Protect your border.

[Freak]

A lot of people are signing up.
http://minutemanproject.com/

[napabob]

About The Minuteman Project
WELCOME
The Minuteman Project is a grassroots effort to bring Americans to the defense of their homeland, similar to the way the original Minutemen from Massachusetts (and other U. S. colonies) did in the late 1700s. Like them, we want to bring to this effort only what few personal possessions we can carry...plus our heart, mind and spirit.
This call for volunteers is not a call to arms, but a call to voices seeking a peaceful and respectable resolve to the chaotic neglect by members of our local, state and federal governments charged with applying U.S. immigration law.
It is a call to peacefully assemble at the Arizona-Mexico border to bring national awareness to the decades-long careless disregard of effective U.S. immigration law enforcement. It is a reminder to Americans that our nation was founded as a nation governed by the "rule of law", not by the whims of mobs of ILLEGAL aliens who endlessly stream across U.S. borders.
Accordingly, the men and women volunteering for this mission are those who are willing to sacrifice their time, and the comforts of a cozy home, to muster for something much more important than acquiring more "toys" to play with while their nation is devoured and plundered by the menace of tens of millions of invading illegal aliens.
Future generations will inherit a tangle of rancorous, unassimilated, squabbling cultures with no common bond to hold them together, and a certain guarantee of the death of this nation as a harmonious "melting pot."
The result: political, economic and social mayhem.
Historians will write about how a lax America let its unique and coveted form of government and society sink into a quagmire of mutual acrimony among the various sub-nations that will comprise the new self-destructing America
© COPYRIGHT 2004 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED MINUTEMANPROJECT.COM
Massachusetts Militia, The Haverhill Company - Unit Background
Research
posted Mon Jan 27 2003
When one thinks of the Militia and it beginnings, we picture those brave men from Concord and Lexington. But prior to the Revolutionary War the militia was the primary source of defense for each of the original colonies.
The militia and its structure actually date back to the founding of each colony. In the case of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, this was March 4th, 1628/9(see note 1) when it received its charter. Each colonies governing body had total control over all internal military and political organizations. The colonies militia was the backbone of its military infrastructure. This infrastructure actually consisted of two separate Armies, with very different purposes. The Militia Army and a Provincial Army.
The Webster’s Dictionary defines militia as a group of citizens who are not regular soldiers, but who get some military training for service in an emergency. The New Century Dictionary defines “militia” as being a body of citizen soldiers; esp., a body of men enrolled for military service, called out periodically for drill and exercise but for actual service only in emergencies. Most militia laws call for all males between 16 and 60 to serve in the militia. There were only a few that were exempted.
In Fred Anderson’s book, “A People’s Army” (pages 26& 27) we see that battalions of volunteers being raised for specific campaigns are referred to as Provincial Armies. In another book by Anderson, “Crucible of War” (page 88) we find Provincials defined as troops paid for (see note 2) by their own colonies. They were enlisted for specific campaigns and terms of service not to exceed one year.
The use of any specific group of the Militia for a campaign would leave a part of the colony vulnerable for an attack. This made the use of a Provincial Battalion very important for the security of the colonies. The volunteers for these Provincial Battalions would be recruited from the individual militia companies.
The militia was a multi purpose military organization. The militia structure was maintained by the militia laws or acts that the General Court would establish. These laws were being set for well over a hundred years before the militia would be made famous with the outbreak of the American Revolution. Many of these laws would remain unchanged throughout that war.
The most famous of these laws gives the militia its basic structure and defines who is part of the militia, It states that every able-bodied man between 16 to 60 years of age were part of the Militia. Originally all minorities were excluded, which included Scotsmen, Slaves and Indians. In May 1652 the General Court ruled that all were now allowed to join. But in 1656 Negroes and Indians were again excluded. Ministers, Civil Magistrates, Harvard students and their Faculty were also exempt. However, throughout Massachusetts history, names of slaves and Indians can be found on many of the Militia Rosters. Another concern was the enlistment of Indentured Apprentices and servants.
The structure of the Militia consisted of Regiments and Companies. Each County was to furnish a Regiment, originally. However this changed as the population changed. Essex County for example, grew from one Regiment in 1643 to three Regiments in 1687. Another example was Norfolk County which was exempt for nearly three decades from establishing a Regiment. Each Regiment was to be commanded by a Colonel. The Regiments were also to assemble annually for training.
Each Town was to furnish a Company of militia to form a Regiment. They were to consist of at least 64 men. If this was impossible several small towns would be combined to form one company. If there were more than 200 hundred men, two or more companies would be formed. An example of this was the town of Ipswich, which formed 3 separate companies of militia in 1680. The ideal company size was 100 men.
The Leadership of each company included a Captain, a Lieutenant and an ensign. These men were elected by the company as a whole. The NCOs were then appointed by the Officers of each company. Each Company would also have their own Colors (1635/6 Captain Wright) as well as musicians. The fines collected from the men would go towards purchasing Flags, Banners, Drums and Bugles.
