Thread: Op/Ed:Minuteman Project(retired Border Patrol Agent)

http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/ ... 7453.shtml

Guest Commentary
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Op/Ed: The Minuteman Project
By John W. Slagle
MichNews.com
Mar 27, 2005

As a retired Border Patrol Special Agent and a resident, property owner in a high density smuggling enforcement area, Diamond Bell Ranch, 3 Points, Mr. Bush remains "clueless" concerning Vigilantes and vigilant law abiding citizens who assist authorities. In my 30 plus years of service from Bush's state of Texas, Rio Grande Patrol in Presidio, Big Bend country, our small station of ten men depended on concerned citizens, ranchers for information in a vast territory. The same citizen law enforcement cooperation extended to all border states to the Pacific and assignments on the Canadian line. We were stretched very thin in 1972 due to politics with less than 2,000 U.S. Border Patrol Agents on both international borders.

Vigilant citizens as well as lawfully admitted resident aliens contributed vital information regarding narcotics smugglers, human traffickers and large groups of illegals as well as criminal elements, burglars, rapists, murderers to bandits. Standard form 123 reports by phone established instant intelligence to arrest information, probable cause for Agents.

Recently the Tucson Sector Border Patrol HQ. had large billboards placed in numerous smuggling routes from Cochise County west. The Chief Patrol Agent, in order to combat the serious situation of human trafficking in Arizona requested citizen assistance on suspicious activities. A telephone contact number 1-877-USBP-HELP is in bold letters on the board.

The President and his elite minions in gated communities wouldn't know the difference between concerned citizens, neighborhood crime watch groups and para military groups with cammies, assault rifles and battle gear. As the Governor of Texas, he did not see the remote areas of the Big Bend where law enforcement in a huge County was the Sheriff, two deputies and the U.S.B.P. In Southwest Texas, along the Border, most citizens carried a firearm, a fact of life in remote areas, like extra water in the desert. Arizona is no different, with a right to carry weapons openly and Concealed Weapons Permits issued by the state. I never feared armed citizens that complied with the law. In fact in many cases, they were an asset to the Community long before the Minuteman Project reporting vehicles and groups. The vast majority would not utilize or present a weapon unless home invasion or felony in progress.

Citizens who have state authority to carry concealed weapons, myself included have very strict rules of engagement involving lethal force or the show of a weapon, very similar to any commissioned police officer. Fingerprints, background check, a felon cannot possess an Arizona CCW Permit. I am not an official volunteer of the Minutemen Project, but I support citizen's involvement 100 per cent as well as the U.S. Border Patrol. In our rural area, citizens have called authorities for decades. In 2002, President Bush called for all citizens to be vigilant of suspicious persons in a time of war, nationwide. In 2005, Mr. Bush stated that he was against Vigilantes, or organized citizens who were vigilant on our Nation's Borders and concerned due to a constant international invasion of "illegal aliens" in Arizona. Mr. Fox of Mexico also condemned any citizen group that would dare to "defy" his political goal of open borders, ignoring U.S. Immigration laws, 8 USC 1324, 1325 and 1326. The Grand Old Party concepts of a Sovereign Nation whose policies are not dictated by any foreign power are compromised daily on the Mexican Border. Human Trafficking, Narcotics Smuggling, Military Incursions and millions of illegal aliens, unknown factors yearly are politically condoned. The Border Patrol accomplishes an impossible task daily in a politically correct era where Terrorists, Criminal elements of society are not welcome, but millions of illegals from Mexico, and Central America with " false names, AKAs, documents are ''home free" as needed " cheap laborers " once past the line.

Their intentions, purpose of "illegal entries" in violation of 8 USC 1325, country of origin is quickly discarded in the massive "tons of trash" left behind in their "wake" on the Southwest Borders. In a nation where citizens or legal resident aliens are prosecuted for fraudulent statements, false names, identities, or any infraction of the law, " illegal aliens" from any nation can change a name in an instant complete with false documentation. With little or no concern for interior enforcement efforts by Congress or the President, or controlling our Borders, citizens who see a constant invasion of this nation in a "time of war", reality is close to home, not Iraq or Afghanistan but " at our front door " in rural Southern Arizona.

There is a world of difference between the words and deeds of Vigilantes in the "lawless" eras of our country to extremist groups and concerned citizens who are involved in crime prevention within a community. I'm very proud of any citizen that has taken the time to "stand up" on any issue in the United States, law enforcement to politics or illegal immigration. For over 30 years, from the Viet Nam era, people were content and political involvement was "voting" every four years, nothing more, duty accomplished, politicians were elected to represent the majority of taxpayers and voters. In reality, Special Interest Groups, lobbyists controlled political decisions, bills and laws, Corporate concerns, not the will of the people nationwide.

