Thread: Minuteman group wraps up month-long watch of Canadian border

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1025/dailyUpdate.html

posted October 25, 2005 at 11:30 a.m.

Minuteman group wraps up month-long watch of Canadian border

Effort to 'keep out terrorists' not greeted as warmly in northern states as in southern ones.

By Tom Regan | csmonitor.com

In an effort to stem the flow of unwanted visitors across the northern border of the US, Arizona's controversial anti-immigration group, the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, has spent most of the month of October manning posts at selected spots on the US-Canada border. USA Today reports on one of the group's activities, establishing a "presence" at nine positions along a 26-mile stretch of the northwestern section of the 4,000-mile long border. The surveillance has, so far, been uneventful – the Minutemen spotted one suspicious vehicle, but it turned out to be an unmarked Border Patrol SUV.
It is a far cry from the desert of the US-Mexican border, where undocumented immigrants try to sneak into America every day. That doesn't matter to these Minutemen. They say they're here to make a political statement about the vulnerability of the nation's borders. "If we can help keep some terrorists from coming across that would be great," says [Ben Vaughn, a middle-aged Vietnam vet]. "Even just slow them down."

The group's October northern effort began in in Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York in an effort to show that the US federal government is not doing enough to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the US. In the sector of the Washington border, on a small part of which is being watched by the Minutemen, government agents capture, on average, about six or seven people a week trying to cross the border illegally.

Unlike the relative public welcome given to their efforts in the south, the Minutemen have been met with numerous protests in northern states. The Boston Globe reports that two weeks ago when a group went to the Vermont border, they were outnumbered by protesters.


"We want to show that we oppose them and show that Vermonters don't want their agenda in the state of Vermont, or anywhere for that matter," said protest organizer Leah Siegel of Burlington. "Once we find out where the Minutemen will be, we want to come face-to-face with them, and confront them, nonviolently of course, and let them know we want nothing to do with their racist agenda," Siegel said.
The Globe piece said that few of the Minuteman volunteers participating were from the Northeast. The Associated Press reports that the Minutemen kept a low profile in Vermont. Greg LeMay of Long Island, New York, said the group was not interested in any kind of encounter with the protesters. "We're nonconfrontational," he said. "What's the sense in picking a fight? ... We're here to spot any illegal activity. It's really no different from a community watch."
There was heavy rain during the weekend the group watched the Vermont border, which prompted Vive le Canada, a Canadian opinion website, to say the group's members "had too much time on their hands." The Vermont Guardian reported that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who is now head of the Democratic National Committee, accused the group of spreading fear and hatred in the United States.

The group's cofounder Jim Gilchrist, who is running for the Republican nomination for a California congressional seat, denounced Mr. Dean's remarks. AP reports that Chris Simcox, the group's other cofounder, said his group had been hounded by "domestic terrorists" in Vermont. Mr. Simcox says the groups, which he didn't identify, should be investigated.

While they've had little impact on the northern border, the Minutemen's efforts seem to have the support of many Americans. In a recent poll by Rasmussen, a conservative polling organization, 48 percent of Americans said the government should encourage volunteers to help patrol the borders. And USA Today reports that the Minutemen's efforts seem to be having some effect in the southern states bordering Mexico.

In April, the Border Patrol in Arizona reported that undocumented immigrant traffic had dropped by half where Minutemen were stationed. Nearly 600,000 people were arrested last year trying to cross the border into Arizona.
But not everyone supports the group's agenda. The American Chronicle website, a liberal news and commentary site, reported that Bill Parmley, coordinator for the group in Texas, quit in July over what he alleges is the group's racist attitude.
Parmley resigned abruptly in late July alleging racism in the local chapter and a lack of organization on the national level.... I can only assume that [racism] is a part of their agenda," Parmley said.
In a stange turn of events on the US border with Mexico, the El Paso Times reported last week that one Minuteman was sent home recently by the group after he gave two migrants a ride, and some food and water.

"This is probably one of the weirdest things. We're scratching our heads. He came down here to be part of the Minutemen and he gives illegal aliens a ride? He was a very dedicated person and appeared to fully understand what we were doing," Cole said.
ACLU groups in the area, however, accused the man involved of more sinister motives. "It's kind of scary. We don't know what he was planning," said Claudia Guevara, an ACLU coordinator.

i have to comment, that despite the inactivity,it has done its job, to highlight that the TRUE problem is south of our border, and that the Federal government and people in it, should attend to their SWORN oaths of office and get busy doing their jobs. This includes petitioning the government to provide the resources to get it DONE!! This too is their job! cheers glenn

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