Posted on 05/04/2005 9:46:00 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Invigorated by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's praise for the Minuteman Project in Arizona, a Chino group says that it has enlisted hundreds of volunteers to patrol the Mexican border near San Diego this summer.
Organizers are hoping that Border Watch will keep the national spotlight on what they see as a failure of the Bush administration to secure the country's borders from illegal immigrants and terrorists.
"This is not about race," said Andy Ramirez, 37, chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol. "It's about protecting America's borders."
Ramirez, whose grandfather was a Mexican immigrant, said he had collected more than 300 applications from former military personnel, police officers, customs agents and others. Volunteers will not confront illegal immigrants, he said, but will report their location to the Border Patrol.
Opponents, including the ACLU of Southern California, worry about the potential for violence and escalating racial tensions. They denounced the citizen brigades as vigilantes and questioned the campaign's motives.
"I think the only reason behind this effort is to get media attention," said Christian Ramirez, director of the San Diego office of the American Friends Service Committee, a peace and social justice organization. "The Minuteman Project was very successful in selling the concept that they were protecting the nation and supporting Border Patrol agents.... It was a publicity stunt."
The first training session is scheduled for June, but patrols won't begin until August because of the need for extensive planning, organizer Andy Ramirez said.
The Minuteman Project, which ended its armed patrols in Arizona last week, is supporting the new effort and helping gather volunteers.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
ping
Where do I sign up ?
ping
When they get around to doing the northern border here in WA, I'll be glad to volunteer. I can't afford to go the the southern border for that long.
I think they'll be surprised what the northern border turns up. (Besides tons of weed.)
Hey Tame good to see you. Are you still in central Cal ?
hey, there, jokar! long time no see. i may see you over there :o)
there is a volunteer form you can sign online. do a search for andy ramirez, and the name of the group to find their website.
yep. but i will make a trip to southern cal to volunteer if at all possible :o)
Well I'm some what close to the border and if I can be a Waylay station.freepmail me
Well, persnally I would like to meet Travis. He lives closer then I do.
Good Lord San Diego is a fun town.
Let the games begin!
Hubby volunteered in Arizona. When interviewed about the "racist/ism" issue, he said "I think the one who's racist in all this is Vincente Fox...He doesn't believe in or care enough about his own people to think they could find success in their own country. That's the "soft bigotry of low expectations that our President warned us about."
He said they REALLY liked his answer ;-)
Looking forward to being there, along with some other "vigil aunties & vigil grannies". We'll be armed with our chairs and binoculars.
what a poor excuse for a wall we have. it's SO EASY to fix this problem. it pisses me off that our government is willfully negligent on such a crucial issue.
Will Do!
The date is not set, is it? Just "this summer"
which probably means July or August, not June.
Watch me miss it. :(
I think the only reason Christian Ramirez said this is to get media attention.
The ACLU and other "opponents" would be the first to instigate violence if they thought they could get away with it.
They denounced the citizen brigades as vigilantes and questioned the campaign's motives.
People reporting crimes in progress are not vigilantes and I question the motives of people who routinely support the breaking of the law by foreign nationals.
"I think the only reason behind this effort is to get media attention," said Christian Ramirez,
Got a problem with that, Ramirez?
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