Minutemen protest


By NEIL YOUNG

Wednesday, November 8, 2006 7:10 PM PST


JEFF MANGUM/The Daily News Bridget Langston, left with gun, records a video of Gianluca Zanna before the Mohave County Minutemen hold a sit-in in front of the City Council chambers Wednesday.
BULLHEAD CITY - Nine members of the Mohave County Minutemen arrived at Bullhead City Hall just before 9 a.m. Wednesday to stage a 24-hour-long protest against the City Council.

The Minutemen chained themselves together in the courtyard to protest the council's lack of interest in passing legislation making it unlawful to rent to an illegal immigrant.

They're calling the demonstration Extreme Sacrifice. “What we are asking (of our members) today is extreme,” said Minutemen co-founder Gianluca Zanna. “We're going to spend 24 hours, no food, no sleep. We're not even going to change our clothes ... we're going to stink tomorrow morning. We're going to show our resolution, our determination ... “

The Minutemen had made a presentation to the council Oct. 4 hoping to convince council members to pass legislation similar to Hazelton, Penn. and other cities forbidding the hiring of and renting to illegals.


“The City Council has been going around for months about shopping carts left around the city,” said county minutemen co-founder Virginia Hilton, “but yet they only take one month to decide that it's okay for illegal aliens to stay here.

“It costs too much to do anything about it. Something's wrong here that shopping carts are more important than the citizens of this city,” Hilton said.

“I believe what the Minutemen are doing today is absolutely bizarre,” said Bullhead City Mayor Diane Vick. “Virginia Hilton ... states that the city council and mayor have surrendered to their fears. There is no fear here,” Vick said.

“We are discussing taxpayers' dollars that are at stake,” she said. “The ordinance in Hazelton has not been implemented. Apparently it's being challenged.”

“As the stewards of the city we have an obligation,” said Vice Mayor Jack Hakim, “to be sure that any decision made is constitutional and will stand up in court. Otherwise, the cost to defend an ordinance that they're suggesting ... could be prohibitive.”

Council member John Anderson agreed that it could be “extremely expensive for the city liability-wise. Hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to enforce these rules, which are the federal government's responsibility.”

“I think these people need to understand federalism and checks and balances,” Vick said. “From their actions today and their actions at Wal-Mart what they're showing me is that they have focused on the Mexican people and they are very prejudiced against them,” she said.

Vick was referring to the Minutemen getting the Kingman Wal-Mart to remove Mexican flags for sale because they were not stocking any Arizona state flags.

“I've heard some of their comments that obviously say they're racists,” Anderson said. “How can you not say you're racially biased especially in the area of renting to someone? How do you pick and choose who you are going to ask for all this information?”

“This is ... not an issue of one race or another, said Minuteman Zach Peteren in an open letter to Anderson. “This is not an issue of color or creed. This is however, an issue of national security as well as an issue of upholding and standing for the laws and constitution of this nation and this state.”

Staff writer Neil Young covers city issues. Contact him at 928-763-2505, ext. 141, or by e-mail at nyoung @mohave daily news.com.


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