Posted on 05/31/2007 5:48:19 AM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007
Today I spoke to Jim Gilchrist, the founder of the Minuteman Project. The most striking part of the interview was how mild his views on immigration truly were. The man has been vilified by most of the Left and even much of the Right, including the White House. He’s supposed to be an immigrant-hating vigilante who dreams of dead Mexicans at night. Instead, he’s an intelligent, mild-mannered person with very reasonable proposals that include supporting a limited H1b temporary visa program for skilled workers and about 200,000 legal immigrants annually. We also covered the War of Terror, U.S. Presidential elections, and the Minuteman Project dispute, among other issues.
David Storobin: Why did you create the Minuteman Project (MMP) ?
Jim Gilchrist: After years of frustration and getting no response from Congress, I finally came to the realization that we were having an illegal alien invasion crisis. I thought I would bring national awareness to it, and it worked out very well.
What are the goals of MMP?
The Minuteman Project is not against immigration, we are just in favor of an organized, lawful immigration.
Definition of the Minuteman project is: A multiethnic, immigration law enforcement advocacy group.
How difficult was it to set up MMP?.
Oh very. We didn’t assemble for 6 months after the Minuteman project was set up.
We had to have many things, including an air wing, recognizance wing, long range recognizance, and it was done strictly by former military people. We had about 1200 volunteers.
Would say the project was a success?
Yes, very. It brought national awareness to the issue.
What should the United States government do?
We lack the man power. We really need at least 36,000 border patrolmen, and right now we have less than 12,000.
How did you come up with 36,000 border patrolmen?
We need 1 agent for every 2-3 miles, plus support staff, so the total would be about 36,000.
What do you think about building a wall on the US-Mexican border?
I think it’s the last resort, but I am for it now because our political leaders are doing nothing about it. Our Founding Father never envisioned this cavalier attitude to our security.
Our leaders and their version of “patriotism” will lead to the demise of the United States. They are afraid of taking a stand for our sovereignty and are bought off by corporations who want to exploit the new “slave labor market”.
The mentality of corporations is no different than those of slave traders. Same mentality, same morally cheap attitude.
What do you mean demise?
It could be a geographical demise. There are two ways to destroy a country – an outright invasion, which won’t happen because the American armed forces are so much stronger than the Mexican military, or a covert Trojan horse invasion that overruns the country demographically. I give us about 18 years until illegals outnumber our citizens.
Illegal immigration causes crime. Your neighbor cheats by coming here illegally, your employer cheats by hiring your neighbor, your local business cheats by giving your neighbor a fake identification… so why can’t you also cheat? A nation that has no respect for the rule of law is no longer a civilized nation.
What is the 18 years figure based on?
Over a million are apprehended at the border annually. The government admits that only one of 4 or 5 are intercepted, the rest get in. That’s roughly 4-5 million a year.
What numbers would you allow legally?
Fewer 200,000 and they would have to meet specific skill sets. If we want botanical engineers, that’s what we would look for. If we need rocket scientists, we should recruit them.
Are you be in favor of the H1b program? [Under H1b, people with at least a college degree get a 6-year temporary visa to fill high-skill jobs for which the employer cannot find an American. It may later be converted into a green card.]
Yes, but only after all attempts have been made to fill the positions by citizens.
What do you think about deportation of illegals?
I’m pro-deportation or if you want to use a nicer word, pro-repatriation.
Many people say it’s impossible to deport illegals and, therefore, they should be legalized. What steps should be taken in the United States in terms of deportation?
You cannot have a defeatist attitude towards the problem and have a solution. The repatriation of illegals must begin with a recognition of the problem and a plan. We may be called names, but the names our grandchildren will call us will be worse when they have to live in a destroyed country.
There must be a multi-faceted approach, including arresting illegals and also cutting off social welfare programs to them.
Would you support cutting off school for illegals’ children?
Yes, everything except for life-supporting medical aid. We won’t just let people die in the street, but we must deport them after providing medical aid, and bill their country of origin for all services provided.
