Posted on 04/21/2005 12:20:51 PM PDT by madfly
WASHINGTON - On a November night in 1989, San Diego County resident Muriel Watson drove her white Buick to the Mexican border and joined 22 other motorists in shining their headlights into the darkness as a highly visible statement against illegal immigration.
Although her initiative, known as ``Light up the Border,'' grew dramatically over the next year, the participants were mostly local. Concern about illegal immigration back then was largely limited to California, where nearly half of all undocumented Latinos made their homes.
``I made many lobbying trips into Washington and talked to many congressmen from many states . . . and their eyes would glaze over,'' Watson recalled. ``There was just a blanket ignorance.''
Not any more.
Another volunteer effort this spring also is trying to deter Mexicans from illegally crossing into the United States, and this time it's drawing worldwide attention.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
About 777 volunteers with the controversial Minuteman Project patrolled the Arizona border between April 4 and Wednesday, when the volunteers shifted to another civilian border-patrol group and organizers turned their focus to lobbying Washington. The turnout was far below initial estimates of 2,000, but still more than Watson drew in her first outing. Volunteers have traveled to the Arizona desert from at least 48 states, demonstrating that illegal immigration is not just a California issue any more.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, the leaky Mexican border has become a national security concern, with fears that terrorists will sneak in along with Latinos looking for higher-paying jobs. . . .
Although her initiative, known as "Light up the Border,"...
This was also being done in the 70s.
Concern about illegal immigration back then was largely limited to California, where nearly half of all undocumented Latinos Mexican nationals made their homes.
I'm tired of the politically correct terms Latino and Hispanic when the problem is still mostly with Mexican nationals and not Peruvians, Guatemalans, Bolivians, etc.
Good post. Thanks.
Mexican nationalsI'm with you. I was raised in downtown Phoenix in the 50's and Mexicans had assimilated and were not offended by being called Mexicans.
BUMP to the top!
This needs to be repeated, because the biggest offender IS Mexico, and our own President continues to be very cozy with Vicente as they both ignore our immigration laws.
BTTT...
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
This must be a big issue even Rush is talking about it instead of tax cuts and football.
ALL the kids learned English within a few months with no help from the government. They knew that if they wanted to succeed in America they had to learn the language and be an American.
Now it's just the opposite - millions of illegal aliens swarming our borders every year, most have no knowledge or interest in our history, they don't need to learn English, they aren't given medical examinations, and their every need is paid for by the American taxpayer. Quite a sweet deal for them, crapola for America.
There's already some of us from southern California who are planning to be "minuteladies".
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