Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Border leads heated discussion
Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | 02/24/05 | Bill Hess

Posted on 02/24/2005 4:52:30 PM PST by SandRat

SIERRA VISTA - A pair of hot-button items were emotionally discussed Wednesday night at two town halls hosted by U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz.

Border problems and Social Security reform drew heated comments from an audience of more than 200.

The most contentious discussions revolved around what many people saw as a failed federal immigration policy, leading them to support a volunteer group called the Minuteman Project that has pledged to help control the border in April.

Kolbe said he has no problems with American citizens coming to Cochise County to be educated about border issues, but draws the line in supporting their efforts to patrol the international boundary - a stated goal of the group's organizers.

"People have a right to come here to see what is happening," the congressman said.

On the other hand, if they think they are going to become an arm of law enforcement in what is a federal responsibility, Kolbe said, "They will put themselves and others at risk."

A panel of federal agents, including the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Chief Michael Nicley, was at the congressman's immigration town hall meeting.

Nicley said he is extremely concerned about the proposed actions of the leaders of the Minuteman Project, a group established by retired California certified public accountant Jim Gilchrist.

Like the congressman, Nicley said the volunteers, purportedly more than 500 of them from 46 states, can come, look and try to understand the issue.

However, the line is blurred as to what the group wants to do and by the leaders saying they want to provide help to the U.S. Border Patrol.

"That's not the kind of help we want," Nicley said.

The senior Border Patrol officer in the Tucson Sector is bothered that an unfortunate confrontation could occur if the volunteers walk the border and trip a sensor, causing agents to respond to an area.

Some volunteers are encouraging others to bring their firearms, which could endanger everyone, Nicley said.

"I do not want that kind activity on the border," he said.

Nicley seeks more agents and technology so the Border Patrol can do its job in the Tucson Sector.

He was challenged by some in the audience, who identified themselves as local members of the Minuteman Project. About 120 Arizonans have reportedly signed on for the monthlong planned border project.

A man yelled, "I'm a proud Minuteman. I'm a proud vigilante."

The chief was asked if he would meet with organizers of the project. Nicley said yes.

Nicley said he is not afraid to meet with the public in any kind of forum, but he warned that people may not like to hear what he has to say.

Kolbe again emphasized that protecting the border is the responsibility of the federal government and said law enforcement must be left to the professionals.

"It would be a mistake for anyone to come here to engage in law enforcement activities," the congressman said about people like Minuteman Project volunteers.

The border is never going to be 100 percent secured, Kolbe said.

That drew a response from a woman who caustically said the congressman is nowhere close to doing his job of protecting the border.

"You haven't been 10 percent successful," the woman shouted.

In the first town hall, Kolbe spoke and heard about issues, with Social Security reform being the main topic

In what could be described as Social Security Economics 101, the congressman said it is past time to reform the 70-year-old system.

By 2008, the fund will start a downward trend in available money to pay beneficiaries, Kolbe said. In 2018, benefits being paid will exceed the amount of money going into the fund, he added. By 2042, the trust fund will be exhausted.

One man in the audience said Social Security is the wrong name for the entitlement program. It should be called "social insecurity," he said.

Whetstone resident John Petrello said the way Social Security is administered it is a pyramid scheme.

Agreeing there is less money being paid in taxes to the program, Petrello said part of the problem is jobs being taken away from Americans by illegal immigrants, causing employers to pay U.S. citizens less.

In the early 1990s, he earned $20 an hour as a walk-on construction worker and now that he is a trained electrician he is paid $10 an hour, with no benefits.

The 34-year-old said he likes the idea of private or personal accounts so he can have some control over his money - a reform proposal.

"I like the personal responsibility," Petrello said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Mexico; News/Current Events; US: Arizona; US: California; US: New Mexico; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; citizens; crime; drugs; illegals; immigrants; immigration; kolbe; labor; law; militia; nicely; patrol; ranchers; security; social; union; wages
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-168 next last

1 posted on 02/24/2005 4:52:33 PM PST by SandRat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: HiJinx; Spiff; idratherbepainting; JackelopeBreeder; AZHSer; Sabertooth; Marine Inspector; ...

Enjoy this one. Kolbe and Nicely were being made to sweat.


2 posted on 02/24/2005 4:53:18 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SandRat

I've got news for Rep. Kolbe--I think he needs to go back to Washington and tell all of his pals that he and they are going to be in for a rough time in 2006 if they don't start paying attention to the people regarding the immigration problem---


3 posted on 02/24/2005 4:57:12 PM PST by Txsleuth (Call be anything...just don't call me a fringe poster)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SandRat

I wonder if the Border Patrol is more concerned about the public seeing their operations (or maybe more accurately, the lack thereof) than they are about actual safety or confrontations.


4 posted on 02/24/2005 4:59:12 PM PST by wvobiwan (Paris Hilton for UN Sec. Gen. - At least we might get laid while we're getting screwed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Txsleuth
Hillary and the DNC are counting on the support of single-issue Greens, socialists, and racialists.
5 posted on 02/24/2005 5:03:50 PM PST by Cultural Jihad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: wvobiwan

The brass we saw last night can be best desrcibed as a bunch of Major Frank Burns' AKA Ferret Faces.