The Training days or Musters were conducted by Company, usually on the village green. These were originally held weekly in 1631. The following year they were reduced to monthly. Soon they were reduced to 8 times (except July and August) a year, then to 6 and then were finally reduced to 4 times a year. But emergencies would lead to changes in this. During King Philips War they were held every Sunday. In 1744 the Massachusetts General Court increased the training days to provide more security for the colony.
On Training days, time might be spent repairing or building Fortifications. The firing of firearms was strictly forbidden unless they were attending Marksmanship practice. In 1645, the General Court actually ruled that with parent’s permission, boys from ages 10 to 16 could receive basic training from an officer or veteran soldier on training days. This was also the time that equipment would be cleaned and repaired. Sometimes the local blacksmith would be kept very busy fixing muskets or making tools for the militias use. The fact was that the General Court passed a law that ordered that smiths were to lay aside their other work to repair arms
Chaplains played a very important role in the militia and their musters. A Chaplain would open and close each day with a prayer. They would also take the time to enforce morality, preaching brief sermons to ensure that drinking and prostitution did not occur. Records from the time actually prove that drunkenness and Prostitution were basically non-existent in the Massachusetts Militia camps. One Correspondent during the French and Indian War recorded the following: “They have five Chaplains and maintain the best order in camp. Public Prayers, Psalm singing and martial exercises engrossed their whole time.”
Musters became quite a social event. Whole families would attend. The women would prepare large community meals that they would all partake in. The children would play in large groups, something that they would not normally have any other opportunity to do. This was a chance for everyone to socialize. Many young men would meet their future wives at these outings. Sometimes, work on a Church or other public building might be accomplished instead of training.
During time of war, musters became a place for recruitment of volunteers. Provincial Colonels would “Beat their Drums” at the Musters in the various Towns throughout Massachusetts. They were seeking recruits for the Years upcoming campaigns. Local Militia commanders were not to give any obstructions or molestations to the Colonels. Infact, they encouraged and assisted in raising troops. Sometimes special Musters might be called just for this purpose. An example of this is found in Fred Andersons book, A People’s Army (page 44) concerning a David Perry. In 1758 the 16 year old shoemakers apprentice was attending the Muster of the Dighton militia. Perry records that there were visiting officers on the parade grounds. They were there to enlist men for the year’s campaigns. He enlisted as a private in Colonel Preble’s Regiment.
British Officers didn’t think very highly of the militia. They felt that their Musters were nothing more than shams. In 1759 General Jeffery Amherst had actually ordered the militia to be trained in Humphrey Blands Treatise of Military Discipline. He also gave orders that Marksmanship training and as well as instruction in the manual of arms be given high priority. He wanted uniformity amongst all militia companies and regiments. It appears that there wasn’t any particular standard drill.
The British would gladly use the militia or even the Provincials when emergencies would arise. But mainly they looked upon them as laborers. The militia was used to build things, such as roads, bridges, boats, forts and fortifications. If they could, they would even use them to dig latrines. They also used them for driving wagons, guiding pack horses and cutting firewood. For the Invasion of Fortress Louisbourg, a company of carpenters was included in the invasion force. These men were militia men from Massachusetts. Again in 1759, 300 Massachusetts Militia men were sent on the Quebec expedition to serve as pioneers.
Despite the opinions of the British Officers the militia did provide a very important role, especially during the French and Indian War. As earlier mentioned the militia was a multi purpose organization. They were a Home Guard, an emergency reserve, a recruiting (as already mention) pool and a Draft Board.
The term “Minute Men” dates back to August 12, 1645. The first Minute man law was established. This helped provide the support for the “Home Guard”. Every Company Commander was required to have 30% of his company ready with full packs, ammunition and capable of turning out for active duty on a half hours notice. During the French and Indian War the militia was kept very busy chasing French led war parties back to Canada. They were relentless in their pursuit.
Another major purpose of the militia was to be capable of providing troops quickly in an emergency. The Militia regiments were able to march from their appropriate geographical areas to provide the much needed relief. In 1757, after the surrender of Fort William Henry, General Webb sent out an urgent plea to the various Colonies for help. Governor Pownall quickly responded and shortly 7000 Massachusetts Militiamen left their homes, bound for Fort Edward. He was also able to raise a train of Massachusetts artillery.
The last major purpose of the militia was to provide a source of men to draft from. In the beginning of each year the Governors of each Colony would inform the British army on how many men it could or would supply as a Provincial Army for the upcoming campaigns. If they were unable to obtain the needed volunteers while “Beating the Drum”, they would provide them by impressments. In 1754, the General Courts passed a new law,” An Act for Levying Soldiers”. A Governor could use this act to issue a general impressment order. When each Colonel received such an order, he would muster his Regiment. He would then ask for volunteers. If he was still unable to achieve the needed numbers, he was now forced to draft them from his regiment. In 1758 Massachusetts was prepared to draft 2000 of its militia to fill its quota for the upcoming campaigns. In 1758 A Captain Jeremiah Belknap Sr., who commanded the Farmingham Militia, impressed both his son and son-in-law in response to his Colonel’s call.
