Stay Safe !
Posted on 11/15/2002 8:14:13 AM PST by dirtboy
Cochise County's "official newspaper" has issued a call to arms and is spearheading the formation of a local militia to combat illegal immigration.
Tucson human rights activist Isabel Garcia said the Tombstone Tumbleweed's rhetoric is the latest manifestation of a militant vigilantism that has long existed in Cochise County with the acceptance and encouragement of local officials.
She said Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever's public friendship with groups like Glenn Spencer's American Patrol, the sheriff's lack of investigation into Roger and Don Barnett's armed detention of illegal entrants and the clear unwillingness on the part of Cochise County Attorney Chris Roll to investigate and prosecute the two brothers have given them credibility and encouraged groups like Texas-based Ranch Rescue and the new Tombstone Militia.
"To have the official newspaper of the county call on people to take up arms is very dangerous, very frightening. Law enforcement and public officials should be concerned," she said.
Garcia canceled an upcoming speaking engagement in Bisbee out of concern over the growing hostility in the county.
Roll, the county attorney, said every case brought to him is reviewed under the same standards. "If we have sufficient evidence that a crime has been committed, we will prosecute."
Sheriff Dever said frustrations with the federal government's inability to stem the flow of illegal immigration has attracted the attention of a number of groups on all sides of the issue.
While he acknowledged attending and speaking at American Patrol meetings, he said his presence should be construed as being a voice of reason rather than a supporter of particular agendas or methodology.
At least 43 people have joined the Citizens Border Patrol militia since the front page call to arms appeared in the Tombstone Tumbleweed last month - under a headline that read "Enough is Enough!" - and support continues to grow, said Chris Simcox, a former California teacher who is now owner, publisher and editor of the Tombstone weekly.
Simcox isn't shy about using the words "vigilante" and "militia" to describe his plans. He sees both as a patriotic obligation in a time of war and a necessity in light of the federal government's failure to stop the flood of immigrants funneling through Cochise County.
His plan is to put armed, able-bodied militia members on private property near the border to create a presence and a deterrent to illegal border crossers.
"This has nothing to do with the Mexican people per se. . . . It's about stopping uncontrolled immigration," he said. "We want local people, we don't want the Rambos, the mercenaries and soldiers of fortune that some of these groups seem to be made up of."
Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman, who represents the Tombstone area on the county Board of Supervisors said the county has no authority or desire to interfere with the publisher's First Amendment right to publish what he chooses.
But the supervisor said he is concerned that the harsh editorial tone of the newspaper not be represented as the position of Cochise County. He's asked county staffers to look into the newspaper's use of the phrase "Official Newspaper of Cochise County" in its masthead.
According to state law, a newspaper awarded a county's legal advertising contract may be referred to as the county's official paper.
* Contact reporter Ignacio Ibarra at (520) 432-2766 or at nacho1@mindspring.com.
Stay Safe !
These people are doing the job that our government has arrogantly refused to do, protect our borders and our citizens. This is clearly mandated in our constitution and the officials responsible are guilty of nothing less than dereliction of duty.
Thanks TF. I believe this is going to be a growing trend as Bush has made it all too clear that he will not protect our borders or, for that matter, enforce our immigration laws. It's going to be interesting to see how the Feds react as thousands of patriotic citizens undertake our government's PRIME responsibility of protecting and defending this nation from invasion.
I can just read the glare inherent in your statement...:)
The militia must be equipped with the arms common to the contemporary infantryman in order to do its duty....
I hope it is very dangerous & freightening to the illegals, enough so as to keep them on their own side of the border.
We're in the beginning stages of taking Alaska back from the overwhelming invasion of Illegals in last 10+ years.
I can see where people are becoming impatient with the government's inability to address this problem but there could be many problems with citizens doing this kind of thing. Protecting private property of course is a right we have but if it goes beyond that, they're going to run into problems.
She doesn't care one iota about the United States and she's just grandstanding on this issue for her own gain, she isn't complaining about civil rights abuses or corruption in Mexico because she's on the side of that government but I do agree with this ---it isn't something citizens should have to do and it is dangerous for both the citizens and illegals.
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