11/16/2006 3:49:00 PM Email this article • Print this article
Local Minutemen wage 24-hour protest at Bullhead City Council chambers

Donna Newman
Managing Editor/Reporter


Partiotic activists: The Mohave County Minutemen launched a 24-hour demonstration outside the Bullhead City Council chambers on Nov. 8 and 9 to encourage the Council to pass an ordinance that would prohibit employers and landlords from knowingly hiring or renting to illegal immigrants. Among those who participated were (from left, holding flags) Golden Valley Minutemen Gordon Hoover and Randy Cone, (seated, wearing hat) Mike Hoaglan of Dolan Springs and Kingman Minuteman Joyce Barks (seated with flag). Others shown are Minutemen who participated and members of the public who stopped to comment. GVG Photo/DONNA NEWMAN

BULLHEAD CITY - A group of people wearing heavy chains around their necks waged a 24-hour protest outside the Bullhead City Council chambers on Nov. 8 to drive home their intent to see federal immigration laws enforced.

The chains were to illustrate the taxpayer burden created by the influx of illegal immigrants.

"This is about enforcing the law," said Gianluca Zanna of Golden Valley. "Illegal immigration is breaking the law."

The Minutemen handed out a statement, which read in part: "The City Council of Bullhead City has chosen to raise the white flag and remain politically correct rather than defend the rights and welfare of the citizens and legal immigrants … Do we wait until the problem is too big to handle? Or do we take preventative measures to stop it now? That is what we are trying to do. Stop the invasion before it has swallowed us up."

Mohave County Minutemen sprang into action with their "Extreme Sacrifice" protest "especially in light of National Security," in response to Bullhead City Council member John Anderson, who called the organization "racist," and said he would not cooperate with anything the Minutemen sponsor, and in answer to a statement that came out of the Nov. 4 Council retreat.

The release stated: "City Councilwoman Jan Ward said that legislation forbidding hiring or renting to illegals would likely be thrown out by courts because it may appear one ethnic group is being targeted by such laws."

The protest was aimed at showing the Council the Minutemen are serious in their quest to stop employers from hiring illegal immigrants and landlords from renting to law-breaking foreigners. The Mohave Minutemen were represented by individuals from Golden Valley, Dolan Springs, Kingman, Bullhead City and Fort Mohave at the site for 24 hours without sleep or food.

"We're disappointed in the Council," said Bridget Zanna of Golden Valley, who was carrying an Arizona state flag. "Last month, the Council seemed interested in doing the right thing. We didn't know anything about a closed-door meeting that took place last weekend. Apparently, the Council's attitude has changed dramatically. We're just asking that the laws be enforced."

Minuteman Edward Pontillo of Kingman and Randy Cone of Golden Valley carried large American flags and walked in a large circle around the main group of protesters.

Pontillo said the picket was taking place in Bullhead City, but the problem it addressed is plaguing all of Arizona and other cities around the nation.

"I was at the Kingman City Council meeting (on Nov. 6), when the mayor only allowed two of the six people who had signed up to speak," he said. "It was rude and unacceptable the way it was handled. Our message is a very important one that deserves to be addressed."

Gordon Hoover of Golden Valley also attended the Kingman meeting and showed up for the Bullhead City vigil.

"It's so easy for someone to check for false IDs and keep illegal immigrants from taking American jobs. It's just a matter of a short phone call," he said.

Joyce Barks of Kingman was one of the two Minutemen allowed to address Kingman City Council on Nov. 6, and one of three Kingman Minutemen to join the Bullhead City protest.

"My worry is for my grandchildren," she said. "How can they get an education when they have to worry about gangs and violence in the schools? Some think because we live in little towns we don't have that problem, but it's right here in our schools because of the problem we have with more and more illegal immigrants. Just look around.

"The Kingman mayor made a bad decision when he limited the six signed-up speakers to just two who were allowed to talk to the Council," she said. "He should have listened to all six of us. When we were finished, the audience applauded and so did some of the Council members. Our system needs to be changed if we want to survive as a nation of law. People don't start out so angry, but we get that way when we see the abuse and the abuse and the abuse."

Linda Ragan, a seven-year Bullhead City resident, watched the protest from a few feet away. She said she supported their cause emotionally but did not get actively involved.

"You can see the problem everywhere," she said. "You can see who's taking the jobs, who's draining the system and who's not. If someone doesn't stop what's happening, it's going to get worse."

Steve Johnson, Bullhead City public information officer, brought bottled water to the group and stopped briefly to speak to them the first morning of the vigil.

"This group has been here before," he said. "The Council met on Saturday (Nov. 4) for its annual retreat when they discuss various issues from a city government standpoint. The retreat is really a preliminary roundtable for issues for the coming budget year, which starts in July.

"The illegal immigration issue was one of about 25 items on the agenda that the Council discussed. The city is watching other cities around the nation to see how they're handling the problem. We're looking at all of the aspects and what we can do. The Council is concerned about it.

"The current policy is reflected in our building contracts," he said. "If someone is working on a city project, they must have proof they're a legal resident. The Council has asked the staff to study the issue. A follow-up is tentatively scheduled January or February."

Bullhead City Police Department had personnel stationed at City Hall to keep an eye on the protest. An officer said the department's only concern was that opposing factions might show up and create a disturbance.

The Minutemen's vigil had been peaceful and respectful of those coming and going at the city complex, he said.




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