There were still several other key and vital roles that the militia played. These occurred in both times of peace as well as war. One of these tasks was serving as Massachusetts Slave Patrols. Three Justices of the Peace would form a local Slave Committee. This committee would enlist Militiamen to serve as a “Posse Comitatis”. Their job was to pursue, arrest and punish runaway slaves.
Another important Task was protecting the town, stopping crimes in progress and preventing violence, all during the night. This was accomplished by forming militiamen into “Watch Units”. The Watch began half an hour after sunset and continued until dawn. The men that comprised the watch were to carry firearms or pikes. If the “Watch” were to come upon any Raiders or Criminals, they were to capture them and if necessary, they were to kill them. If the watch was outnumbered, they were to fire a warning shot and the citizens of the community were suppose to come to their aid.
Other duties that the militia would be asked to do varied, but all were for the service of the Town first then the County. On the frontier, the communities there would employ their militiamen to patrol the surrounding area and especially the wooded areas. They would also employ some to act as Rangers, keeping up distant patrols along the borders of the frontier. Others would act as scouts, always keeping an eye on the frontier. Some militiamen were sent to man the small forts, especially in time of conflict, which had been erected throughout the area. These men were frequently rotated. Other militiamen often supplemented civil authorities such as Sheriffs and the local police.
The Militia was centered on the community, but as earlier mentioned was governed by the Colonies General Court. They enacted several laws that aided and guided the Militia to accomplish their many tasks. In 1733 the General Court passed laws that directed them on the equipment they were to use:
“Every enlisted soldier and other householder (except troopers) shall be always provided with a well-fixed flintlock musket, of musket or bastard musket bore, the barrel not less than three foot and a half length or good firearm to the satisfaction of the Commanding officers of the company; a knapsack, cartouche box, one pound of gunpowder, 20 bullets fit for his gun, and 12 flints, a good sword or cutlass, a worm and a priming wire fit for a gun………………” (Boston Newsletter, February 7, 1733)
In 1754 the General Court created two new Laws (Acts and resolves, Public and Private, of the province of Massachusetts) dealing with the colonies Military. These laws were to be administered by Court Martial. The first of these was “The Press Act”, which dealt with pilferage of arms, supplies and equipment. The other was “The Mutiny Act’, which dealt with those refusing to do their duty or leaving their duty without permission.
Laws were established to set boundaries for the Militiamen to stay within, so there were also laws that established how those that violated these boundaries were to be punished. One of the most common types of punishments was flogging or the lash. However the British Army would give up to a thousand lashes to its men. The General Court, after researching the Holy Bible, decided that 39 lashes was punishment enough. Other punishments included “Riding the Horse”, “Running the Gauntlet”. Being “Drummed out of Camp”, placed in stocks, Branding, “The Gallows” and “The Firing Squad”. Some punishments were symbolic, for instance some occasions a noose was placed around a mans neck and he was then drummed out of camp. The signal that was being sent was that the man could have been executed. The court even looked at Morality and Religious violations as other areas that punishments should be rendered. For Blasphemy, a hole was pierced through the violators tongue.
The Haverhill (hav-reel) Company was just one of many Massachusetts Companies, but is the one that we have chosen to concentrate on.. The town of Haverhill is located in Northeastern Masschusetts in Essex County, about 32 miles north of Boston. The Merrimack River flows through the middle of the community. The town was founded in 1640, but was called Pentucket. In 1642 the name was changed to Haverhill, after the town Haverhill in England. Haverhill was originally known for farming. In the early to mid 1700’s many industries began. These industries were fishing, shipbuilding, tanneries, saw mills and grist mills.
The militiamen of Haverhill were officially formed into a company of militia in 1645. The company was originally part of the Norfolk Regiment, being part of that county until February 4th, 1679/80. . It then became part of Essex County and was assigned to the 2d Essex Regiment. In 1689 Essex County was reorganized into three regiments. Haverhill became part of the 3rd Essex Regiment, along with the companies of Newbury, Salisbury, Andover, Amesbury and Bradford.
Note 1. The dates that show two years, as in this example are reflective of the different calendars, the Julian calendar (old style) and the Gregorian calendar (new style) which came into being September 2, 1752.
Note 2. The Militia was also paid for by the Colonies
Note 3. The colony of Massachusetts also raised troops of Horse and Artillery Companies as part of their militia structure.
Written by
Brian Wilson
Sources
- A People’s Army by Fred Anderson
- Campaigns in North America Vol. I & II by Captain Knox
- Crucible of War by Fred Anderson
- Massachusetts Militia Roots: A Bibliographic Study by Captain Robert K. Wright
- Quebec 1759 by Rene Chartrand
- The Colonial Wars 1689-1762 by Howard Peckham
- The City of Haverhill website

