Thread: Rights groups, archbishop say border watchers aren't welcome

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mp ... an/3258963


July 9, 2005, 12:13AM
Minutemen headed here warned they, too, will be watched
Rights groups, archbishop say border watchers aren't welcome
By EDWARD HEGSTROM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

The local Catholic archbishop and immigrant rights activists want to roll up the welcome mat before the Minutemen arrive to patrol for illegal immigrants in Houston.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, an organization working to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, announced this week that it would send observers to watch day laborers in Houston beginning in October. Previous plans called for placing patrols only along the Mexican border.

But Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza said the Minutemen would not be welcome in Houston.

"We stand against any attempts of outsiders to come into Houston to abuse and intimidate our immigrant communities," Fiorenza said in a statement issued Friday.

Separately, immigrant rights organizations announced that they would fight fire with fire by forming an organization to counteract the Minutemen.

"For every Minuteman patrolling, we will have at least 10 people patrolling them," said Maria Jimenez, a longtime local activist now associated with the Central American Resource Center, or CRECEN.

Jimenez and CRECEN leader Teodoro Aguiluz threatened to file a lawsuit if they observe the Minutemen doing anything illegal.

"We will respond to your organization with our organization," Jimenez said to the Minutemen. "We're not shy about it."

The advocates have called on the city to officially "disinvite" the Minutemen, but city leaders say that is unlikely. The mayor has said he does not see the need to pass an official resolution on the subject, and City Councilman Adrian Garcia said it would be hard to promote such a measure without mayoral support.

Jimenez estimated that there are 50 informal labor markets in Ho

uston where day laborers gather looking for work from contractors. She said pro-immigrant groups would have at least 10 observers at each site.

One of the sites is just down the street from the CRECEN office, at the corner of Bellaire and Hillcroft, where dozens of workers gather every morning looking for work.

A city-funded day labor site is in the area, but the vast majority of workers prefer to seek work in the streets.

Some of those workers said Friday that they worry about the Minutemen.

"It's like racism," said one, who identified himself only as Juan. "All we want is a chance to survive."

Drawing some support
Business owners in the area say they might welcome some effort to get the day laborers off the streets.

"They mess up the surroundings with their trash, and they are very aggressive, which scares the customers," said Mohammed Uddin, an immigrant from Bangladesh who owns the Citgo station at Hillcroft and Bellaire. "It's bad for business."

Some of the immigrants say they worry about the potential for violence. At the CRECEN news conference, representatives noted that many Latin Americans have had bad experiences with vigilantes back home, and they drew direct parallels with the Minutemen.

"In the countries we come from, these groups outside the law are known as death squads" or paramilitaries, Aguiluz said.

But Bill Parmley, who heads the Minutemen in Texas, dismissed the comparison to Central American death squads as absurd.

"The only thing we're going to be carrying is a video camera," Parmley said. "That's the difference between their country and our country."

There were no reports of violence during the initial patrols the Minutemen held in Arizona last April. But some law officials have expressed a concern about the potential for vigilante violence.

The Minutemen in Texas originated out of a series of meetings this year in Goliad County, where landowners have become alarmed by the illegal immigrants being smuggled along the area's rural roads. Ranchers and other owners began holding meetings, and area law officers attended.

Bee County Sheriff Carlos Carrizales said he attended the first two meetings but stopped going after becoming concerned by the tone.

"During the second meeting, someone in the back shouted: 'Can't we just shoot 'em,' " in reference to illegal immigrants, Carrizales recalls. "Then others started to feed on that."

Checking backgrounds
Parmley concedes that the statement was made, but he disputes the sheriff's contention that others joined in. The Minuteman leader said those who want to join his organization must go through an extensive background check, which includes looking not only for criminal history but also for things like white-supremacist tendencies.

Parmley is the official Texas leader of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, the group that was formed in Arizona. He said the campaign in Houston will be led by volunteers who live in Houston.

A separate group, which calls itself the Texas Minutemen, has been formed out of the Dallas area and plans to patrol near El Paso in October.

edward.hegstrom@chron.com

They're going to file a lawsuit if they see the Minutemen doing anything ILLEGAL!!! Bwahaha ha ha! :P

Why don't they file a lawsuit against the illegals in this country?????

Originally Posted by dataman

Why don't they file a lawsuit against the illegals in this country?????

That would be so un-PC, racist, unkind, etc.

You know, it just wouldn't be "compassionate!"

They're just here "for a better life!"

But Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza said the Minutemen would not be welcome in Houston.

Neither are pedophile priests!!! They have zero credibility!

Originally Posted by jp_48504

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3258963


July 9, 2005, 12:13AM
Minutemen headed here warned they, too, will be watched
Rights groups, archbishop say border watchers aren't welcome
By EDWARD HEGSTROM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

The local Catholic archbishop and immigrant rights activists want to roll up the welcome mat before the Minutemen arrive to patrol for illegal immigrants in Houston.

Sixx says: Hands Dirty Time:
This is not, i repeat, NOT THE VATICAN'T. This is TEXAS. We are not governed by an archbishop (pedophile in charge). When we put the rest of the United States out of the REPUBLIC OF TEXAS, and I become secretary of defense, any and all remanants of this so called church will go the way of the buggy whip.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, an organization working to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, announced this week that it would send observers to watch day laborers in Houston beginning in October. Previous plans called for placing patrols only along the Mexican border.

But Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza said the Minutemen would not be welcome in Houston.

