Posted on 06/24/2006 10:02:29 AM PDT by TLI
By CRAIG KAPITAN Eagle Staff Writer
The leader of a controversial group that that has garnered headlines in the past year for patrolling the Texas-Mexico border has been invited to by a Republican group to speak in Bryan next week.
Texas Minutemen co-founder Shannon McGauley will speak at the Brazos County Republican Party headquarters Tuesday, according to an announcement made Friday by the Brazos County Young Republicans.
McGauley's group, based out of Arlington, is modeled after the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps - a national organization that first started attracting publicity last summer with patrols of the Arizona-Mexico border. The private investigator said he spent time in Arizona and later organized his own group to patrol private property along the border in El Paso.
The group plans to continue its patrols in Laredo and Del Rio this fall, he said Friday.
McGauley describes his group as "pro-law," protecting the border from illegal immigration. Although some members have been known to carry firearms, the group's intention is to call Border Patrol officers when someone is spotted rather than detaining people on their own, he said.
"There's never been one case where we've hurt anybody, yet they keep saying we're armed, racist vigilantes," he said. "If I was a vigilante, there wouldn't be a border problem."
McGauley said he hopes to embarrass the American government by showing how much border security is lacking.
"It's about making a political statement," he said. "We need to get out of the politically correct mode and get into the American mode. The government of Mexico is not our friend."
McGauley said he is often asked to speak at Republican functions, but he also has helped organize a march in Crawford to protest President's Bush's immigration policy. According to the Web site for the march, which took place in May, "we are being herded into a time that will be characterized by the slaughter of our nation and its culture."
Several local Hispanic leaders who were contacted by The Eagle on Friday said they did not know McGauley was coming to Bryan but were disappointed to hear so.
"We don't agree with these people," said Father Raymundo Chavez Vazquez, a Mexico native who oversees a largely Hispanic flock at Santa Teresa Catholic Church in Bryan. "We should be treated with dignity, love and compassion because we are all children of God. We are Christians."
Chavez joined dozens of his parishioners in October at the George Bush Presidential Library and Conference Center to protest a talk by Harvard professor Samuel Huntington, whose views on Mexican immigration also have caused controversy.
Hundreds of parishioners showed up to protest again in April - joining marchers across the country speaking out against a U.S. House bill that would have made it a felony to immigrate illegally to the United States.
Angelita Garcia Alonzo, who helped organize the march in Bryan, said Friday she was surprised by the "audacity" of inviting McGauley to the community. She said she suspected it was a response to the April march, which attracted thousands of people.
"This must be a tactic of intimidation," she said. "These men are bullies. I always tell the immigrants we will not be intimidated. They don't have the jurisdiction to be bullying anybody anywhere."
Young Republican member Dan Garcia, who extended the invitation to McGauley, acknowledged Friday he knew about the speaker's controversial nature.
But he is intrigued by the "humanitarian aspect of it," he said, explaining that he hopes McGauley will talk about the times Minutemen have sought medical attention for immigrants crossing the border who urgently needed it.
A former Air Force linguist who speaks fluent Spanish, Thai and Cambodian, Garcia said he grew up in a border town and has always been interested in immigration issues.
"What I'm hoping it does is bring about awareness," he said, adding that he doesn't believe McGauley's organization is racist, as some critics have claimed. "We believe all life is sacred regardless of its citizenship.
"There really needs to be a much more dignified way for coming to the U.S. I think the more we talk about it and the more perspectives we get, the better off we'll be."
&8226; Craig Kapitan's e-mail address is craig.kapitan@theeagle.com.
Texas Minutemen is not modeled on MCDC, it is a continuance of the original Minuteman Project. All of the Texas Minutemen co-founders worked directly with Mr. Jim Gilchrist preparing and conducting The Minuteman Project before and during April, 2005. Texas Minutemen never has and currently does not have any association with Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC).
The Minutemen (no matter what they might call themselves from state to state) have become nothing but a group out to bilk money out of their worshipers, get as much media attention as possible, and destroy the Republican Party.
Despite their claims, they do not want anything done about illegal immigration. It would cut off their gravy train if suddenly the issue went away.
Hey Father Raymundo Chavez Vazquez, have you conveyed these thoughts to el Presidente Fox, perchance?
"This must be a tactic of intimidation," she said. "These men are bullies. "
This is about one step above a speech at the local Rotary Club. I suppose she thinks this is "bullying," umm, because she was not invited?
Never seem to be bothered about breaking the "thou shall not steal" commandment are you pal?
I would offer a suggestion, cancel your travel plans and go to the meeting. The "moron" you think you are referring to is Chris Simcox, not Shannon McGauley. He runs MCDC which does exactly what you say, he collects money. NONE of which goes to The Minuteman Project or Texas Minutemen. The individual being invited to speak is Shannon McGauley of the Texas Minutemen. You can find out a bit more about Chris Simcox here
If you go to the meeting you can explain yourself face to face with Shannon.
Carrying firearms should be a requirement.
Bryan, Ohio?
mad, ya got me on that one. I don't know what you are asking.
Ohhhh, no, it's Bryan, College Station, TEXAS.
Well, no it is not a requirement at Texas Minutemen. However, we explain to the volunteers that it can be in their best interests to be prepared for unfriendly individuals that might attempt to injure/harm/attack a Border Watch Volunteer. Texas Minutemen Border Watch Operations are conducted directly on the border. In many instances that means some fairly remote locations. No 9-1-1, no Emergency Services, no cell phone service, communications is maintained by a radio net only.
Read the GAO report to find the titles and occupations of the many "worshippers" that are bilking taxpayers on behalf of illegals. At least donations are voluntary.
"Despite their claims, they do not want anything done about illegal immigration. It would cut off their gravy train if suddenly the issue went away."
They must be doing something right. They have the leeches who won't let go of the taxpayers wallet squealing like the pigs they are. They're just worried about the subsidy gravy train going away.
Keyboard cowboys don't like face to face meetings.
I have little concern for Shannon's safety from this issue. :-)
Enlisting in the military this weekend? I'm sure they could use you in Iraq.
I doubt he'd survive Air Force boot camp.
I hear the AF boot camp has weekends off.. ruff stuff.
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