[napabob]

Mexico is getting very nervous about Prop. 200 Impacts
MEXICO CITY - A group of Mexican senators is heading to Arizona to investigate the effects of Proposition 200 amid growing fears in Mexico that other states will copy the measure.
The senators plan to meet with Mexican diplomats and migrants, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and state Attorney General Terry Goddard, said Domingo Clavel, technical secretary for the Mexican Senate's Human Rights Committee.
The Mexican official says that "The purpose is to see what the real effects of Law 200 are, to analyze it, and to try to keep these types of laws from spreading all along the border."
Proposition 200 was approved by Arizona voters in November.
It requires all Arizonans to show proof of citizenship when applying to vote and proof of legal residency when applying for certain government benefits.
The Mexican delegation includes Miguel Sadot Sánchez Carreño, chairman of the Senate's Human Rights Commission, and six other senators from all three of the main political parties in Mexico.
The Mexican senators also plan to meet with groups that campaigned against Proposition 200, as well as Daniel Ortega, the Phoenix lawyer helping to challenge the measure in court.
Mexico's National Commission on Human Rights blamed the Arizona law for inspiring immigration-control advocates to seek similar measures in Arkansas, Colorado, California, Idaho, Nevada and Georgia.
It also voiced concern over the Minuteman Project, a plan by activists to mount a civilian patrol on the Arizona-Mexico border in April.
The commission said it was worried that anti-immigrant sentiment was obscuring the important role Mexican migrants play in the U.S. economy.
"The United States cannot ignore or downplay the fact that migrant workers, documented or not, make an important contribution in productivity to the economy of that country," the commission said in a written statement.
"They should be subject to the social protection and benefits that the state confers, and in all cases, receive a dignified and respectful recognition of their fundamental rights," it said.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...egation08.html
Is it remotely possible that the Mexico is starting to get the picture?

