That's because you haven't been LISTENING. Ever heard of a FENCE?
Posted on 04/08/2005 1:46:00 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
President Bush has called the Minutemen, who are now patrolling the U.S.-Mexican border:"vigilantes." I suppose that Bush believes anyone who wishes to help enforce our laws and maintain U.S. sovereignty is a vigilante. If our president had not abdicated his responsibility in this matter, the Minuteman Project would not exist. However, he did and they are doing a great job!
Despite the erroneous propaganda perpetuated by the liberal media, the ACLU, the Mexican government, and even our president, the Minutemen are not a group of wild-eyed racists--with bloodlust in their hearts. They are retired police officers, former military men, laborers, businessmen, moms, and dads, in short--they are a cross section of America. The only difference between these Americans and most of us, is the fact that they are willing to sacrifice their time and are even willing to put themselves in harm's way. They like most of us, are fed up with our government's lack of interest in enforcing our borders.
Much has been made of the fact that many of the Minutemen volunteers carry firearms.They do not chase down illegals with guns drawn. They are carrying weapons for self-defense purposes only. They do not apprehend suspects. They are simply operating as the eyes and ears of the incredibly under-staffed U.S. Border Patrol. The area along the Arizona border with Mexico (where the Minutemen are stationed) has become a very violent sector, filled with Latin American drug smugglers. Perhaps, we should remind the left that we as U.S. citizens, still have the right to bear arms.
The Minutemen have taken on the responsibility of spotting and reporting anyone seen, illegally crossing the border. Period.
The Project's duties were well described by Minuteman spokesman Mike McGarry this weekend, he said : "You observe them, report them, and get out of the way."
This past weekend saw the first patrols of the Minutemen, which yielded several arrests of illegal aliens. On Saturday, volunteers spotted and reported sightings of illegal crossings. Their actions resulted in 18 arrests.
As of Tuesday (three days after patrols began), the Minutemen were responsible for aiding in the arrest of 176 illegal aliens. These numbers will continue to rise and by the end of April, this dedicated group of men and women will have done their country a great service. With every illegal alien who is apprehended, President Bush looks a bit more foolish and impotent.
>"Nice priorities, eh?
The President is eagle-eyed in Iraqi; Blind as a bat in his own back yard."<
- excellant way to put it.
Or, as George Washington said; "Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground?"
(I'd better check that quote, it might no be exact, but it's close.)
Regards
It's my understanding President Bush said these quotes below:
(I didn't believe it, till I googled these quotes)
"Family values don't stop at the Rio Grande."
While governor of Texas, he said:
"Hell, if they'll walk across Big Bend we want 'em."
I'd withdraw 10,000 troops from the sedate areas of Iraq and transfer them, along with their funding, to the border.
The problem is that if it becomes known that they are unarmed, someone may decide it would be fun to take potshots at them. So far, they don't seem to have done anything other than place calls.
So far that seems to be correct. It will only take one bad decision to use a gun by one of these guys to more than erase all of the good that could be done. Just ask the cops in Cincinnati how hard the press and the public can be -- and they are highly trained.
I don't believe Curtis Sliwa carried a gun while he did his thing, but I might be wrong on that.
Also, if there is general concern that these guys are likely to be shot at (while I seriesly doubt -- the Mexicans will just avoid them), then there is even less reason for them to be out there. Armed invasions by foreign nationals are not going to be repelled by citizen militias -- except in fourth-rate paperbacks or a new Rambo movie.
Which border?
Canada's border is more of a threat from incoming terrorists then the Mexican one.
Moreover, if one is going to be critical, let us look at the scope of the problem and what the President is realistically able to do.
What I see here is not an intelligent discussion of the issue,but an attempt to divide the party over a single issue.
Amen!
We should have the USMC sweep and clear the areas where Mexican Army units are said to have been doing this.
Close air support and pre-plotted artillery should also be immediately available.
And you know that for a fact that the President is not doing anything?
The President mobilized 300,00 troops to defeat the enemy in his own land.
Do you think we could mobilize enough troops to cover both the Mexican and Candian borders?
As our first President said so eloquently in his farewell address: "Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground?"~ George Washington
It was the best policy to defeat Islam in their lands.
>"What I see here is not an intelligent discussion of the issue,but an attempt to divide the party over a single issue."< -*That division* is not the fault of the party. It is the fault of it's *leader*
I think the division is over an underestimation of the level of difficulty that is involved in getting a handle on the problem.
I have seen these quotes (below) on various websites, and have yet to see them refuted, so I believe they are accurate: "Hell, if they'll cross Big Bend, we want 'em." -- George W. Bush "...family values don't stop at the Rio Grande." - George W. Bush
And what is wrong with that?
Immigrants are among the most industrious people of the nation and have always been so.
...But if you want to deny that unmitigated, ILLEGAL immigration is a serious problem for our country, then I don't want to waste any more time discussing it with you.
"A nation without borders is not a nation."~ Ronald Reagan
Take care.
well hell...all the illegal need to do is get Jim Hunt down there to drive them to the UNC campus...
Your contention that illegal immigration is a problem is a given, that is not the issue that we are discussing.
We are discussing means to deal with it.
I have yet to hear from those critical of the President a rational means of getting control of our borders (both of them).
That's because you haven't been LISTENING. Ever heard of a FENCE?
- Just for starters, build a wall/ fence, along the entire 2000 mile U.S-Mexican border, of course allowing for proper Points of Entry, where there are roads, and passageways for people to enter and exit lawfully, who have passports, proper ID. Matricula Consular ID Cards should NOT be accepted by our govt. as a source of ID.
Stop encouraging illegal entrance with hints at amnesty.
Start punishing repeat "border hopping "offenders with jail time.
Get tough with the corrupt govt of Mexico.
Start punishing the Mexican government for encouraging illegal immigration.
Cut off totalization payments, whatever it takes. to get Mexico to clean up it's act.
Add about 2000 border patrol, AS RECOMMENDED by the 9/11 commission, (and denied by President Bush.)_
Stop allowing people who come here illegally to stay here just because of so called "anchor babies".
There's our border in AZ. Three years after 9/11. Does that look secure to you?
...We have over 4,000 people a day walking across the Arizona border. On some days, that number is as high as 12,000 people!
Crack down on payments and subsidies to those illegaly here:
Illegal immigrants pay about 16 billion in taxes, and use over 26 billion per year.in government services.
It is a very complex fence/wall system, and one could be built for a lot less, that would deter a majority of illegal border crossings.
Border hoppers, ready to come across:
Abandoned "mule" drug backpacks in Cocaine Alley"
"Cocaine Alley"
The difference between the USA/Mexician border and the Israeli/Syrian border is that they shoot those who cross over to Israel.
Now, unless you going to start shooting people, your 'solution' is only a bandaid.
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.