First time people get caught, they must be deported. Second time they get caught after they return to the United States, they must be placed in jail for 3-5 years without a possibility of parole or probation.
Is there any difference between Republicans and Democrats on this issue?
I just came back to the Republicans after being an independent for 10 years, and I think they are a little better. The Democrats are part of the problem. If there will be a solution, it will come from the Republican Party.
Would you support a proposal in the United States that is similar to the French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s idea to pay $8,000 per family to leave the country?
I don’t think $8,000 would be enough to leave the United States for a Third World country.
What do you think about the Mexican government deporting out more illegals than the U.S. and at the same time complaining about American immigration laws?
They are a bunch of racist hypocrites. That’s their way of life. The more of them come here, the more we are going to become like that.
As far as the recent bipartisan proposal amnesty/guest worker proposal, what are some the most troubling aspects of it?
I think there may be as many as 33 millions illegals in the United States. By granting amnesty, we’ll send a message that our immigration laws are not enforced and the more of you get in here, the greater the chances of getting amnesty.
If this law is passed, I would say that by the year 2025, we may have another 150 million illegals and we’ll be a nation governed by mob rule.
As far as demographics of the United States go, do you think it’s important to keep the same demographic balance that this country currently has?
It’s a difficult question and the reason it’s so difficult is because of the assimilation problem. Diversity and multiculturalism is not a bad thing unless there’s no assimilation. Without assimilation, there will be ethnic clashes. With assimilation, all those cultures become American. They have a common bond of language. There are so many benefits to assimilation to the immigrants themselves and it allows us to make a united USA. But the way the assimilation has been abandoned, the US can go the way of USSR, which split off into 15 separate states. California could become northern Mexico or unite with Mexico. By sheer numbers, they can take over.
The current illegal immigration system only promotes segregation and I see it only getting worse because we have no assimilation process.
Do you think anyone can become an American in the traditional sense we think of?.
Yes, but only if they want to.
What do you think about the “points system” recently proposed to increase skilled immigration and reduce family-based immigrants?
I’m for that. They should have the skills this country needs and also should speak English and know American History.
Do you think Mexican immigration presents a special problem because of the Mexican claim to southwestern United States?
Yes. If we are unwilling to fight for our country, we will lose the southwestern United States through this invasion. Even people in other parts of the United States – Oregon, Maine, Indiana – have called me to report their problems.
The successors of yesterday’s immigrants prefer to go to other parts of the US with fewer Mexicans to avoid competition with their countrymen who already work dirt cheap in Southwestern United States and in major cities.
We’ve been told that they pay taxes. How do they pay taxes?
Mostly, they mean the sales tax. Usually only if they can get earned income taxes which exceed what they pay will the illegals file income tax forms.
Illegals contributed $16 billion, but their cost to the country was roughly $400 billion to provide schooling, medical care, food stamps and other programs available to them. Meanwhile, a mother and father work under the table and get all these benefits. With all the benefits and no taxes, they can live at the level of about $80,000 in pre-tax income.
How do you answer charges of racism against you and the MMP?
My son-in-law is Mexican and so are 2 of my 3 grandchildren. Ray Herrera is a Mexican, he’s the MMP national rally spokesman. Many of the people affiliated with MMP are Mexican. The racism card is the last resort of a scoundrel who has lost his argument. It doesn’t mean anything to me because it lost its meaning by being so overused. Everything is racism.
You’ve had a recent dispute with the MMP board
They were never a governing board. These disgruntled sociopaths. They were invited as advisors to give recommendations without any voting rights, and I had the veto power over them, which I’ve used in the past.
What they did while I was out of town is that they took over the MMP bank account and drained all funds from it. And how they did it is by filing fraudulent documents with the Secretary of Corporations in Delaware, claiming they were the MMP Board of Directors, and stating that I was removed. Nobody checked it and the bank allowed them to have authority over the bank account, taking off my name and placing their names on it. They withdrew the money on the spot and it’s all on video from the bank.
