Posted on 06/20/2005 7:01:48 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Illegal immigration concerns residents of South Texas city
HOUSTON - The leader of a controversial civilian patrol group plans to come Monday to a place that carries significance in the historic conflict between Texas and Mexico.
But Minuteman Civil Defense Corps leader Chris Simcox said it is only coincidence that he will meet
with about 100 landowners in Goliad, where Texas revolutionaries were massacred by Mexican forces in 1836 and became martyrs for independence.
Gen. Sam Houston's troops took revenge at the Battle of San Jacinto, where they went into the fight shouting: "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!"
Lifelong Goliad resident Bill Parmley, a petroleum geologist, said he invited Simcox to the community because he is concerned by illegal immigrants passing through the area, about 200 miles from the border.
"Our children cannot ride their bicycles," he said in Sunday editions of the Houston Chronicle. "Women cannot go out in the evening."
Simcox said the group will focus on stopping illegal imigrants from coming across the border.
The Texas Border Sheriffs' Coalition pleaded last month for federal help to stop the
violence in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, from crossing the border into
the United States. Laredo Mayor Betty Flores has called for help from both the state and federal governments.
But Flores' invitation does not extend to the Minutemen.
"They're not welcome in Texas," she said.
Webb County Sheriff Rick Flores, who is not related to the mayor, said he supports the idea behind the Minutemen, but he discourages them from coming because they could get hurt.
"I respect them and I applaud their efforts," the sheriff said. "I just think the problem is a lot worse than they think."
Gov. Rick Perry also believes patrolling the border is better left to professionals.
"The governor certainly understands and shares the concerns of the Minutemen," said spokesman Robert Black. "But this is not the solution."
During their time in Arizona, volunteer border patrol groups alerted officials to hundreds of illegal immigrants. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger praised them, but they've received a cold shoulder in Texas.
Civil rights groups, clergy, newspaper editorial boards and politicians have all expressed opposition to their presence in the state.
Most of the Texas land is privately owned, so Minutemen would need landowners' permission to be there. The border is overwhelmingly Hispanic and more urban, and Minutemen opponents wonder how the volunteers will distinguish illegal immigrants. Opponents also fear the movement foments racial hatred.
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Goliad County Fairground auditorium, Goliad
Guest Speaker: Chris Simcox, founder of the Minuteman Project
Goliad Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
"Gov. Rick Perry also believes patrolling the border is better left to professionals."
But that is the problem . . . the professionals PATROL rather than ENFORCE. We wouldn't be in this situation if the government enforced the laws on the books.
Mayor Betty, I don't recall you asking my opinion. Please change your statement and say that YOU don't welcome them. Many of us do welcome the Minutemen.
Since when does the mayor of Laredo speak for the entire state of Texas?
Mayor Flores, all due respect, but they damn sure are welcome in Texas, by the people if not by you. If the elected bureaucrats have a problem with that, they might try doing what the people elected them to do, part of which is to recognize that civilians have the right - grounded solidly in the Constitution - to act against a threat, foreign or domestic.
OTOH, it is NOT part of your job to blather to the contrary such as quoted above.
Note, Chris is a member founder, the actual founder is Jim Gilchrist.
< /picky >
Perry needs to think about his re-election coming up.
What 'Ranger Rick' believes, and reality, are often two very different things.
So "wetback" is now a race?
Yipee!!!!
I think Perry was a lot more welcoming than the Arizona Governor was.
Rick Perry made it clear in other statements that what private citizens do on their own land is their business.
Gilchrist said he was happy with that!
Meeting done, lots of media. Ya'll watch tomorrow.
Ping
PING ALING ALINNNGGGGG
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