Thread: KS: Minutemen, Hispanic group end touted alliance

Posted on Wed, May. 02, 2007

Minutemen, Hispanic group end touted alliance
By ROXANA HEGEMAN
Associated Press Writer

WICHITA, Kan. - An unusual alliance on illegal immigration forged between the Kansas Minutemen Civil Defense Corps and the Peoples Alliance for Latino Advancement in Kansas has broken apart after only two months.

It was an uneasy partnership from the start. In March, the two groups held a joint public forum in Wichita to outline their common mission on stopping illegal immigration. The dissolution of their pact was a much quieter affair.

"We tried," said PALA co-chairman Dennis Romero. "Some people condemned us, other people applauded us."

Romero said the breakup was sparked by the Minutemen picketing employers whom they suspected were employing illegal immigrants.

"They started racist stuff," he said. "We told them we can't have any part of this."

Ed Hayes, the Kansas director of the Minutemen, confirmed the two groups have split. But he said Romero and his co-chairman Bob Hernandez knew from the initial meeting that the Minutemen planned the pickets.

"I am just disappointed that seems to be a problem, because we are going to continue doing it," Hayes said.

The Minutemen have long contended that racism has nothing to do with their anti-illegal immigration activities.

To bolster that argument, Hayes pointed to the group's continued alliance with another Hispanic group, You Don't Speak For Me, which opposes illegal immigration. In April, the Kansas Minutemen hosted retired U.S. Army Col. Albert F. Rodriguez of Douglas, Ariz.

Rodriguez, chairman of You Don't Speak For Me, was in Kansas City to start another chapter.

Hayes said he was disappointed that PALA had chosen to break off the relationship.

"We will just go ahead without them," Hayes said.

http://www.kansas.com/197/story/59918.html

Romero said the breakup was sparked by the Minutemen picketing employers whom they suspected were employing illegal immigrants.

"They started racist stuff," he said. "We told them we can't have any part of this."

Where's the racism? Illegal immigrants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Maybe the business's were run by family or friends of their organization. Who knows?

I would be a bit skeptical since the minutemen are very careful not to make this a racial issue. It's a law and order issue. Maybe following the letter of the law across the board was too much for them.

Maybe they started the relationship just to cause trouble in the end. Who knows. I am cautious by nature. Just my opinion.

CCUSA wrote:

Maybe they started the relationship just to cause trouble in the end. Who knows. I am cautious by nature. Just my opinion.

Good point CCUSA, perhaps they started the relationship in order to gain more publicity and then they pulled their old standby, the race card, out of the hat. Truthfulness is not their forte.

Originally Posted by MW

Romero said the breakup was sparked by the Minutemen picketing employers whom they suspected were employing illegal immigrants.

"They started racist stuff," he said. "We told them we can't have any part of this."

Where's the racism? Illegal immigrants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

My thought exactly, MW.