Posted on 07/27/2005 7:11:08 AM PDT by The_Victor
VICTORIA — The Texas leader of the Minuteman volunteer border patrol group has resigned, saying the chapter lacks structure and claiming racist tendencies among members from his area, a newspaper reported.
Bill Parmley, a Goliad County landowner who heads the Texas chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, resigned by e-mail Monday in a letter to Chris Simcox, the group's national president, and Goliad County Sheriff Robert DeLaGarza, the Victoria Advocate reported in today's editions.
The Minuteman group drew national attention earlier this year for its volunteer patrols of the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. It is planning similar patrols in Texas this fall, and Simcox said the resignation would not change those plans.
Parmley, who lives in the tiny Goliad County town of Sarco, accused members of working to undermine DeLaGarza because he is Hispanic. He also said the group was holding secret meetings without him in violation of the bylaws.
"The Sarco group has chosen to go a different course than what I feel is in the best interest of the organization nationally and locally," Parmley said in an interview with the Advocate.
Kenneth Buelter, the Sarco group's vice president, denied both accusations. He said a meeting with District Attorney Mike Sheppard questioned DeLaGarza's use of felons on work details but had nothing to do with the Minuteman group or other immigration issues. Sheppard declined to discuss details of the meeting.
DeLaGarza said he was unaware of efforts to undermine his authority.
"The community itself will not tolerate racism in Goliad County," he said.
If Minuteman members should step out of line, "the community is going to come down on those people, not us," DeLaGarza said.
Buelter said he was surprised by Parmley's resignation but acknowledged recent differences of opinion. He declined to elaborate.
As someone who supports what Simcox and the Arizona Minutemen did, I've feared that the "less enlightened" would somehow unintentionally sabotage the movement or that the liberals would find a way to intentionally sabotage it.
There also have been a handful of racist posts (and, no, anti-illegal doesn't mean racist) on FR made by those who also claim to be Minutemen supporters, and they can't see the disservice they are doing the Minutemen with their views. The whole movement and the anti-illegal cause will blow up in our faces if it's not somehow organized and self-policed.
But again, you paint with the same broad brush you condemn him for, calling anyone who criticizes aspects of this "Pro-illegals", "RINO's", etc.
That's true of any movement. Good luck to you guys.
BTW, if I could afford to take the time off, I would be down there as a Minuteman volunteer, and strongly support their efforts as long as they reasonably try (very difficult to be 100% effective) to weed out the bad seed elements. So far that seems to be the case, and probably will continue to be. I take no stance on what has happened in this story, since there isn't enough info yet to draw a conclusion.
It's inevitable that as the movement spreads and more join up there will be some petty struggles for power or control. Hopefully they will maintain focus overall.
Yes; it would help if Parmley would describe what he sees as specific "racist tendencies" since that can be a subjective term. For instance, earlier on another thread, someone posted that illegals tend to commit more crimes (not racist IMHO); then went on to intimate that hispanics have lower I.Q.s (racist IMHO). And, of course, in the post, there's the whole use of the words "hispanic" and "illegal" as interchangeable and identical terms. On a passionate issue like this, it's difficult for some to think rationally and see where to draw the line.
ping
I suspect this is your opinion. I know several of the original members of the MMP personally and racism is the very last thing motivating them.
No brag, just fact.
Agreed. You stated this very well and spot on. Illegal aliens are just that. No one should read or attach racial comments to that.
It would appear that those Mr. Parmley has accused of misdeeds lost confidence in his leadership ability and he in their ability to follow him and if change needs to happen it would be better to get it done now and move on. Just hope Mr. Parmley dosn't get a "sore loser" attitude now. He should do what he said he did, resign and move on with his life and wish the best for the movement.
People tend to get defensive when pro-illiegal posters use such terms as "Satanic Right" and "Buchananite" to describe anti-illegal immigration freepers.
Yes, hyperbole like "Satanic Right" can be just as ridiculous. Though "Buchananite" isn't always inaccurate in some instances.
Interesting that one of the screamers on this thread just called Tom DeLay a traitor on another thread.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
Mexican is not a race, it's a Nationality.
Perhaps you should save your insults for Bill Parmley instead of me.
If only the racist organizations such as LULAC, MALDEF, etc. could be convinced of that.
You can't convince the lunatic left of any thing ~ the only thing you do is, off them!
This is strictly your opinion and nothing more.
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