Minutemen Advocate Against Illegal Immigration

April 19, 2008

The Minutemen say the reason for today's rally was simply to call the public's attention to the issue of illegal immigration.

And they did that by calling attention to themselves, holding up signs and flags along Dakota Avenue in South Sioux City.

If you drove down Dakota Avenue in South Sioux City on Saturday, you couldn't have missed them.

"We could be out here with signs with smiley faces on them," said Minuteman Mike Narducci. "And somebody would still drive by and say, look at the nuts. Look at the kooks, or whatever."

Their display of flags and signs prompted reactions from motorists, both in support of and in opposition to the Minutemens' hardline stance against illegal immigration.

"We want them to see us," Narducci said. "And we are actually drawing people off the streets. We've had multiple requests for applications and information."

The minutemen believe the public needs to pay more attention to the immigration issue. That's why they're bringing the issue out into the public.

"We're holding out the olive branch today," Narducci said. "We're concerned about the open borders. We're concerned about the eco-terrorism, the potential for maybe another 9-11."

"And we think the citizenry needs to stand up and realize just how serious the problem is," said Minuteman David Nettleton.

Demonstrators said responses from motorists was mostly positive. But some people call the Minutemen's motives and methods into question. The group says they've been minsunderstood and stereotyped themselves.

"This organization is not racist," Nettleton said. "We're simply talking legal versus illegal. Red and yellow, black and white, they are all precious in his sight. As far as we see it. But we cannot have illegal immigrants coming into our country presenting the dangers that they do to us."

"We catch a lot of flack for what we do," Narducci said. "And there's a lot of gross misrepresentations about the Minutemen -- that we're driven by forces other than love of country. And I can tell you unequivocally, that that's not the case. I mean, we are driven by love of country."

And driven to bring awareness.

Around 40 people participated in today's rally. Some are from Siouxland, while others drove in from Des Moines and Omaha.

http://www.ktiv.com/News/index.php?ID=24602