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Posted on 04/02/2006 8:07:58 AM PDT by Borax Queen
Wearing camouflage pants and sporting a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver on his hip, William Heathorn transformed himself Saturday from a rocket engineer to a Minuteman Civil Defense Corps volunteer.
It's the second straight year that Heathorn has taken vacation from his day job in Chandler to come to Southern Arizona for patrol.
On Saturday afternoon at a private ranch on Arizona 286 south of Three Points, Heathorn stood beside his friend, Wayne Ralph from Nevada, and about 125 others at a kickoff rally for a month-long patrol in the Altar Valley.
"I think it's important that Americans get up and support what's right for America," said Heathorn, a 56-year-old father of two.
"What's right" sits at the heart of a debate that rages across the country as legislators and citizens grapple with what to do with an estimated 11 million illegal entrants already here and thousands more who cross each month.
At this ranch, on this day, the answer was clear. "Our message here, one message: We don't need immigration reform. We need our borders secured and our laws enforced," said Minuteman Civil Defense Corps President Chris Simcox.
Later, he referred to recent nationwide protests calling for protection for illegal entrants in the country. "This is our counter-protest," Simcox said. "Secure the border first, enforce the law first. Maybe in a couple of years we'll talk about a guest-worker program."
Simcox's words capped off a 2 1/2-hour event that featured speeches from several including state Rep. Russell Pearce, governor hopeful Don Goldwater, congressional candidate Randy Graf, and attorney general candidate Bill Montgomery, all Republicans.
Arizona Minuteman director Stacey O'Connell declined to divulge the exact number of registered volunteers at the event. The group hopes for more than 1,000 volunteers to come to the Altar Valley, southwest of Tucson, in the next month.
Large numbers of media representatives attended Saturday's event but didn't quite outnumber the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps volunteers as they did last April in Tombstone for the inaugural event. Last year, about 100 to 150 volunteers arrived despite projections from organizers of 1,000.
Similar patrols began Saturday near the U.S.-Mexican border in California, Texas and New Mexico and along the U.S.-Canadian border in New Hampshire, New York and Washington.
In addition to deterring illegal entrants trying to cross the Altar Valley and sending a message to Congress, the group made it clear that it wants to use this monthlong patrol to dismiss the image of a group of wacky vigilantes. Simcox told the members to be on their best behavior to avoid giving the haters any ammunition. Heathorn and Ralph said the other volunteers they've met have been down to earth like them and, other than a couple they've had to ask to leave, well-behaved.
"They are very caring," said Ralph, a 65-year-old retired general contractor. "They are not crackpots." Charles Grader came to Arizona from Boston this week to make his own judgment about the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
The former foreign service officer arrived in Altar Valley Thursday, pitched a tent and began talking with the men and women as they arrived. By Saturday he felt at home with the group.
Wearing slacks and an unassuming blue button-down shirt, he admitted that he hadn't yet grown accustomed to the guns, camouflage pants and people draped in U.S. flags. Overall, though, he said he's been generally impressed with the members and their cause.
"I like the people I met," said Grader, who worked in the foreign service in Afghanistan, Nepal and Uganda. "They are not kooks."
Grader will head back east with a favorable view of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. At the end of the day, he said somebody needs to stop the flow of illegal entrants from Mexico.
"My sentiment is not at all anti-foreign," said Grader, who said he supports legal immigration. "I went to school in Mexico, like Mexicans, but in the long-term, I don't think it's solving either of our problems."
The recent protests around the nation calling for the protection of illegal entrants' rights proved a focal point of conversations Saturday. Many Minuteman volunteers downplayed them.
"I think the protests they've held in the past couple of weeks have actually brought this to the national attention and actually helped in showing the difference in opinions that are out there," said Mike Mothersead, of Gilbert, who attended the rally with his brother, Mark Mothersead.
But Jody Ipsen, a member of Humane Borders, said Saturday's turnout compared with the numbers of marchers nationwide proves a point.
"I don't think their message is universal among Americans," said Ipsen, one of a few dozen members from humanitarian groups who came to observe the event. "I think they are the minority, and we see that with the huge demonstrations across the country."
A recent Time magazine poll released Friday said that 79 percent of Americans favor a guest-worker program while 47 percent favor tougher deportation measures like the one passed by the House in December.
After the ceremonies concluded, the first wave of volunteers geared up for the first patrol set to begin at 4 p.m. They'll be patrolling a portion of the Altar Valley just south of Three Points. Heathorn said the patrols are a mixed bag.
"It's kind of like teaching my son how to drive — hours of boredom interspersed with moments of terror," he said.
Simcox's words capped off a 2 1/2-hour event that featured speeches from several including state Rep. Russell Pearce, governor hopeful Don Goldwater, congressional candidate Randy Graf, and attorney general candidate Bill Montgomery, all Republicans.
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There you go. ;)
With hollow points?? ;)
God Bless The Minutemen. We love you...
As Victor Davis Hanson wrote:Most Americans I talked to in California summed up their reactions to the marches as something like, 'Why would anyone wave the flag of the country that they would never return to--and yet scream in anger at those with whom they wish to stay?' Depending on the particular questions asked, polls reveal that somewhere around 60-80% of the public is vehemently opposed to illegal immigration.Follow the link and read the entire article. He nailed it big time!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant!
BTTT
Please answer this question.
If someone we all know calls a group of honest law abiding patriotic citizens who only want to see our laws enforced and our borders secured a bunch of vigilantes, what then should we call that someone who has taken an oath to uphold our laws and secure our borders and so far has done neither?
If you really want ot support the Minute Men do it here, let them know you care!
http://www.minutemanhq.com/hq/
Ops4 God Bless America!
"I don't think their message is universal among Americans," said Ipsen, one of a few dozen members from humanitarian groups who came to observe the event. "I think they are the minority, and we see that with the huge demonstrations across the country."
Thanks for the ping, BQ!! :o) These idiots just don't understand that Americans, unlike the Mexicans, are more dignified than to participate in big demonstrations and parades; however, when pushed up against a wall, they will come out swinging, and that is exactly what is happening now. They over played their hand and woke the sleeping giant up. Look for a LOT more participation by Americans! Hopefully, they will keep waving the Mexican flag. LOL THAT is working a miracle. Americans are VERY angry, and things could get ugly very soon.
yw :)
-Derelict in his duty
-Quisling
-Benedict Arnold
-Traitor
-Bereft of common sense
-Smug elitist
-Corporate appeaser
-Lover of La Raza
Our elected officials are our WORST ENEMIES.
TIME TO TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE!!!!!!
How very rare.
http://www.minutemanhq.com/hq/
bttt
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