Border volunteers probed over allegations

AP ^ | Apr. 07, 2005 | ARTHUR H. ROTSTEIN

[speed_addiction]

Now you all knew it was only a matter of time....

That was my first thought. You sit a guy down so he can have some water and all of a sudden he is illegaly detained.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yes.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"..They will take even the smallest breach and blow it out of proportion."

Yes they will. It will look like an assault on the dignity of the alien. They have to be more careful and not screw around like this.

Another version of this AP story has appeared.

Immigrant says volunteers watching Arizona border held him against his will

[Echo Talon]

LOL! I think its hilarious!

[Anti-Bubba182]

It might be funny but what they did was not a good idea. If the directors of the MMP are smart they will take the incident as a wake up call and warn the participants to conduct themselves with more decorum.

MMP will be very lucky if this is the worst that happens in the coming month.

[NetValue]

Law enforcement professionals will tell you privately that their job is to enforce the law, NOT TO PROTECT YOU. If you need protection, you need to do that yourself. Protecting yourself is far different from being the "vigilante" who detains, judges, and punishes summarily.

[Diamond]

If the directors of the MMP are smart they will take the incident as a wake up call and warn the participants to conduct themselves with more decorum.

Why does anybody here have any inclination whatsover to take at face value an AP story that says, "...an immigrant was detained by three men"?

Cordially,

[Echo Talon]

So, now we are supposed to be nice to illegal aliens too? Respect their "feelings"? They gave him water

[Anti-Bubba182]

"So, now we are supposed to be nice to illegal aliens too? Respect their "feelings"?"

That would be the smart move where possible. Below is the CNN version with the hard anti-MMP spin. The quote is also in Bold at the CNN site. Pro MMP stories trickle across the wires, anti-MMP stories explode. Versions of this story sorted by date go on for pages in a search of Google News search of "Minuteman Project"

Border volunteers accused of holding man against will

"..TUCSON, Arizona (AP) -- Three volunteers patrolling the border for illegal immigrants were being investigated after a man told authorities he was held against his will and forced to pose for a picture holding a T-shirt with a mocking slogan..."

[Echo Talon]

"..TUCSON, Arizona (AP) -- Three volunteers patrolling the border for illegal immigrants were being investigated after a man told authorities he was held against his will and forced to pose for a picture holding a T-shirt with a mocking slogan..."

Held against his will... Its that called a citizens arrest?

[Anti-Bubba182]

" Held against his will... Its that called a citizens arrest?"

They are really better off not trying to detain or citizens arrest anybody, let alone get one to pose with a T-shirt.

I think the original procedure was supposed to be to simply observe and report to the Border Patrol and let them do it.

[Logical me]

Screw the Law enforcement officials. Just who in the hell they think they are. The only legal thing they could do is investigate any illegal act, which the Minutemen have done none. Be careful, law enforcement, your world could come apart. You have a responsibility to obey the law also.

[Echo Talon]

its is legal for any citizen to perform a citizens arrest. If they see a crime being committed. This guy did nothing wrong.

[Tarantulas]

Reporter Steven Gregory of KFYI in Phoenix is "embedded" with the MMP and has a MinuteMan Project blog on the KFYI website. He reported on this morning's news that he had seen the videotape of the event. The man came up to the border fence and the MMP volunteers were on the other side. They talked, and they gave him water and a bowl of cereal. The reporter said it looked innocent to him. I suspect the man was coached to come to the fence where the volunteers were located, and then make up a story afterward. It's a good thing there's a videotape available.

[Anti-Bubba182]

I will be very interested to see that video. Is there any chance that it could be streamed on the net? If the tape does not look bad it would counter the story.

[Tarantulas]

If the MSM shows it, I'll bet all we get to see is the politician standing beside the illegal with the T-shirt. The accompanying narration will talk about degradation and exploitation of this poor man.

[Anti-Bubba182]

If so, then all the more reason to set up a web stream if possible.

[Tarantulas]

As shown in this highly entertaining story, the allegations were untrue and the charges have been dropped. Or were never made in the first place.

[Anti-Bubba182]

The AP version is below.

Minuteman Volunteers May Have Played Prank

[Anti-Bubba182]

I heard the video is supposed to be on Hannity & Colmes on Friday. Hope that is true.