On common sense issues which has been presented on illegal immigration national security facts throughout 2004 by many media sources, American Legion, Time Magazine, CNN, Fox to countless documentaries from every quarter, fact after fact, liberal leaning or conservative, politicians were silent and President Bush. Investigative reporters accomplished an outstanding job from every angle in Arizona, interviews to "on the site" knowledge of the problem areas. Ranchers, legal immigrants to ex-law enforcement officers, and open borders advocates were on record nationally and business as usual in the "Beltway" was completely oblivious of the media, and ignored the facts by journalists.

The Minuteman Project where concerned citizen volunteers from across the nation who as an organized group would "provide eyes and ears" in Cochise County, Arizona for the U.S. Border Patrol, non-interference duties, observation and reporting only were "instantly" labeled Vigilantes, armed threats. The news events of 2004 were of no consequence, but the idea of taxpayers making a political statement in Arizona surely "shook" political cages, and all the Special Interest groups. President Fox of Mexico is crying "Foul" and President Bush. The ACLU has special observers for the event, as do representatives from numerous pro illegal immigration cadres. Political carpetbaggers from both Mexico and the U.S. will be there to insure that no civil rights are violated, plus local and federal agents. All are welcome to monitor the border, an amazing concept years after 911.

Protests and counter protests, "watchers watching watchers" with the media in between. In 2002 through 2004, international incidents from the "Murder by Gunfire" of U.S. Park Ranger Eggle to countless incidents too numerous to list, indignation or response by elected leaders from both political parties, elected officials in Arizona was non-existent and the idea that voters would ever "revolt" was far from the usual thought in Phoenix.

How dare, citizens and taxpayers petition for Proposition 200 in Arizona with a majority vote, against the will of elected officials who advocate "open borders" and a "giveaway of this nation? How dare, citizens and lawful alien residents, taxpayers with "True names" make a stand in Arizona or people from any state of the union? This is our country, state by state, we pay the bills, and the salaries of Congressmen to the President who are civil servants, nothing more than any employee who works for the United States of America. Sometimes they forget and need to be reminded that are in a position of trust by the will of the people and answerable to that will, not foreign governments nor Special Interest Groups.

John W. Slagle (ret) Anti-Smuggling Agent U.S.B.P.
Three Points, Arizona
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UPDATE: (by watchman) March 28, 2005 12:10 EST

This opinion is also posted at: http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=9591

From that source is the following information about the author and a reader comment.

March 27, 2005
About the Author

The author, a daily reader and frequent contibutor to The Federal Observer has spent over 32 years defending this nation and was on duty Sept. 11 at HQ Intelligence. After retirement in 2002, returning to his home in Arizona, the borders were over-run with illegals, death was an everyday occurrence, the Mexican Military was escorting narcotics shipments and shooting at our Border Patrol Agents. Park Ranger Kris Eggle was murdered in an international incident involving Mexican Hit men, narcotics smugglers at Lukville and politicians with the exception of Colorado Congressman Tancredo ignored the problem. The same situation existed with mainstream media. Even a load of illegal aliens whose vechicle was riddled with mexican military machine gun fire was not worthy of attention.

Like many people, he tried to contact elected officials on the problems, and recieved standard form replies in return. Finally, he had enough and wrote ILLEGAL ENTRIES which is now published and shows three decades on the Borders, and how politicians have created the problems in illegal immigration from 1972 to 2005. Like many of his partners, some who were killed enforcing immigration laws, Amnesty for lawbreakers is a "kick in the face" to our honored dead. As a longtime conservative, he will not vote or support any elected official whose interests are not for U.S. Citizens or lawfully admitted resident aliens.

Reader Comments:
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On 2005-03-28 08:12:47, Marty wrote:

“Border Patrol does not need vigilantes� re the Minutemen Project. I think the Minutemen are simply following the 2001 advice of our President: “In my inaugural address, I asked our citizens to serve their nation, you can participate in your Neighborhood Watch or Crime Stoppers.� Spoken by none other than---you guessed it, GWB. If Bush really believed his 3-05 statement of “That’s why you got a Border Patrol, they ought to be in charge of enforcing the border� he would man and fund them.

Hello, I am student at Tiffin University in Ohio pursuing my masters degree in justice administration. I’m also a deputy sheriff in Clark County, Ohio and former federal park ranger. I am doing a final paper that requires the design of a new and innovative plan to offer justice services . we are required to outline a detailed plan. my plan is to develop a crime watch group administered under the border patrol, that would include volunteers such as the Minutemen. some local communities have volunteer citizen patrols that are managed by the department and I feel the border patrol and justice dept could organize a similar group.

Any info anyone could give me regarding the minutemen project or any plan or talks of the border patrol working with these groups will help greatly. I’ve read a lot online but I need inside, detailed info. Please let me know if you can assist or give me guidance. It will be greatly appreciated. rangerbarnhart@hotmail.com

thank you, BRAD BARNHART