Giuliani talks Minutemen, Iraq in Anaheim visit

orange county register ^ | August 23, 2007 | MARTIN WISCKOL

[kellynla]

ANAHEIM – Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, was in town Tuesday and Wednesday for a ballgame and a fundraiser. Before leaving, he spoke with the Register at the Hilton Anaheim about immigration, border safety and Iraq. Here are some excerpts.

You've been here twice as many times as any other candidate this year. You've been to California nine times…

And eight of them have included Orange County. This is probably the most frequently visited place. This is a very important county for a Republican primary and (for) a general election. And you have a very important primary coming up on Feb. 5.

One thing I haven't heard you talk about is the Minuteman civil border patrol project, which has a strong base in Orange County. What do you think of these activities?

You wouldn't need any of that if the government would do what it's supposed to do, which is to end illegal immigration.

For the time being, are they serving a positive purpose?

If they want to organize themselves in way to lawfully deal with illegal immigration, they have a right to do that. If they're going to start doing unlawful things, then you've got to stop them. You can't just, in the abstract, say it's right or wrong. …

I understand why we have to end illegal immigration. We can do it with a physical fence, a high-tech fence, border patrol deployed in the right way, a Border Stat program (to evaluate where and when illegal crossings occur), a tamperproof ID card.

And then, let's expand legal immigration, which we need. We're almost at full employment. Our unemployment rates are down very, very low. We literally need more people in this country. Our birthrate is low.

[kellynla]

I sometimes think these people campaign for public office just so they can vacation & travel for free...this guy has about as much chance of being the GOP candidate for POTUS as my cat. LMAO

[mrsmel]

Just what does he think that the Minutemen are doing illegally, when they're trying to help enforce the existing laws that our government won't? And since when do we need more unskilled labor?

[Rudder]

Just what does he think that the Minutemen are doing illegally...?

Nothing. Where did you get the false notion that he expressed such thoughts?

[kellynla]

For every illegal alien out there who is working, there are at least 3 AMERICAN teenagers who could & would do the same job if the employer was on the level and paying the going rate for the job!

Illegals comprise less than 25 percent of those employed in industries like agriculture...so that means that Americans comprise the other 75 percent...it ain’t rocket science! LOL

[mrsmel]

You’re correct, I am rather trigger-happy on the subject.

[kellynla]

Where did you get the false notion that he expressed such thoughts?

“If they’re going to start doing unlawful things, then you’ve got to stop them?”

It was Rudy who suggested that they would have to be stopped if they started “doing unlawful things.”

As far as I know, there have been absolutely NO INSTANCES of illegal activity done by the Minuteman...NONE, ZIP, ZERO!

So it is Rudy who is insinuating a situation that has NEVER HAPPENED.

If Rudy had spent as much time preventing illegals from inhabiting NYC when he was mayor as has been pontificating recently; NYC would be a better place today!

[mrsmel]

This is true! And I must say, I will probably remain trigger-happy on illegal immigration, considering the so-far blatant audacious arrogance and disregard of many Republicans on stopping it, from the top down. I never expected better from the Rats. I am shocked and angered that my party, whom I consider not the hate America party, would be so willfully heedless of our country's sovereignty. This issue has quickly become about more than illegal immigrants for me, it has become a matter of our right of self-determination and sovereignty. When that's gone, we are over.

[trappedinnj]

Excellent!!! Well said, you beat me too it. Rudy is probably my 5 or 6th choice at this point in the Primary. What a putz!!!

[GiveMeGoth]

If Fred Thompson does not win the nomination,this will
be the pukiest, most disgusting election for president ever.
I will be forced to vote for Rudy who is at least 60%
socialist just so i can stop the marxist POS Hildebeast
from being elected. I hate selling myself out like that,
but IT MUST BE DONE.

[kellynla]

All I can say is that the GOP better come up with a true blue law & order conservative candidate for POTUS or they can plan on a lot of folks sitting at home come election day and the GOP losing the WH. Then there will be a groundswell movement to form a conservative third party in America.
American conservatives are sick & tired of the liberals & RINO’s making a lifetime career move out of D.C. spending their hard earned tax dollars being the “mommy” to people who don’t even belong here!!!

[Rudder]

If vigilantes break the law has always been a concern for law enforcement since there have been vigilantes. The insinuation you suggest is a straw man for Rudy bashers and brown nosers.

[mrsmel]

LOL, at least it’s not all one-sided. i’ve been lurking on a couple of Rat/Left sites, and they feel the same way about most of their realisitc options for candidate. Including Shrillary (though for the wrong reasons).

[Rudder]

...they can plan on a lot of folks sitting at home come election day and the GOP losing the WH...

Whoever does that is a principled, but stupid, supporter of Hilliary. Principled but disloyal to their country.

[mrsmel]

See, here is my problem. Who decides who's breaking the law, when they are enforcing a law when our government won't? At some point, that's tyranny. I haven't figured out the tipping point yet.

[Rudder]

The govt is running an illegal immigration system not unlike that which the Mafia would run. Their patrons hire illegals and get rich and the paid-off (via votes) govt officials get their piece of the action. Anyone who stands in their way is defacto illegal until the courts intervenes or there's a revolution.

However, since the beginning history of vigilantes, there has always been a concern that truly illegal acts can emanate from mob action. It is a genuine, historically-based concern. Your vigilantes haven't broken the law, but those who lynched blacks in the south most certainly did. Once people ban together in a group and act without legal sanction they are fair game for accusations.

[Iwo Jima]

Why do you call the Minutemen "vigilantes." They are not. "Vigilantes" summarily dish out punishment. They Minutemen only observe and report to the authorities probable crimes.

Law enforcement has no grounds for concern about the Minutemen. It was very telling for Rudy to have implied that what the Minutemen do could be illegal.

[Iwo Jima]

The Minutemen are not exactly enforcing any law. What they do is observe and report to the authorities what they see as probable violations of the law so that the authorities can enforce the law.

It's no different than a neighborhood watch group or any citizen who calls the police to report something, possible holding the apparent lawbreaker until the law arrives.

[Iwo Jima]

So neighborhood watch groups are suspect in your opinion?

[trappedinnj]

” Anyone who stands in their way is defacto illegal until the courts intervenes or there’s a revolution”.

You mean when Rudy continued and even strenghtened NYC’s sanctuary city status????

“Your vigilantes haven’t broken the law, but those who lynched blacks in the south most certainly did” - All I can say is wow......

So Minutemen=Vigilantes=Southern Lynch Mobs.....Do you work for the NY Times editorial board?

[mrsmel]

At what point, though, is it necessary for the citizenry to defend their rights, their property, and themselves, when their elected government, blatantly flouts law by not doing so? There must be a point at which we can longer just lay down and be walked on.