Posted on 11/15/2002 8:14:13 AM PST by dirtboy
Cochise County's "official newspaper" has issued a call to arms and is spearheading the formation of a local militia to combat illegal immigration.
Tucson human rights activist Isabel Garcia said the Tombstone Tumbleweed's rhetoric is the latest manifestation of a militant vigilantism that has long existed in Cochise County with the acceptance and encouragement of local officials.
She said Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever's public friendship with groups like Glenn Spencer's American Patrol, the sheriff's lack of investigation into Roger and Don Barnett's armed detention of illegal entrants and the clear unwillingness on the part of Cochise County Attorney Chris Roll to investigate and prosecute the two brothers have given them credibility and encouraged groups like Texas-based Ranch Rescue and the new Tombstone Militia.
"To have the official newspaper of the county call on people to take up arms is very dangerous, very frightening. Law enforcement and public officials should be concerned," she said.
Garcia canceled an upcoming speaking engagement in Bisbee out of concern over the growing hostility in the county.
Roll, the county attorney, said every case brought to him is reviewed under the same standards. "If we have sufficient evidence that a crime has been committed, we will prosecute."
Sheriff Dever said frustrations with the federal government's inability to stem the flow of illegal immigration has attracted the attention of a number of groups on all sides of the issue.
While he acknowledged attending and speaking at American Patrol meetings, he said his presence should be construed as being a voice of reason rather than a supporter of particular agendas or methodology.
At least 43 people have joined the Citizens Border Patrol militia since the front page call to arms appeared in the Tombstone Tumbleweed last month - under a headline that read "Enough is Enough!" - and support continues to grow, said Chris Simcox, a former California teacher who is now owner, publisher and editor of the Tombstone weekly.
Simcox isn't shy about using the words "vigilante" and "militia" to describe his plans. He sees both as a patriotic obligation in a time of war and a necessity in light of the federal government's failure to stop the flood of immigrants funneling through Cochise County.
His plan is to put armed, able-bodied militia members on private property near the border to create a presence and a deterrent to illegal border crossers.
"This has nothing to do with the Mexican people per se. . . . It's about stopping uncontrolled immigration," he said. "We want local people, we don't want the Rambos, the mercenaries and soldiers of fortune that some of these groups seem to be made up of."
Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman, who represents the Tombstone area on the county Board of Supervisors said the county has no authority or desire to interfere with the publisher's First Amendment right to publish what he chooses.
But the supervisor said he is concerned that the harsh editorial tone of the newspaper not be represented as the position of Cochise County. He's asked county staffers to look into the newspaper's use of the phrase "Official Newspaper of Cochise County" in its masthead.
According to state law, a newspaper awarded a county's legal advertising contract may be referred to as the county's official paper.
* Contact reporter Ignacio Ibarra at (520) 432-2766 or at nacho1@mindspring.com.
Every now and then, I see a pickup truck with an American Patrol bumper sticker stopping at the local mall to pick up a load of non-English-speaking day laborers.
Far cry from the corrupt Sheriff Behan who consipired with the "Cowboys" against Marshall Virgil Earp and his brothers.
There is no cause to dislike the Mexican people. They are breaking our laws, but our government has given them the green light to do so. They are fleeing economic conditions that are fostered by a government that could care less about their poverty. I do not blame them as much as I blame our federal government. There is not excuse for their inactivity on this subject, not the least of which is their free pass to El Presidente' Fox and his predicessors. Is Trent Lott the roll model for our complete Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of governemnt?
Calls to violence are juvenile. Give most of these hot-heads a gun with a poor family standing in front of them and they'd put it down and ask if the folks needed some water. They're mostly the comments of people who haven't thought out what they want to say on the subject, but want to reinforce their disagreement with what is going on. There is no denying that there are folks out there who are truly racist. Some of them do show up. It's unfortunate, but it happens. This is a public forum. Anyone from the public can post here. They do. It's up to us to rebut their comments and get them booted on down the road.
Racism and violence are the two red harings that will prevent this issue from ever being fixed. They are the last two things you will find anyone who's serious about a humane remedy to this problem, using to support their position.
And who do you think we have that to thank for?
You don't need legal authority to defend your private property from trespass. They are not claiming the right to patrol Organ Pipe Catcus National Monument, just private ranches.
This single issue ecompasses and effects wide sectors of the country.
Folks, I gotta go, will check up on this thread later. Try to keep it civil and keep it clean so the thread stays up.
The right of Citizens Arrest is enshrined in AZ law.
All that leaves is your disapproval which quite frankly ain't worth a bucket of warm spit to most folks in that area.
L
There is a better than 50/50 chance they will prevent land owners from taking up arms to stop this invasion. The troops will be placed on the border so that land owners won't be able to stop this. And when they get there, they will allow the illegal to pass in the same manner they have for decades. The border patrol at this time has been ordered not to impede illegals on their way northward. We have sanctioned open borders. Does anyone think our federal officials are going to allow land owners to set national policy? Dream on, if you do.
I am sad to totally agree with you. And here just DAYS after Janet Napolitano gave her victory speech as Governor Elect of our once great state of Arizona, I find this article tucked away in a small publication in the Southern part of the state. She's already packing for trip to Mexico to meet with the (open) Border Governor's who've been working on their Agenda for 20 years. But, then again, Matt Salmon promised to work with the Border Govenor's if he was elected. I don't think you can say NO!
No news that when Fox and Bush were governors, they participated in this BG BiNational master plan. So they let the border situation get so heated that citizens, with all good intentions, volunteer to help out, then here comes Homeland Security with a reformed government to take over. How does it go? Order out of Chaos? Two years ago I knew nothing about this, and now its unbearably clear.
Napolitano: Border is a priority
BY BILL HESS
Herald/Review
PHOENIX -- How to help rural Arizona counties, especially those along the U.S.-Mexico border, is one of the priorities Governor-elect Janet Napolitano said she will work on during her administration.
While the problems of border counties are not on the back burner, Napolitano said she will first take care of the state's budget crisis and clean up Arizona's educational woes.
Part of the state's economic well-being is tied to the border and the nations south of the United States, she said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
"Arizona is the gate to the south, and I don't just mean Mexico," Napolitano said. Mexico is the main trade partner for Arizona, but the governor-elect said Arizona has to look beyond its immediate neighbor to the south at markets in Central and South America.
Next week, Napolitano will travel with Gov. Jane Hull to Mexico to meet with Mexico's border governors and Mexican President Vicente Fox. "I'm going as an observer," Napolitano said.
A big believer in technology, she said she wants the federal government to do more at the ports of entry in Arizona to make it easier for traffic bringing the flow of goods north. With technology, the federal government can create cyberports instead of using a large numbers of people, who can be better used for other border functions, Napolitano said.Wonder why Jane couldn't get this done?
The whole border issue has to be addressed by the federal government, and that includes establishing a new guest-worker program, which she supports, she said.
Napolitano said she will not militarize the border by using armed Arizona National Guard forces. "The border has to be taken care of by the feds."
She also said that when illegal immigrants or drug smugglers come across the border, the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are the only ones who should handle the situation.
The governor-elect said she opposes any group of civilians acting, in her words, as vigilantes. "Law enforcement should be done by law enforcement."Well Janet, you were to Top Cop (AG) for the last 4 years while these problems have escalated!
I was providing the proof of this while you were posting, lol. Things are moving quickly here.
I'm not sure what the remedy is. Bush is doing some things I really like. He's also doing some things that drive me nuts.
Could it be a sign that the current situation is out of control and the Federal Government is not doing it's job?
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