They then used the same documents to take over the web site.
We took them to court, and the judge granted us an injunction against them. Marvin Stewart declared himself president of MMP. He’s really mentally ill. When he declared himself leader, everyone went crazy. He tried to forward MMP mail to himself, but a postal worker caught on to his trick.
I’ve filed 3 criminal complaints against him and Debra Courtney.
Is this dispute resolved?
Yes, I’m the President and always was. I got the corporation back. I have the right to the web site, the bank account, everything. We are back in the same position as we were prior to the hijacking.
You were rumored to run for President from the Constitution Party?
I may go back if the Republicans don’t nominate someone like Tom Tancredo or Duncan Hunter for President or Vice President. But there would have to be significant support.
I ran as an independent for Congress and got 26%.
Why don’t you run for Congress as a Republican?
I might run again next year and would have a lot more clout this time. This time I would win.
Immigration wouldn’t be the only issue. I would support the abolition of the income tax and replace it with the Fair Tax (national sales tax).
Aren’t you afraid that we might get stuck with both a national sales tax and income tax?
We’d have to pass a law requiring a Constitutional Amendment to bring back the income tax.
What do you think about the Flat tax for income tax?
I prefer the joy of never having to file an income tax form.
Who are your political heroes?
Ronald Reagan. John Kennedy. Eisenhower. FDR. Abraham Lincoln. George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. And now Tom Tancredo.
Do you think someone like Tancredo or Hunter can win the GOP nomination?
Yes, but their message needs to get out. Giuliani and Hillary are the two threats. McCain, I don’t think he’ll win. I don’t know enough about Romney.
What about Ron Paul?
Give him a thumbs up. He’s on my list of 3 best candidates, along with Hunter and Tancredo. Those are the only three I can support. I don’t support any of the Democrats because of their views on both the illegal alien invasion or the tax situation.
What do you think about the War on Terror?
We should’ve gone into Afghanistan with a force 10 times greater and stayed there for 10 years to take out the Taliban and al-Qaida completely.
Do you think there may be a solution to the Islamist Jihad problem?
We can leave the Middle East completely, but we cannot just abandon Israel. We’d have to provide protection to Israel, but not necessarily have a presence in the Islamic countries. Maybe we should have a presence in Israel instead. But certainly we have to seal our borders.
How does illegal immigration affect the War on Terror?
It’s a thorn in the side of the War on Tterror. It’s an invitation for anyone to come here and do anything they want. I have just one thing to say to the President and the Congress: you cannot guarantee security, prosperity and democracy abroad if you desert those principles at home. And that’s how most Americans feel.
Gilchrist of the Minutemen ping for the immigration list.
Ping of interest.
CELEBRATE AMERICAN FLAG DAY
Let Freedom Ring/March For America
Sponsored by Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform
June 16th, 2007 - 12:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Minnesota State Capital
75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
St. Paul, Mn. 55155
This is a call for all American citizens to unite under one voice and let the Government hear us loud and clear. NO AMNESTY!
bttt
BTTT..
Whatever the solution turns out to be, it would be wise to listen to those who have been there day in and day out..
WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!
Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti illegal immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them. This is a bipartisan issue not a Conservative or Liberal issue BUT AN AMERICAN issue.
Thanks for posting this.
I am afraid the President and the government do not care about security, prosperity and democracy here in America. They have other fish to fry to attain their globalist goals, or none of this would be happening.
I had to laugh. One of his conditions was that the illegal alien learn American history. Most Americans don’t know American history! That’s one of the reasons we find ourselves where we are today.
Incidentally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DUNCAN HUNTER! Send him a donation to his campaign at http://www.gohunter08 today!
ping
Illegal immigration needs to be framed as an issue of morality, like abolition, with the employers depicted as the slave owners.
With all the benefits and no taxes, they can live at the level of about $80,000 in pre-tax income.
This is no exaggeration.
Drive into any gas station in Southern California, and you will be surrounded by large, New SUV rigs driven by Spanish speaking people.
They are making out like bandits.
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