Posted on 08/14/2005 1:37:55 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Some people might describe Roy Lasley as an exclusionist, a racist or a term even less printable.
But the way the retired Midland, Texas truck driver sees it, his volunteer activity with the Minuteman Civil Protection Corps is the obligation of a patriot.
Lasley is the president of the Midland/Odessa chapter of the controversial Minuteman organization. He and another member of the group, Tony Faller, were in Del Rio Friday.
Lasley said his trip is part of an evaluation the Minuteman group is undertaking to scout locations for an October border watch event in Texas.
In an interview Friday, Lasley explained that the objective of the Minuteman group is “to assist the Border Patrol in apprehending illegal entrants.”
“What we do is that we set up stations, and usually we sit in lawn chairs or pickup trucks with binoculars, walkie-talkies and cell phones, and watch for anybody that’s crossing into the U.S. illegally. Then we call the Border Patrol and let them do the apprehensions,” Lasley said.
“We do not approach the illegal entrants in any way – verbally or physically,” Lasley said, and it is a point he emphasized repeatedly.
He said the only circumstances under which members of his organization will even speak to the illegal entrants are “if they look real sick or down, we offer them water.”
Lasley said the group hopes to recreate an event held on the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona in April 2005.
“For 23 miles, we shut down the border,” Lasley said of the month-long Arizona effort.
Asked why he joined the group, Lasley said, “I feel that we are being overrun.”
“I feel like it’s my patriotic duty to our country,” said Faller.
Lasley said he and Faller have received favorable responses from a number of Del Rio residents.
“We have scouted out several areas where we can patrol,” Lasley said.
He said the event will begin with a local rally Oct. 1.
Lasley and Faller on Friday also visited with Val Verde County Sheriff A. D’Wayne Jernigan and planned to speak with Border Patrol officials here.
Jernigan Friday said he has no problem with the group being in Del Rio, as long as its members obey the law.
“I didn’t encourage them, and I didn’t discourage them,” Jernigan said. “I explained to them that I expect them to follow the law. I told them that if they come in here as law-abiding citizens, we won’t have any problems, but I also told them that if you do violate the law, you will suffer the consequences.”
Jernigan said Lasley agreed to a later meeting between the group and local law enforcement officials, including the district attorney and county attorney.
“I told him that we need to explain to him what the rules are, that we need to explain trespass laws in Texas, because here you don’t have a lot of public land like you do in Arizona,” Jernigan said.
He added that he has also asked Lasley to provide him with the names and identifiers for all of the participants in the group’s planned October event here so that the sheriff’s office can run criminal history checks on them.
Jernigan said he has asked Lasley to let him know where the volunteer border watchers will be located and has asked that every group of volunteers has a method of instant communication with law enforcement.
“I told him, ‘I want to be able to find you and your people immediately if I need to,’ and he said he didn’t have a problem with that,” Jernigan said.
Paul Berg, chief patrol agent for the Del Rio Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, on Friday issued the following statement about the activities of the Minuteman group: “The Border Patrol appreciates the efforts of local citizens that report suspicious activity. Their eyes and ears are extremely helpful. However, deterring and apprehending individuals illegally entering the United States requires highly trained law enforcement personnel – the U.S. Border Patrol.”
Anyone who wants to learn more about the Minuteman organization can research the group on the Internet or visit its Web site at www.minutemanhq.com.
The Fox News Channel’s “Hannity and Colmes” show also will be broadcasting from the group’s “Texas Tour” on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Well, I'm glad they are but praying for their safety. I just finished jury duty. To me, it's not right but the county has several pet projects you can donate to. IMO there ought to just be a blank for a name and address but... Anyway, I'm going to sign the check over to them when it gets here.
Great idea, it's a wonderful cause.
That this sheriff want's to do it is not a big deal,we work with them,not against them.
Yeah, I know there is nothing to hide. That they want a members list is bothersome to me though. It gives personal information to a lot of people.
That they want a members list is bothersome to me though. It gives personal information to a lot of people.
cajun-jack
but if you fork out $50.00 for FBI check, why does Roscoe P. Coletrain need "identifiers" on all participants??
You don't. And you don't have to pay fifty bucks to participate either. Well unless you want to work on a MCDC project. The El Paso Project is being run by the Texas Minutemen, which is the Dallas / Ft. Worth Team. Texas Minutemen does not charge for applicaion and background check.
Texas Minutemen does NOT give out lists of participants either. Sign-up here...
We are not having any such problems with LE in the El Paso Border Watch operation, but then again we have done a LOT of front end work. We have had multiple meetings with Border Patrol, El Paso County Sheriff Leo Samaniego, Department of Homeland Security, I.C.E., local land owners, rancher and agricultural operators and the Associated Press correspondent in the El Paso Area. Full details on the link below.
http://officialminutemen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=1
p.s. yes, there are two websites. It's the same folks, one sight is easier to put news and info updates in. This is the original Texas Minutemen site.. http://www.txminutemen.com/
Contact Governor Perry here:
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact
Now is not the time to play politics. We need a strong bipartisan coalition.
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