Thread: Minutemen are not to be taken lightly

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/colum ... eid=128393

Kleinkauf: Minutemen are not to be taken lightly
By Jim Kleinkauf/ Guest Columnist
Wednesday, April 26, 2006

In this space three weeks ago, I took a stand against the rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment that I feel threatens the basic values upon which our country was founded.

In that column, I also wrote about the fact that my maternal grandfather was an illegal immigrant. I didn't include the fact that my paternal grandfather was a veteran of the Spanish-American War who died in the great influenza pandemic of 1918. It didn't seem relevant at the time. I include it now purely for the record.

The response to that column was surprising, mainly in that it was overwhelmingly positive, including one request for reprints.

The three negative responses were not unexpected. They included a phone call from Joe Rizoli of CCFIILE, a 250-word written response from New England Minuteman Association Director Jeffrey Buck and an-email from someone named Karen Whalen who evidently supports the Minutemen, among other things.

I found Whalen's response most interesting and worthy of quoting here:

"I'm completely embarrassed for you. Not only of your shameful admissions, which would be actually okay if you repented for these sins, which you do not, you glorify them...

"You are a good example of why foreigners coming onto OUR SOIL defile it when they will not give up their primary allegiance to a foreign government. You clearly have not, even though it was your ancestors who sinfully stole into our country.

"Mr. Kleinkauf, you clearly need to so some soul searching. And actually admit that there is generational sin in your family. And then ask God for forgiveness...."

After reading that, all I could think of was a line from the "Wizard of Oz."

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Tell you what, Karen: I'll consider your advice, if you'll consider mine -- go to the Wizard and ask him for a brain.

But seriously folks, in retrospect, my lighthearted dismissal of the Minuteman movement in the last column was a mistake. These people are not funny. They are dangerous.

Founded a year ago in California by Jim Gilchrist and Chris Simcox, the Minutemen is a quasi-vigilante organization. Its stated goal is to prevent undocumented immigrants from crossing into the United States and to further pressure the federal government into adopting a more militarized border policy.

Last year, the Minutemen mobilized hundreds in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California to set up armed camps along the Mexican border. They evidently believe that these "border patrols" help protect the nation from drug trafficking and terrorist attacks.

In most cases, members of the Minutemen have attempted to set up their camps on public property near the U.S. border and to call in the Border Patrol when they observe what they consider "suspicious activity."

However, reports from the New Mexico Independent Media Center indicate that border areas in the Southwest surrounding Minuteman camps have experienced an increase in "mysterious shootings" aimed at local Mexicans.

In a report last May, masked men with assault rifles detained a van containing 18 Mexicans. After they were ordered out of the vehicle, Apolinar Ortega Sanchez, the driver, was executed. The murder is reported to have taken place south of the border, near Columbus, N.M.

Witnesses were reported to have said the gunmen spoke poor Spanish and left in the direction of the United States. Although Minutemen have denied any responsibility, Patricia Gonzalez, the attorney general of the Chihuahua Province, was reported to be investigating potential links between the attack and the Minutemen.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups, the neo-nazi National Alliance has endorsed the Minutemen's actions and members are serving as armed volunteers. The white supremacist Aryan Nation group has also endorsed the Minuteman project, as a "white pride event."

While Framingham's Buck said the Minutemen couldn't monitor everyone who joins their ranks, he denies any ties to such hate groups, terming the Southern Poverty Law Center "anti-American." But then Buck also called President Bush a "traitor" for proposing that amnesty be granted to illegal immigrants who register with the government. Buck also called many members of Congress traitors for conspiring to create an "invasion of illegal immigrants."

Buck sees evidence of that national conspiracy here in MetroWest. "Ninety percent of Brazilians in Framingham are illegal. They told me so themselves in Portuguese," Buck said Sunday in a phone interview.

In response to claims in my last column, Buck wrote, "...Brazilians have in no way 'revitalized' downtown Framingham. They have only added to its corruption." Hate? Paranoia? You be the judge.

(Jim Kleinkauf is the south regional editor of the News. He can be reached at 508-626-4422 or at jkleinka@cnc.com.)

the Minutemen is a quasi-vigilante organization. Its stated goal is to prevent undocumented immigrants from crossing into the United States and to further pressure the federal government into adopting a more militarized border policy.

they sound like real 'vigilantes' to me

wonder if he would be willing to give his opinion on how Mexico controls their borders ...

masked men with assault rifles . . . Witnesses were reported to have said the gunmen spoke poor Spanish and left in the direction of the United States

I think it's odd that they executed the driver and let the other 18 go free ...

sounds more like these terrorists groups to me that are learning Spanish and claiming to be Mexicans or maybe a drug dealer

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups, the neo-nazi National Alliance has endorsed the Minutemen's actions and members are serving as armed volunteers. The white supremacist Aryan Nation group has also endorsed the Minuteman project, as a "white pride event."

The Southern Poverty Law Center worships at the altar of Stalin.

The care about Foreign Nationals more than Americans.

As a minuteman, this makes me very sad. I don't know why I let these people get to me, but this article is riddled with falsehoods, and embellishments.

Originally Posted by dataman

The Southern Poverty Law Center worships at the altar of Stalin.

The care about Foreign Nationals more than Americans.

they represented the illegals against the Arizona rancher and won -- they wound up with the ranch!

I'm sorry to say these people are in Alabama...