For "Thunder on the Border," click the picture:
Posted on 03/27/2006 12:43:09 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
Our view: The much-criticized group showed the nation illegal immigration is not just a Southwestern problem
Corps training manual, civilian volunteer border watchers aren't allowed to start fires to stay warm while on the line.
But the manual doesn't say anything about lighting fires under politicians. That's something the Minutemen have done with great success.
As the Minutemen prepare to start a monthlong campaign of watching for illegal entrants along the border, they can take comfort in knowing they've prompted lawmakers across the country to address the issue of illegal immigration.
A few highlights:
o The Arizona Legislature is dealing with about 50 bills concerning the border and illegal immigration, more on that topic than in any other session in Arizona history, the Star reported Tuesday.
o In Congress, the Senate will begin a two-week debate Monday on immigration while considering several bills to overhaul the nation's immigration laws. The House passed an enforcement bill in December.
o The National Governors Association in February urged the Bush administration and Congress to curb illegal immigration. Notably, the governors of Utah, Missouri, Tennessee and Vermont, none of them on the Mexican border, said entrants are costing their states millions.
The Minutemen aren't entirely responsible for this increase in attention: The illegal immigration issue has been smoldering for years.
But the Minutemen certainly played a part, drawing national attention to border problems.
"We helped propel the issue into the limelight," said Connie Hair, a spokeswoman for the Minutemen based in Arlington, Va. "Our message that the borders are wide open resonated with people and got them worked up."
When the Minutemen held their first patrol last April, the group was called a bunch of vigilantes. Others said they had no business patrolling the border — that's what the Border Patrol is for. They were called racist.
But whether you're a fan or a critic, there's no denying that the Minutemen helped turn a regional issue into a national one.
They garnered attention from the biggest media outlets in the country — television and print — and columnists and talk shows all weighed in on these people sitting in the desert with binoculars.
The Minutemen still have detractors. Cecelia Muñoz, vice president for policy at the National Council of La Raza, said the group has contributed to an "atmosphere of ignorance and disrespect" toward immigrants in the United States.
David Spener, a sociologist at Trinity University in San Antonio, said the Minuteman patrols do very little in the way catching illegal entrants.
"What they are able to do," Spener said in Tuesday's Star, "is get certain people in the political sector upset."
The Minutemen aren't the most popular group around. But after conducting patrols in Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, Washington state, New York and New Hampshire, the group has shown it's not an out-of-control band of vigilantes. Its volunteers, other than in a couple of minor incidents, follow the law.
We may not agree with their agenda or their tactics or even if what they are doing is worthwhile. In our April 24, 2005, editorial, we said that a series of reforms was the answer to the problem of illegal immigration, not a media event.
If the Minutemen's goal was to raise awareness of border issues, we have to say they've succeeded.
Now it's time for hard work and compromise. Time for the Legislature to weed through its barrage of bills and for Congress to approve a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach that includes border security, a guest-worker program and employer requirements.
La Raza, or The Race, is both ignorant and disrespectful to legal immigrants and citizens of the United States.
Immigrants are just fine but Cecelia Muñoz wants to lump law abiding immigrants in with criminal illegal aliens. Sorry Cecelia, but we in fact CAN think for ourselves. NO SALE
David Spener, a sociologist at Trinity University in San Antonio, said the Minuteman patrols do very little in the way catching illegal entrants.
Well surprise surprise ! Imagine that. After over a year of posting on all minuteman and minutemen web sites the "No Contact Policy" someone has actually noticed that we do not catch anyone. Whew! That guy is like a RAZOR!!!
"What they are able to do," Spener said in Tuesday's Star, "is get certain people in the political sector upset."
Damn straight skippy! We get a lot of folks WAYYYYY upset. Heck, one might even go so far as to say we lit the fuze on all this a year ago.
We may not agree with their agenda or their tactics or even if what they are doing is worthwhile. In our April 24, 2005, editorial, we said that a series of reforms was the answer to the problem of illegal immigration, not a media event. If the Minutemen's goal was to raise awareness of border issues, we have to say they've succeeded.
DUH!
Now it's time for hard work and compromise. Time for the Legislature to weed through its barrage of bills and for Congress to approve a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach that includes border security, a guest-worker program and employer requirements.
Sorry buddy, it does not matter how many times the propaganda of the "need for a guest worker program" is spewed at the public, is is nothing but an A - M - N - E - S - T - Y. And the American Citizens know it.
I don't know whether to smile or frown as this subject gains national attention.
This forum, FreeRepublic, was one of the early voices attempting to warn it's fellow citizens of the problems that inevitably follow an illegal pursuit. I smile because that issue is now front and center on the MSN at the dinner table.
I'm frowning because it took over 10 years for the situation to become so bad that Washington could no longer ignore it. Even Reagan, whose legislation launched the problems in our present era, publicly acknowledged his basic mistake soon after leaving the presidency.
For "Thunder on the Border," click the picture:
More than 1,000 people--including 30 pilots with their private planes--have volunteered for what they call their "Minuteman Project", seeking to monitor the movement of illegal aliens during April and report them to the Border patrol.
Bush said after yesterday's summit with Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin at Baylor University that he finds such actions unacceptable.
"I am against vigilantes in the united States of America," Bush said at a joint press conference.
This rag: The Arizona "RED" Star is well known around here as a socialist, leftist rag that caters to the libs that make Pima County one of only two counties in AZ that are demoRAT. I wonder what prompted them to moderate their anti-Minuteman stance, could it be their readership is slipping fast, or that Randy Graf is coming to replace their RINO buddy Jim Kolbe?
Funny how the Compassionate Conservatives don't get offended by a group that calls itself The Race. No, not offended at all- in fact they consider La Raza to be among their most important constituents. But those vigilante Minutemen, now that's a dangerous group of racists, for sure...
My Gov should be there Gov Perry, we have one of the largest problems with the criminal illegals.
Thank God for the Patriots, the Minutemen, God Bless them!!You all have our deepest gratitude!!
You all have seen how bad it got in LosAngeles this weekend, you seen the 100's of thousands of demonstrators, you seen the disrespectful big mouth obnoxious mexican flag waving anchorbrats leave highschool to demonstrate, why LA?? Why so bad in L.A.? They have a mexican Mayor!!http://www.aztlan.net/hahnmexico.htm , this all began way back in 2001. time to recall the Mayor of LosAngeles, he was instrumental in the big show the mexican flag waving socialist pigs did over the weekend there.
That mayor must be recalled as you all did to Gray Davis, he needs to be removed immediately , moral of the story DO NOT ever vote for any mexican !!!
See what happens when people vote in a mexican and a democrat mexican yet!!
I like AZ and I hope they are able to pass very strict illegal alien legislation because Washington won't. Hope a lot of RED states follow suit and I will than retire in AZ. it's getting real bad in Texas and that is extremely disturbing to us Republican RED State Texans.
Bottom line is if you don't want to have a third world country do not vote for any mexican!
Just heard Senator Bill Frist say it on NBC.
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant!
I sure hope so.
Think of the double standard of living in this country, you pay your taxes you are a legal citizen born here and you respect your government, play by the rules, don't break the law, what rewards do you get? NOTHING! NADA, ZIP!
They sneak in and hide like the criminals they are, they don't play by the rules (they don't have to), they depress wages, they get better health care and the BEST that this Country has to offer, don't pay taxes, send American money out of the Country, wave mexican flags in your faces, demand and demonstrate and they get REWARDED.
Now how does that make you feel?
The MSM never explains the meaning of "LaRaza" I wish they would.
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