http://www.renewamerica.us/news/060302mahony.htm

Minuteman founder reacts to Cardinal Mahony's statements on illegal immigration
Calls comments 'irresponsible'

March 2, 2006
Minuteman Project


Los Angeles, CA -- Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, has reacted to comments made by Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony on illegal immigration.

"As a Catholic, it troubles me to have to say that Cardinal Mahony is just flat wrong," Gilchrist said. "First of all, he seems to not understand the difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration. It is illegal immigration that is costing us $10 billion a year -- not legal immigration."

Gilchrist strongly objected to the Cardinal's threat to ignore laws passed by Congress with which he disagrees: "It discredits the church and brings shame to parishioners to say we are not going to follow the laws of the United States -- the most accepting nation on earth. What would happen if every church decided to only follow the laws with which they agreed?"

"Those hit hardest by illegal immigration are the poor who are squeezed from the job market. Meanwhile, the middle class see their tax burden skyrocket to pay for education and healthcare for illegal immigrants. It is the church's flock that has to foot the bill and they are unlikely to be receptive to paying higher taxes to satisfy Cardinal Mahony's political agenda," said Gilchrist.

Gilchrist also disagreed with the Cardinal's statement that illegal immigration opponents are "hysterical": "It is emphatically not 'hysterical' to want to stop the flow of drugs streaming across our borders, not to mention ending the murders and rapes which are a regular occurrence -- and it is irresponsible to suggest it is."

"The Catholic Church is a worldwide institution. If this were only about helping the needy as the Cardinal claims, that could just as easily be done in any of the other of the dozens of nations illegal aliens come to America from," stated Gilchrist.

Gilchrist concluded, "One thing the Cardinal is right about: There is enormous ignorance out there. But this time it just happens to be coming from the church."

Jim Gilchrist and Jerome Corsi, Harvard Ph.D. and co-author of the New York Times #1 bestseller "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," have teamed up to write a shocking account of the endless flow of drugs, terrorists, and economic refugees at America's borders. The book -- which will expose the Mexican government's open complicity in this growing crisis -- will be published by World Ahead Publishing and be available in bookstores nationwide this July.