Thread: SC: Minuteman speakers blast Graham's immigration stance

Posted on Sat, Jan. 12, 2008
Minuteman speakers blast Graham's immigration stance
Group critical of illegal immigration, effects on U.S. culture and economy
By Robert Morris - The Sun News


S.C. Rep. Thad Viers (left) makes a point about illegal immigration during a Minuteman Civil Defense Corps meeting. Looking on is Margaret Thompson (center) and former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride.

A group of vocal foes of illegal immigration continued to marshal support Friday night, recruiting new members, calling for new laws and escalating their criticism of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The second meeting of the Horry County chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps drew about 150 attendees to the Conway High School auditorium, roughly the same as attended the group's first meeting at the Socastee Library in November.

"This fight is not just about illegal immigration," said state Rep. Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach, who helped organize the group. "The fight is about preserving American culture and preserving our way of life."

The senator

Almost every speaker Friday mentioned Graham, by name or by an oblique reference to "the senator."

"He's a traitor to his party and a traitor to all South Carolina people," said Robert Warren, an audience member who spoke during the meeting's open forum. "We can't allow him in there again."

Graham earned the ire of such activists through his support of failed legislation that would have strengthened border security while creating a lengthy path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country, dubbed "amnesty" by political opponents.

Scott Farmer, a campaign manager for Graham, declined to discuss the Minuteman group specifically, but defended Graham's position on immigration.

"Senator Graham has always been and continues to be focused on securing the borders. It was his $3 billion amendment that passed the Senate to fund the fence, double border patrol and provide additional detention beds to secure our country," Farmer said.

"I think the senator has been clear about his position, addressing a very difficult and contentious issue based on conservative principles."

Viers said the immigration bill failed because its supporters did not understand the public's wishes.

"We would all be wise to remember the senator up for re-election, where he stands on this issue," Viers said. "I think you'll agree that a change is a-coming."

The contender

An invited speaker at the meeting was former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, who has announced plans to challenge Graham for his Senate seat in this summer's Republican primary. McBride kept his criticism of Graham to a brief condemnation of his support for a failed immigration bill in 2007.

"I say it's unpatriotic and un-American, and they shouldn't be elected to anything," McBride said, including presidential contenders Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., in his comments.

Most of McBride's speech - which he said was his first address in Horry County as a candidate for Graham's seat - focused on his own experiences with immigrants and his plans to change the law.

McBride sponsored a law while mayor that allowed city officials to check the immigration status of employees at any business in the city and to suspend the business license of any employer found to hire illegal immigrants. After McBride left office, the law was repealed without ever being enforced.

"It's all simply about greed," McBride said. "It's disgusting."

McBride said his platform included a 13-point plan to address illegal immigration, with measures that would penalize employers, hire more immigration agents, build a border fence, move U.S. troops from the Korean border to the Mexican border, end the practice of allowing citizenship to children born to foreign parents on U.S. soil, and stop printing any government materials in languages other than English.

"Only if you hold the elected people's feet to the fires is anything going to change," McBride said.

Not racism

As in the previous meeting, participants aired their frustration.

"We want to make it very clear that we're not racists," said Patricia Matthews, the Minuteman chapter director.

"We just want our country back."

Most comments focused on Hispanics.

Audience members and speakers alike appeared especially irritated by the growing presence of the Spanish language, on telephone prompts and in public-school classes.

"You ride by a work site and you don't see black people there, and you don't see white people there," said Margaret Thompson, a Clemson city councilwoman who has crusaded against illegal immigration. "If it appears they are all Hispanic-speaking, does not a red flag go up?"

Other speakers decried what they saw as unfair application of the law or complained of costly car crashes with uninsured drivers.

Roan Garcia-Quintana, a Cuban immigrant and director of the Mauldin-based group Americans Have Had Enough, said many illegal immigrants are involved in other crimes and the government ignores it.

"I do love the South, and by the grace of God I am Southern," Garcia-Quintana said. "If the rest of the U.S. doesn't want to do anything, the Confederate States of America will rise again and we will do it."

One of the activities of the national Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is sending members to the Mexican border for voluntary patrols. Bill McCarthy of Murrells Inlet, who said he planned to join the Horry chapter, said the trip was probably too expensive to be worthwhile when activism is needed at home.

"We have enough work right here in Horry County; you don't have to go to the border," McCarthy said. "It's a big problem here in Horry County."

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BORDER SECURITY | Activists oppose 'amnesty'

Contact ROBERT MORRIS at 626-0294 or rmorris@thesunnews.com.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/l ... 11911.html

It does the heart good to see Sen. Graham receiving the recognition that he deserves!

It would do my heart better to see goober in the stockade!

We are going after Mel Martinez (R) Florida.. His backside is gone.. I just wish it was sooner than later