Thread: MI: Speech by Minutemen co-founder moved to new location at

Published April 17, 2007


Speech by Minutemen co-founder moved to new location at MSU

Matthew Miller
Lansing State Journal


Michigan State University officials have asked the organizers of a speech by Minutemen co-founder Chris Simcox to move the event to a place where it will not disturb classes in progress.

The former location in Wells Hall is "surrounded by classrooms," said Terry Denbow, vice president for university relations, "and there shouldn't be any disruption of an academic setting because of an event."

Denbow said the speech wasn't being moved because of its potentially controversial content but "based on potential crowd size and noise."

He added, however, that "I can't deny that security is one of the criteria you use when assigning space."

Jeff Wiggins, head of the MSU College Republicans, which is co-sponsoring Simcox's speech with the Young Americans for Freedom, said he resented the change, adding he believed any disruption would come from protesters, not from members of the sponsoring groups.

"I think it's completely ridiculous that we have to move our event because people who want to disrupt it," he said.

The speech will now take place from 7:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday in Room 102 of Conrad Hall on MSU's campus.


http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... /1001/news

If university officials think there will be trouble with protesters, it's their responsibility to have security in place to take care of it.

Changing the event to 9pm? Why didn't they just make it 2am?

4 arrested at Minutemen co-founder's speech
Evening update

Matthew Miller
Lansing State Journal
Apr 19, 2007

EAST LANSING — Just before Minutemen co-founder Chris Simcox began his speech this evening at MSU, more than 100 protesters were gathered in front of Conrad Hall under a banner that read, “No human being is illegal.”

Later, about 7:45 p.m., four protesters were arrested when they refused to let the speech go forward.

Student activist Jose Villagran said the group had come to “visibly protest someone who promotes terrorism against our people.”

“Human life is more important than racist laws,” Villagran said in a speech to the protesters.

The Minutemen are an anti-illegal immigration group and serve as self-appointed guardians of the border with Mexico.

Simcox was brought to campus by two student groups: the Michigan State University College Republicans and the Young Americans for Freedom.

Protesters exchanged cat-calls — and arguments about the nature of free speech — with members of the groups sponsoring the speech.

Inside Conrad Hall, before his speech, Simcox said he was unfazed by the opposition.

“I feel sorry for them that they come from such a place of ignorance and hate,” he said. “They’re the true hate groups.”

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... 01/opinion

I'm surprised they didn't move it to the second tuesday of next week.

“Human life is more important than racist laws,” Villagran said in a speech to the protesters.

In other words, To hell with our American laws and Latinos will do as they damn well please.

Published August 7, 2007



Man arrested while protesting Minutemen pleads to lesser charges
Matthew Miller
Lansing State Journal


Jose Villagran, one of two men charged in connection with disrupting a speech by Minutemen co-founder Chris Simcox at Michigan State University last spring, left 54-B District Court in East Lansing today with only a $100 fine and an order to pay $15 in court costs.

Villagran, who had faced felony resisting arrest and obstruction charges, pleaded guilty to disrupting an educational activity, a misdemeanor violation of an MSU ordinance. The felony charges were dropped.

"Jose is a very principled client," said Terry Olson, the Lansing attorney representing Villagran.

"This was an action of conscience on his part, standing up what he perceived to be a group of people who were saying things that bordered on racism, if they were not outright racist."

The Minutemen is a group of self-styled defenders of the U.S. border with Mexico, and Simcox himself is an outspoken opponent of illegal immigration.

Olson said taking the case to trial would have been a "long and drawn out process" and "Jose wanted to get back to his family in Texas and put this matter behind him."

Raul Perez, the other man charged, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor last month and also had the felony charges dropped. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 29.

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... /1001/news

Do you suppose Jose is illegal ?