6 posted on 02/24/2005 5:07:13 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SandRat

Good, but I doubt they will do anything constructive about it all.


7 posted on 02/24/2005 5:09:45 PM PST by stopem (Support the troops yellow ribbon purse-key-holders.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cultural Jihad

Hopefully, sometime between now and then, Hillary and the rest of the Dems will be "tested" on their true feelings about illegal immigration---

I hope some brave representative goes farther than Sensenbrenner did, and actually proposes immigration reform bill---THEN Hill and others would have to back up their words with a vote---

I remember watching the writing of the DNC platform the week before their convention and I am pretty sure that blanket amnesty was voted ON their platform---


8 posted on 02/24/2005 5:12:47 PM PST by Txsleuth (Call be anything...just don't call me a fringe poster)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Txsleuth

"On the other hand, if they think they are going to become an arm of law enforcement in what is a federal responsibility, Kolbe said, "They will put themselves and others at risk."

Uh, no. Our 'law enforcement' is putting us at risk by ignoring their 'federal responsibility'.


9 posted on 02/24/2005 5:17:24 PM PST by floridavoter2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 4.1O dana super trac pak; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; ...
Good, but I doubt they will do anything constructive about it all.

Well, to give you a look-see into the evening...

District Cdr. Nicley told us that he didn't want Minuteman members down here because they were going to introduce an unknown third dimension into the dynamic on the border.

At that point, a resident got up and told him that the Minutemen were already here. He said "I and my neighbors are already minutemen...not by choice, but because you can't stop the illegals from flooding across my property and I have to rely on myself to protect myself, my family, and my property. It takes your agents half an hour to get to me once called, and God Bless 'em, they do respond. But, if someone wished me harm, I'd be dead before you got to me."

Banned Freeper IdRatherBePainting blasted both Nicely and Kolbe for their lack of understanding of the situation. She said that 193 illegals cross her property per hour...every hour...every day...24/7/365. When she asked what the authorities planned to do to stop the invasion, they gave back Pablum...

Nicely said that he was going to provide a presence, that he wanted illegals to know that if they tried to cross into the United States through Cochise County, that they were going to be arrested and deported. That met with mostly silence or groans.

10 posted on 02/24/2005 5:19:00 PM PST by HiJinx (www .ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter/Passover ~ February 15 - March 4, 2005)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SandRat
On the other hand, if they think they are going to become an arm of law enforcement in what is a federal responsibility, Kolbe said, "They will put themselves and others at risk."

What happens when the Federal Government shirks its responsibility?

11 posted on 02/24/2005 5:21:52 PM PST by cardinal4 (George W Bush-Bringing a new democracy every term..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: HiJinx
He was challenged by some in the audience, who identified themselves as local members of the Minuteman Project. About 120 Arizonans have reportedly signed on for the monthlong planned border project.

A man yelled, "I'm a proud Minuteman. I'm a proud vigilante."

This was misreported. This man is the one I referred to in my previous post, who said that he is being forced to provide his own law enforcement.

12 posted on 02/24/2005 5:23:10 PM PST by HiJinx (www .ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter/Passover ~ February 15 - March 4, 2005)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: monkeywrench

Did anyone post a report of how things went with Kolbe?



Right here.


13 posted on 02/24/2005 5:29:58 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HiJinx

I'm glad you pinged to this. I'd just asked about it.


14 posted on 02/24/2005 5:30:16 PM PST by monkeywrench
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: cardinal4

Oh there will be some sort of resolution wish I was as wise as King Soloman to know what it will be.


15 posted on 02/24/2005 5:32:31 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: HiJinx
District Cdr. Nicley told us that he didn't want Minuteman members down here because they were going to introduce an unknown third dimension into the dynamic on the border.

The only "dynamic" going on is illegals crossing the borders at will.

16 posted on 02/24/2005 5:38:14 PM PST by SAMWolf (I came. I saw. I stole your tagline.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SandRat

Thanks!


17 posted on 02/24/2005 5:42:00 PM PST by monkeywrench
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: HiJinx
Minuteman members down here because they were going to introduce an unknown third dimension into the dynamic on the border.

We need an unknown third dimension in the mix. Its good to see patriots headed down to the border. Thats where they are needed.

18 posted on 02/24/2005 5:47:05 PM PST by Missouri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: risk; 4.1O dana super trac pak; JackelopeBreeder; MissouriConservative; HiJinx; janetgreen; FITZ; ..

Ping.


19 posted on 02/24/2005 5:48:55 PM PST by Missouri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Missouri
"Nicley said he is not afraid to meet with the public in any kind of forum, but he warned that people may not like to hear what he has to say."

Sounds like this guy forgot he is a servant.

20 posted on 02/24/2005 5:52:18 PM PST by monkeywrench
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-168 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson