mix in Texas

Houston Chronicle ^ | June 19, 2005 | EDWARD HEGSTROM

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The leader of a controversial Arizona civilian border patrol will be in Goliad on Monday to finalize plans for an upcoming patrol in South Texas.

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps leader Chris Simcox says it is "pure coincidence" that his meeting with ranchers and landowners will take place in Goliad, a town that, along with the Alamo, resonates as a reminder of the historic conflict between Texas and Mexico.

Simcox said he expects about 100 ranchers and other landowners to attend the meeting in Goliad on Monday evening. Today, Simcox was scheduled to get a tour of area ranches.

"We're stepping right into the middle of a multibillion-dollar crime syndicate, and they're not happy about it," Simcox said.

However, he said the group will focus on stopping the flow of illegal immigrants across the border and will not attempt to stop the flow of drugs that has become the source of so much violence along the border recently.

"That's a whole 'nother world," Simcox said of the violent drug trade. "We leave that to the professionals."

Bill Parmley, a petroleum geologist and lifelong Goliad resident, said he invited Simcox out because he has become so concerned by the illegal immigrants in the area. Though Goliad sits about 200 miles from the border, it has been overrun by illegal immigrants passing through, he said.

"Our children cannot ride their bicycles," he said. "Women cannot go out in the evening."

Drug-related violence has become particularly acute in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo, where the police chief was assassinated hours after taking office June 8. The escalating violence has led local officials on the U.S. side to call for help from Washington and Austin.

The Texas Border Sheriffs' Coalition issued a plea last month for federal help to stop the violence from crossing the border. Laredo Mayor Betty Flores also has called for help from both the state and federal governments.

"Laredo continues to have to protect its border on its own," Flores said. She criticized the federal Department of Homeland Security for failing to protect her city.

"Their intent was to make the border safer, but it's not safer," she said.

But Flores isn't inviting the Minutemen. "They're not welcome in Texas," she said.

She says the problem needs to be addressed by professional law enforcement, and she worries that outsiders will discriminate against people on the border, most of whom are Hispanic.

"It's hard for people from (Arizona) to understand how we feel about the issue," she said.

Webb County Sheriff Rick Flores, no relation to the mayor, said he supports the idea behind the Minutemen, but he discourages them from coming because he worries they might get hurt.

"I respect them and I applaud their efforts," the sheriff said. "I just think the problem is a lot worse than they think."

Sheriff Flores said it would be impossible for the civilians to differentiate between immigrant smugglers and drug smugglers because sometimes the same cartels are moving both people and drugs. He also doubts many U.S. landowners in the Laredo area would cooperate, because he says many of them have been intimidated by the smugglers.

"Anyone who tries to disrupt their business will have a fight on their hands," Sheriff Flores said of the cartels. "These people don't take prisoners."

Gov. Rick Perry also thinks patrolling the border is better left to professionals.

"The governor certainly understands and shares the concerns of the Minutemen," said spokesman Robert Black. "But this is not the solution."

Simcox and others led a monthlong patrol of a stretch of the border in Arizona last April. The effort led to the proposal to expand the effort to all four border states.

The Minutemen now plan to do patrols in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas beginning Oct. 1. Another organization, the Texas Minutemen, also will have a presence on the border beginning Oct. 1, according to Shannon McGauley, who heads the group out of Arlington.

McGauley said his volunteers will patrol separate areas from those chosen by Simcox's forces.

Though not as famous as the Alamo, Goliad was the site where a group of Texan revolutionaries under James W. Fannin Jr. surrendered to the Mexican Army in March 1836, after being assured their lives would be spared. But more than 300 were later shot in what became known as the Goliad Massacre.

The next month, Gen. Sam Houston's troops got their revenge at the Battle of San Jacinto, where they went into the fighting shouting: "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" Of the more than 600 Mexicans who were killed at San Jacinto, many were trying to flee or surrender.

edward.hegstrom@chron.com

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Many in Nuevo Laredo defy threats to safety - Residents refuse to alter lives as violence grips city

[SteveMcKing]

"We leave that to the professionals."

Spoken like a massachusetts lib. You think the criminals don't know that you're passive? That's the thinking that allows them to thrive.

[billclintonwillrotinhell]

Laredo Mayor Betty Flores also has called for help from both the state and federal governments. "Laredo continues to have to protect its border on its own," Flores said. She criticized the federal Department of Homeland Security for failing to protect her city. "Their intent was to make the border safer, but it's not safer," she said. But Flores isn't inviting the Minutemen. "They're not welcome in Texas," she said. She says the problem needs to be addressed by professional law enforcement, and she worries that outsiders will discriminate against people on the border, most of whom are Hispanic. "It's hard for people from (Arizona) to understand how we feel about the issue," she said.

She won't trust people from Arizona to help solve her problem, but she does trust people from Washington, D.C? What-ever!

Meanwhile, where's President Bush? It's his "home" state. According to the story, kids can't ride their bikes and women can't go out at night. What's up with that? President Bush calls himself a "compassionate" conservative. Right now he's showing compassion for illegal aliens at the expense of law-abiding Americans.

[DH]

"Gov. Rick Perry also thinks patrolling the border is better left to professionals."

Ah! The "PROFESSIONAL" word. The most overused and misunderstood word in the English language.

Don't people understand that the word "professional" only means that someone is "paid" to perform services? It does not mean they are experts as is commonly accepted by the phrase. It simply means that their income is derived from their profession.