[napabob]

White House - AP
U.S. Unveils New Pact with Canada, Mexico
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer, 3-23-2005
WACO, Texas - President Bush, seeking smooth relations with U.S. neighbors despite dustups over immigration, trade and defense, announced on Wednesday a pact with Canada and Mexico to broaden cooperation on security and economic issues.
"We had a good discussion about prosperity and security. It turns out the two go hand-in-hand," Bush said. "We've got a lot of trade with each other and we intend to keep it that way. We've got a lot of crossings of the borders and intend to make our borders more secure and facilitate legal traffic."
Neither Mexico nor Canada backed Bush's decision to invade Iraq, and that chilled relations between Bush and the two nations early in his first term. Relations have generally remained amiable, however, and all three leaders — Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin — all appeared cordial when they met with reporters here after their trilateral meeting.
The need for strong relations among the three North American neighbors will outlast political developments, Bush said.
"We've got a lot to do, so we charged our ministers with the task of figuring out how best to keep these relationships vibrant and strong," he said. "We've got a lot to do, so we charged our ministers with the task of figuring out how best to keep these relationships vibrant and strong," he said.
Bush greeted Fox with a hearty handshake and said "Hola" as the Mexican president stepped out of his limousine at a Baylor University library, adorned with the flags of the three nations. A few minutes earlier, the reception Bush offered Martin was only slightly less effusive.
"The world does not stand still," Martin said in French, through an interpreter. "In a world in constant change we need the renewed partnership — more strong, more dynamic and we must have a roadmap that will bring us there."
The three issued a statement jointly saying that while all three nations have worked to enhance trade and have taken steps since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to address terrorism "more needs to be done."
The leaders met for more than an hour at the university and were having lunch at Bush's sprawling ranch in nearby Crawford. It was during less formal conversations that some of the most contentious issues in U.S.-Mexican and U.S.-Canadian relations were expected to surface.
Ottawa, for instance, is irritated that the United States is keeping its border closed to Canadian beef, because of lingering concerns over mad-cow disease, and maintaining punitive tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. Washington isn't pleased at the Canadian government's surprise snub last month of U.S. plans for a North American missile defense shield.
Martin said Canada would not reconsider its decision against joining the U.S. missile defense program. But he added, "The defense of North America is not only going to take place in North America. Canada is playing an increasing role in Afghanistan."
With Mexico, Fox is pushing the United States to back immigration reform. Bush's hopes for a guest-worker program were dashed by the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, which refocused U.S. attention on securing borders.
Bush still advocates liberalizing immigration, but the proposal has generated broad opposition among conservatives, a core Bush constituency.
"There's some million people a day crossing the border from Mexico into the United States, which presents a common issue, and that is how do we make sure those crossing the border are not terrorists or drug runners or gun runners or smugglers," Bush said. "I have told the president that I will continue to push for reasonable, common sense immigration policy with the United States Congress."
If there is an opening for a job an American doesn't want to take — a "willing worker and a willing employer" — that job ought to be filled by a legal immigrant.
"I think we ought to have a policy that does not jeopardize those who stood in line to become legal citizens," he said. "But there's a better way to enforce our border, and one way is to be compassionate and decent about the workers who are coming here to the United States."
With Mexico, relations also are strained by the Bush administration's anger over a high Mexican tax on soft drinks made with high fructose corn syrup, water owed to U.S. farmers and the suspicion that Mexico could do more on drug trafficking and to address fears that al-Qaida agents are slipping into the United States from the south.
Mexican officials complain about vigilante groups hunting illegal immigrants in Arizona, new U.S. walls being built along the border and the still-stalled status of a guest worker immigration liberalization proposal.
U.S. officials fully expect many — if not all — of these issues to come up, raised casually by the leaders during the 20-minute helicopter ride from the meeting site to Bush's ranch, or over the hour-long lunch there, or during a brief tour the president planned to give his guests of his beloved property.
Also not an official part of the meeting but expected to be discussed was Bush's unrealized wish — backed by Mexico and Canada — to create a hemisphere-wide free trade area.

[flat broke]

Anyone see the fox news coverage on the Minuteman project? F'ing disgusting. Labeled them all as vigilantes even though nothing "bad" or resembling vigilante has happened to this point. I certainly hope the next Republican nominee for President is not as soft as Bush on this issue. I know the party doesn't agree with his stance, and hopefully as this issue gains more prominence, the next candidate will have to address the issue with greater conviction.
Anyone know of the likelyhood of seeing legislation similar to AZ prop 200 on a California ballot anytime in the near future?
Chris

[napabob]