"We stand against any attempts of outsiders to come into Houston to abuse and intimidate our immigrant communities," Fiorenza said in a statement issued Friday.

Sixx says: And we, the citizens of this state, stand AGAINST YOU, MORON, for subverting our laws with your money hungry lust for the ILLEGAL DOLLAR. I am going to file a complaint against you with the U.S. Attorney for North Texas about your absolutely CRIMINAL, SEDITIOUS, BLANTANT, violation of OUR CONSTITUTION. I personally now am on the hunt for you. How dare you even voice anything at all about anything after you have supported, encouraged, and covered up the abuse of THOUSANDS OF YOUNG BOYS ACROSS THIS NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD? The very nerve of you addressing this issuse is REPUGNANT. Outsiders? Listen, FOOL, we are CITIZENS OF THIS STATE. The MMP only woke the sleeping giant. Somebody get me this VERMINS phone number and send it to me.

Separately, immigrant rights organizations announced that they would fight fire with fire by forming an organization to counteract the Minutemen.

"For every Minuteman patrolling, we will have at least 10 people patrolling them," said Maria Jimenez, a longtime local activist now associated with the Central American Resource Center, or CRECEN.


Sixx says: You better bring MILLIONS And all the taco's you can, cause the battle is joined RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

Jimenez and CRECEN leader Teodoro Aguiluz threatened to file a lawsuit if they observe the Minutemen doing anything illegal.

Sixx says:What about the ILLEGAL act of coming into our country without proper documentation? We don't deal in lawsuits. We deal in BLACK SUITS. You cannot BLACKMAIL a BLACK MALE.

"We will respond to your organization with our organization," Jimenez said to the Minutemen. "We're not shy about it."

Sixx says: BRING IT ON

The advocates have called on the city to officially "disinvite" the Minutemen, but city leaders say that is unlikely. The mayor has said he does not see the need to pass an official resolution on the subject, and City Councilman Adrian Garcia said it would be hard to promote such a measure without mayoral support.

Sixx says: How in the hell are you going to "DISINVITE" me from the land I WAS BORN ON, IDIOT

Jimenez estimated that there are 50 informal labor markets in Ho

uston where day laborers gather looking for work from contractors. She said pro-immigrant groups would have at least 10 observers at each site.

Sixx says: Hope springs eternal, FOOL

One of the sites is just down the street from the CRECEN office, at the corner of Bellaire and Hillcroft, where dozens of workers gather every morning looking for work.

Sixx says: Thank you for the recon

A city-funded day labor site is in the area, but the vast majority of workers prefer to seek work in the streets.

Some of those workers said Friday that they worry about the Minutemen.

Sixx says: Be afraid. BE VERY AFRAID



"It's like racism," said one, who identified himself only as Juan. "All we want is a chance to survive."

Sixx says: Life is not a deck of cards, so I won't use the worn out cliche of the "Race Card". Juan, if you want to survive, RUN don't WALK, back to Mexico. BYE

Drawing some support
Business owners in the area say they might welcome some effort to get the day laborers off the streets.

"They mess up the surroundings with their trash, and they are very aggressive, which scares the customers," said Mohammed Uddin, an immigrant from Bangladesh who owns the Citgo station at Hillcroft and Bellaire. "It's bad for business."


Sixx says: There it is Judy, "BAD FOR BUSINESS"

Some of the immigrants say they worry about the potential for violence. At the CRECEN news conference, representatives noted that many Latin Americans have had bad experiences with vigilantes back home, and they drew direct parallels with the Minutemen.

"In the countries we come from, these groups outside the law are known as death squads" or paramilitaries, Aguiluz said.

Sixx says: Don't play that game with me you ILLEGAL PARASITE

But Bill Parmley, who heads the Minutemen in Texas, dismissed the comparison to Central American death squads as absurd.

"The only thing we're going to be carrying is a video camera," Parmley said. "That's the difference between their country and our country."

There were no reports of violence during the initial patrols the Minutemen held in Arizona last April. But some law officials have expressed a concern about the potential for vigilante violence.

Sixx says: Jorge, your hermano, may call us vigilantes, and if you make it true, you will find you are not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

The Minutemen in Texas originated out of a series of meetings this year in Goliad County, where landowners have become alarmed by the illegal immigrants being smuggled along the area's rural roads. Ranchers and other owners began holding meetings, and area law officers attended.

Bee County Sheriff Carlos Carrizales said he attended the first two meetings but stopped going after becoming concerned by the tone.

"During the second meeting, someone in the back shouted: 'Can't we just shoot 'em,' " in reference to illegal immigrants, Carrizales recalls. "Then others started to feed on that."

Sixx says: Sorry Sheriff, but we are fed up. Bee County? That's what happens when you have 256 of them. That's why I favor just one: SIXX COUNTY

Checking backgrounds
Parmley concedes that the statement was made, but he disputes the sheriff's contention that others joined in. The Minuteman leader said those who want to join his organization must go through an extensive background check, which includes looking not only for criminal history but also for things like white-supremacist tendencies.

Parmley is the official Texas leader of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, the group that was formed in Arizona. He said the campaign in Houston will be led by volunteers who live in Houston.

A separate group, which calls itself the Texas Minutemen, has been formed out of the Dallas area and plans to patrol near El Paso in October.

Sixx says: Talk about a October Suprise. We have TEXAS supremacist tendencies. Black, White, and Mexican AMERICANS. Stay tuned. A good time will be had by all.
edward.hegstrom@chron.com