Posted on 04/20/2006 6:12:54 AM PDT by 300magnum
TUCSON, Ariz. - Minuteman border watch leader Chris Simcox has a message for President Bush: Build new security fencing along the border with Mexico or private citizens will.
Simcox said Wednesday that he's sending an ultimatum to the president, through the media, of course "You can't get through to the president any other way" to deploy military reserves and the National Guard to the Arizona border by May 25.
Or, Simcox said, by the Memorial Day weekend Minuteman Civil Defense Corps volunteers and supporters will break ground to start erecting fencing privately.
"We have had landowners approach," Simcox said in an interview. "We've been working on this idea for a while. We're going to show the federal government how easy it is to build these security fences, how inexpensively they can be built when built by private people and free enterprise."
Simcox said a half-dozen landowners along the Arizona-Mexico border have said they will allow fencing to be placed on their borderlands, and others in California, Texas and New Mexico have agreed to do so as well.
"Certainly, as with everything else, we're only able to cover a small portion of the border," Simcox said. "The state and federal government have bought up most of the land around the border. I suspect that's why we'll never get control of the border."
But he said the plan is to put up secure fencing that truly will be an effective deterrent, and to show how easily it can be accomplished.
Simcox gave this description of the envisioned barrier-and-fencing complex:
Start with a 6-foot deep trench so a vehicle can't crash through; behind it, roll of concertina (coiled, razor-edged barbed wire), in front of a 15-foot high heavy-gauge steel mesh fence angled outward at the top.
Behind the fence will be a 60- to 70-foot wide unpaved but graded dirt road, along with inexpensive, mounted video cameras that can be monitored from home computers. On the other side of the road will be a second, 15-foot fence, with more concertina wire on its outside.
"It's a very simple, effective design based on feedback we've had from Border Patrol and the military," Simcox said. "It's a fence that can be built on the cheap, effective and secure."
Simcox said supporters will try to build the fencing with volunteer labor. Surveyors and contractors have offered to help with the design and survey work, he said, and some have said they will provide heavy equipment.
Simcox said those involved in the planning hope to keep costs to between $125 and $150 a foot.
Access to land literally on the border is an issue because so much is state-leased trust property or federally owned, he said.
"You may have to deal with a situation where private property owners erect their own fences and may be faced with the president sending the National Guard to prevent them from protecting their private property," Simcox said.
He said the Minuteman plan is "to keep turning up the heat" until President Bush has to respond somehow.
Why not offer sponsors space on the fence near the top on both sides to advertise, just like NASCAR does all over the cars.
You forgot to deduct the $57.8 million we contribute annually to Mexico for border security. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/1229mexicoaid.html
Good idea!! BTTT
You are the F'n embarrassment. Go back to putting your head in the sand.
Enablers like you are more dangerous than the invaders.
No actually the Minutemen are actually doing something.
The only people who are an embarassment to the country are the Illegal Alien lovers and our Elected Representatives.
THEY are the Embarassment.
"The racists and bigots who have stolen the name of the Minute Men are only an example of racism and bigotry. That is something for all Americans to be ashamed of."
Oh good here comes the Race card.
Go back to DU land.
""You seriously need to pull your head out of your a$$. You have come to this forum and accused us of being racists and bigots for wanting to protect OUR country. I am a native New Mexican, born and raised in Bernalillo. My family has been there since the 1600's. My last name is Castillo, so your bullshiite race card will not work on me. I have stepped up to the plate, and have protected this country for the last 22 years. I enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school, giving up a track scholarship to New Mexico Highlands. ILLEGAL AILIENS have no right to be here, and you can kiss my a$$!! ""
Your post to LPM is, by far, the best of the day. Semper Fi.
"We welcome all except racists and bigots."
You're a liar because your very tone is both Racist and Bigotted.
The Minutemen were here in October, and I did not see one single Minuteman drinking alcohol at any time. Much to the disapointment of our local tavern owner, who made the statement he did not make a dime off of them while they were here.
Several of them were camped in our horse pasture and I usually saw them during their down time. They were, each and every one that I saw or met, a great group of people. I have no idea where you get the idea they would use donations to buy beer, but you couldn't be further from the truth. They are just good decent hard working people who truly want to make a difference.
Not that there is anything wrong with drinking beer, just that from my experience if a Minuteman did choose to drink beer- they would pay for it with their own money.
While we are on the subject of Minutemen and money, though they receive many donations, I can tell you they all spend a lot of their own money defending the border. They add personal money at every turn to make sure they can get things done that need to be done.
Sorry, I stand corrected. 1.58 Billion. Don't know where my brain was on that one.
"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! "
Guess I am not sure if I would want my legacy to go down as the president who built the wall.
IMHO, how can we forget what symbolism "a wall" portrays.
When I look at the Statue Of Liberty, I have to wonder what our forefathers would have thought if they had to enter the U.S. through a wall.
I can't believe we stand for freedom and allow this to happen :-(
Hey, that's good ... really good.
Thank you for posting that!! I also live in New Mexico and he doesn't speak for me either.
Thank you for your service to this country.
Behind the fence will be a 60- to 70-foot wide unpaved but graded dirt road, along with inexpensive, mounted video cameras that can be monitored from home computers. On the other side of the road will be a second, 15-foot fence, with more concertina wire on its outside.
Sounds great except one thing... What about the tunnelers? Another idea I saw a while back had concrete (I think) sunk way down into the ground to prevent tunnelers from getting in. Add that and I think we have a great plan.
That wall was to keep legal citizens IN, the wall being discussed now is to keep illegal aliens OUT. I think that's a very big difference.
And welcome to FR.
Bump for a good patriotic plan. (Ignore the mexico-merger trolls. Full speed ahead!)
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