Border Watchers Capture Their Prey -- the Media
By David Kelly Times Staff Writer
PALOMINAS, Ariz. — Jim Gilchrist bounced into the Trading Post diner here Monday, ordered coffee and toast and began smoking vigorously.
His cellphone occasionally rang, his two-way radio squawked and a coterie of followers hung on his every word.
Things were going better than he could imagine. The founder of the Minuteman Project, designed to put volunteers on the southeastern Arizona border to deter illegal immigrants, had attracted more than 200 journalists from around the world.
Mexico responded with more troops and extra police at the border to deter migrants. The U.S. Border Patrol boosted its ranks by 500 agents and Gilchrist had become a minor, if international, celebrity.
"None of this would have happened if it wasn't for the Minuteman action," he said. "This thing was a dog and pony show designed to bring in the media and get the message out and it worked."
Indeed it did. For weeks, the 56-year-old retired accountant from Aliso Viejo had promised 1,000 volunteers would be arriving in Arizona come April. But when the activists showed up Friday, they numbered about 200, a roughly 1-to-1 ratio with members of the news media.
The Minutemen's presence set off some protests from immigrant-rights groups, and Mexican President Vicente Fox called on the U.S. government to protect illegal immigrants coming across the desert.
President Bush outraged many of the activists by calling them vigilantes. They responded by calling Bush the co-president of Mexico and a leader who had failed his responsibility to secure the country's borders.
On Monday, the official start of the monthlong project, Gilchrist said there were 450 Minutemen, though the number could not be verified. He also said the volunteers had aided in the arrest of 146 illegal immigrants. The Border Patrol would not confirm the figure or say what role the activists had played in any apprehensions.
Gilchrist waved off such details, preferring to look at the big picture.
"Look, I struck the mother lode of patriotism by using the Minuteman theme," he said, lighting another cigarette. "Then I used the theme of Martin Luther King — nonviolent action, never let up and keep getting the message out. To me, the illegal aliens are economic refugees. They are not an invading army. It's a silent Trojan horse invasion that is eroding our culture."
He paid his check and made for the lead car in a convoy heading out on patrol. Gilchrist handed everyone walkie-talkies and issued them nicknames — Dingo, Sierra, Tango.
The line of cars took off down the road. Gilchrist, who has traveled with a bodyguard in Arizona because of assorted death threats, was anxious that interloping vehicles might slip into the entourage.
"Dingo, is that a Mustang that doesn't belong to us?" he said over the radio.
Affirmative, came the response.
"Well, OK, we'll just have to go with the flow," he replied nervously.
A few miles toward the border with Mexico, the cars pulled onto a dirt road, and everyone got out and followed Gilchrist through the desert. There were piles of old clothes, knapsacks, underwear and empty bottles left by illegal immigrants.
"Hey, we got a fresh pair of prints here," said Gilchrist, wearing a bright flowered shirt, a canteen and a hat with a feather poking out. "I think they lay up here during the day and walk at night."
The patrol meandered around scrub oak, up and down hills, and over barbed wire. Sighting an immigrant began to take on the element of spotting a rare butterfly or obscure bird species. Plans to set up an outpost fizzled when Gilchrist got a call on the radio.
His face tightened.
"According to our Minutemen intelligence network, which has been flawless, there is credible evidence that two dozen Mexican nationals have assembled for the sole purpose of causing an incident that would make us look bad," Gilchrist said gravely. "They want us to open fire or assault them. The threat is very real but I can't give you my sources, which are in Mexico."
The volunteers looked around, some with puzzled expressions, others betraying a certain skepticism. Gilchrist quietly smoked.
A few miles away on a road along the border, trucks and cars flew state flags as severe dust storms sent hats and lawn chairs spinning across the desert. Men, women and the occasional child examined the vast expanse of Mexico with binoculars for any sign of movement.
Chris, a 45-year-old engineer from Fountain Valley, Calif., had tied a white handkerchief onto his glasses to deflect the stinging sand. He brought his wife, twin daughters and 15-year-old son here for spring break.
"The way we have been portrayed as a bunch of yahoos and rednecks, no wonder people want to kill us," he said, declining to give his full name. "I came with my family because I thought it would be great for them to see the border situation up close."
His son Alex, retreating inside his hooded sweatshirt to escape the driving sand, nodded weakly.
Despite the attention they have garnered, not everyone thinks the Minutemen have been successful.
"My read on it is that it has fizzled," said Tamar Jacoby, an immigration expert at the Manhattan Institute, a public policy think tank. "This project is not going to prove anything. All it will prove is that you can funnel immigration from one place to another."
Mexican officials said they had seen a major drop in migrants heading for the 23-mile stretch between Douglas and Naco patrolled by the Minutemen. But the migrants said they would just find alternative routes or wait until the activists left.
"Nothing else the government has done has had the effect we have had," said Chris Simcox, co-organizer of the project. "We are showing the government the model for homeland security. If they deployed 10,000 to 15,000 National Guard troops on the border, there would be nowhere else to funnel people."
Douglas Mayor Ray Borane came to see the volunteers' positions and wasn't pleased.
"It just confirms my belief that we are looking at a bunch of interlopers who are creating an environment that is not good for our people," he said. "They have gotten a lot of attention, but if the press leaves tomorrow these guys would be gone by Thursday."
Not far away, the Minutemen radios were filled with excited chatter about an illegal immigrant in the area. Gilchrist drove up to an outpost, flung open the car door and shouted, "Who saw the illegal aliens?"
A tall Minuteman approached.
"There are no illegals, those are our people," he said.
The "immigrant" was in fact 67-year-old Dave Gessner of Fort Wayne, Ind.
"I was just answering the call of nature," he said sheepishly. "Guess I won't wander off anymore."
Gilchrist chuckled.
When asked what he'd do if there were no changes at the border after the Minutemen left, he put on his best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice.
"I'll be back," he growled.