In the case of ALL GOVERNMENTAL "Professionals", none are experts....only leeches on the tax paying public. They don't earn income, they are alloted income. They don't compete to advance, they are politically advanced. Consequently, calling any governmental employee a "Professional" is an oxymoron.

It's the "PROFESSIONALS" who are soley responsible for this invasion of illegal aliens. It's done soley for the votes that may keep them in office so that the "PROFESSIONALS" can pander to even more and greater masses of prospective voters.

[hershey]

The National Guard is needed on the border. Period.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I do believe Mayor Flores is concerned about the safety of these people.

This will draw more attention to the problems along the border. I hope no one gets killed by drug runners.

And I don't for a minute think President Bush is unconcerned about this problem.

[eccentric]

These are "undocumented border monitors."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I think the one thing that is documented is the border.

[Hardastarboard]

"It's hard for people from (Arizona) to understand how we feel about the issue," she said.

WTF?!?!? They're overrun the same as you guys are! What an idiotic statement.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I think that is an incomplete quote - surely an incomplete thought.

Arizona and Texas are a lot alike.

There are many "mixed" race peoples and she goes on to be paraphrased as saying: "She says the problem needs to be addressed by professional law enforcement, and she worries that outsiders will discriminate against people on the border, most of whom are Hispanic."

[varon]

He also doubts many U.S. landowners in the Laredo area would cooperate, because he says many of them have been intimidated by the smugglers. (My emphasis)

Almost the same scenario as the insurgents intimidating Iraqis with the exception that the US armed forces are providing protection in Iraq while civilian volunteers providing assistance in the US are labeled as vigilantes by the President and scorned by local officials. Go figure.

Just exactly when was the turning point where the integrity of borders and well being of citizens of foreign countries gained priority over that of our own ?

[stopem]

ByeBye Perry. Gee thanks for watching over us Texans.
When can we vote in a NEW Gov??
How about Strayhorn, what's her take on all of this, send out the Texas Guards and give the Minutmen your endorsement and you definitely have OUR vote (me and my family).

Thank you Minutemen! This Texan thanks you!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

There is no turning back on this issue.

Changes are coming.

[mict42]

The main purpose of the federal government is to provide for the common defense of our states. The federal government will sanction military action half way around the world but refuses to provide this protection on our own door step. Have we reached the point in political correctness that being criticized and called names stops us in our tracks when our tracks should lead to the defense of our borders? What are we the citizens of individual states in this union to think? Not only are our national leaders not enforcing our borders, they are trying to find ways to legitimize the wholesale invasion of Mexicans and God knows how many people of other nationalities hell bent on our destruction. We are not the people of our forefathers. We have lost the grit to stand up and say, " this is wrong. We will not let one more person set foot in this country illegally, even if it means physical restraint along the entire border on the south and in the north. Does anybody else see what I see?

[Condor51]

Uh... (head shaking) what's the point of the last sentence in this article?!?

"Of the more than 600 Mexicans who were killed at San Jacinto, many were trying to flee or surrender."

Really, why is that there. It has nothing to do with illegal immigration or the minutemen. Plus how does this guy Edward KNOW they were trying to "flee or surrender"?

[pamlet]

I think the problem is that a lot of people in the border towns of Texas think they're still part of Mexico.

[SteveMcKing]

We are not the people of our forefathers. We have lost the grit to stand up and say, " this is wrong. We will not let one more person set foot in this country illegally, even if it means physical restraint along the entire border on the south and in the north.

Depending what you mean by forefathers, we have not endured the trials that forge iron wills. No Great Depression and no W.W. ii. Ironic they managed to raise such a soft generation (the boomers), who then raised the luridly lacking crop of animals called the gen-X'ers.

Anywho, if you refer to the founding fathers, I think those men did not predict the dream of universal prosperity. Every person in this country is guarenteed a meal and shelter - even murders - because our wealth and soft hearts allow for it. Who in the world is going to sacrifice a comfortable life to go fight government, having so very much to lose, despite that our government steals 35% of our income and puts our very lives and culture at risk.

Sure- "blood of tyrants", etc... No thanks. Maybe in the 1700s, but it's not acceptable today due to entitlement. Absent fanatical or religious beliefs, only men with nothing to lose are both effective and dangerous to their enemies (which is largely the basis of military conscription, interestingly).

[Gritty]

He also doubts many U.S. landowners in the Laredo area would cooperate, because he says many of them have been intimidated by the smugglers. "Anyone who tries to disrupt their business will have a fight on their hands," Sheriff Flores said of the cartels. "These people don't take prisoners."

OK, so let's stop pretending this is not a serious national problem and let's deploy somebody who can use sufficient force to stop this terrorism - because that's what it is. If there ever was a case made for deploying the Army and closing our southern border, this is it. This is a foreign criminal invasion turning us into a narco-state controlled by alien criminal forces.

The Sheriff is probably right. The Minutemen may well be in danger, just like the local population. That alone should tell us all something is seriously, seriously wrong on our border and it is well past time to tend to the problem in a serious manner, not as a hit-and-miss nuisance.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

"Of the more than 600 Mexicans who were killed at San Jacinto, many were trying to flee or surrender."

Santa Ana was captured. As story goes, in a women's dress, trying to escape detection. The Texas forces attacked at sunset. Many Mexicans were still in siesta and the low sun was in their eyes. It was a battle. We won.

You're right. It's a totally skewed line.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....Who in the world is going to sacrifice a comfortable life to go fight government, having so very much to lose, despite that our government steals 35% of our income and puts our very lives and culture at risk.....

We do pay too much but some of the reason we have, what you describe as "a comfortable life," is due to living in the United States of America and all that comes from that membership.