[Freak]

Fewer slip past border
U.S. officials credit Mexican troops, not American Minuteman volunteers
By Beth Barrett, Staff Writer
The number of Mexican immigrants trying to illegally cross into Arizona has fallen sharply since highly publicized civilian patrols took up desert positions, but authorities on Wednesday credited stepped-up government patrols on both sides of the border for the drop in traffic.
At the Naco station in southeastern Arizona, where the Minuteman Project has focused its efforts this week, the U.S. Border Patrol reported making 74 arrests Tuesday, compared with 91 to 296 on each of the previous five days. A year ago Tuesday, there were 528 arrests in the same region, according to Border Patrol figures.
Mexican officials reported that the number of undocumented migrants dropped by half -- from an average of 400 to just 198 -- on the second day the Minutemen were watching.
"We've seen the numbers going down dramatically, but we attribute that to the Mexican military in the Naco-Douglas corridor," Jose Maheda, a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman in the Tucson region, said in a telephone interview.
"They're on patrol on the border," he said about the Mexican military. "When we see their presence, we know something is going on. They're not commonly seen. From past experience when they're out there, apprehensions just plummet."
Bertha de la Rosa of Grupo Beta, a Mexican government-sponsored group that discourages people from crossing illegally and aids those stranded in the desert, told The Associated Press that increased patrols by Mexican state police officers and her group were discouraging efforts to sneak across the border.
"The fact that we're not seeing them here doesn't mean they are not trying to cross," said de la Rosa, the group's coordinator in Agua Prieta, a Mexican town across the border from Douglas, Ariz. "They say they will look for another place or wait awhile, but they are not giving up."
Minutemen organizers initially promised that as many as 800 volunteers would participate at one time or another in the monthlong migrant-monitoring project. They say about 480 have shown up, but the number is not verified, and authorities were not keeping count.
"Look at the figures before we got here and the current figures, and do your own math," said Jerry McBrearty, spokesman for the Minuteman Project. "We've proven that if you increase the resources on the border, it has an effect; it reduces the number of illegal immigrants."
McBrearty said the project, which has brought international attention to the border problems, has resulted in a larger law enforcement presence on both sides of the border, accounting for the decline.
The volunteers themselves have made up to 50 observations of people attempting to sneak across the border, McBrearty said, and have reported them to the Border Patrol.
"Our intention is to draw attention to this on a national basis."
Border Patrol officials acknowledged the recent decline in arrests, but attributed it mainly to Mexican military operations just south of the border. Officials said the Minuteman Project has only made their job harder by putting civilians in danger of encountering smugglers of drugs or humans in the canyons and mountain passes.
The U.S. Border Patrol last week also added nearly 200 temporary agents in the Tucson region, bringing the total to almost 2,400 agents for the region's eight stations. The agency is looking to hire 336 more permanent agents.
Maheda called last week's increase in agents part of a program begun in 2004 to bring in reinforcements under the Arizona Border Control Initiative.
He said that initiative is combined with other efforts, including the Be Alert program with a toll-free number to report crossings to the Border Patrol. Since advertising of telephone number began in mid-March, citizen calls have increased from about 300 a month to about 300 per day.
Glenn Spencer, a former Sherman Oaks resident who backed Proposition 187 and other attempts to stop U.S. benefits for illegal immigrants, said he has observed unprecedented activity from his home, just 1,100 feet from the border in Palominas, part of the Naco region.
"We saw Mexican military working on the road in one of these hot spots," said Spencer, who founded a nonprofit volunteer border patrol several years ago. "There is a tremendous presence on Border Road that we've never seen before."
The Minuteman Project has been criticized by federal authorities as disruptive and potentially dangerous, and other opponents have called it vigilantism.
"There is concern that groups like this are really acting as vigilantes who take the law into their own hands," said Araceli S. Perez, staff attorney for the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, in a recent interview.
"We're concerned there are private citizens who may have racial animus trying to enforce laws in violation of immigrants' rights."
Migrant sympathizers say people unable to cross in Agua Prieta have begun arriving at shelters in Nogales, about 80 miles west, and in Altar, a town about 125 miles southwest, according to the AP.
Francisco Garcia, a volunteer for Altar's lone shelter, said most migrants dismiss the Minutemen as crazy.
"For us, it's clear to see things could get out of control because those in the migration business are not easily intimidated," Garcia said. "We're afraid an aggression could escalate into an international incident."

[Schiada76]

Mine the border! Mine it now.
Some filthy mexiscum animal that works for one my roofers just TOOK A CRAP in my customers back yard!!!!!!!!!!!! What a fcking animal.

[Her454]

From the Yuma Daily Sun -yesterday. Sorry if this is a repost.
I posted this in the Sandbar also as it is relative to a Robbery Post that was there earlier in the week. Its also along the same lines as this thread.
Yuman wants to monitor border
BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX
Apr 7, 2005
About 35 people attended the first meeting for a group that Yuma resident Flash Sharrar hopes to build into a border watch program. The first meeting, held at Team RAMCO, 4701 E. Gila Ridge Road, was to assess what resources volunteers could offer the fledgling project.
"We're about nonviolence," Sharrar said. "We need to be getting resources and equipment together."
Sharrar's son, Matthew, was allegedly robbed at gunpoint in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area on March 27, and, in response, Sharrar has spearheaded the effort to create a citizen's group that will decrease illegal entry into the United States.
The program is similar to the Minuteman Project that is ongoing in southeastern Arizona.
Sharrar said the group needed lights, radios, telephones, four-wheel drive vehicles, sand tires, contact phone numbers, maps, compasses, global positioning devices and other items. He said volunteers would also need to be trained in watching the border and first aid.
"This is not about being a vigilante or color or creed," Sharrar said. "It is about this country being overrun by people who pointed a gun at (Matthew's) head. It is our civic duty as citizens of Yuma to stop this crisis."
Agent Joe Brigman, spokesman for the Yuma sector Border Patrol, declined to comment.
A sign-up sheet was passed around, so willing participants could list what equipment they had that could be used. Sharrar said the next meeting would be Wednesday to start work on training.
Dennis Franklin, who is helping Sharrar to organize the group, said a training plan was being put together. He said it would likely take place over a weekend.
Lt. Steve Gutierrez of the Imperial County Sheriff's Office came to the meeting to gather information after being invited by Sharrar. He refused comment about whether the proposed plan would make things easier or more difficult for the agency.
"First, I have to know their mission, and I don't believe it was clear tonight," he said.
The area to be monitored was not discussed at the meeting. Sharrar had said previously that it would be in Arizona but watching the border in California was discussed as well Wednesday night.
Sharrar said the aim was to deter the entrance of illegal aliens — not to apprehend them. He said guns should not be used by border watchers.
Josh Webb of Yuma said there are more illegal aliens coming across than the Border Patrol could handle. But he did not like the idea of monitoring the border unarmed.
"If I go fishing or booneying, I always have a gun," he said. "I don't want to be vulnerable."
Webb did not know if the program could be successful. "It's hard to say," he said. "If it's run right."
Darrel Hall of Yuma said he would have no problem with being unarmed. He said a program like the one Sharrar is proposing is necessary. "We need to protect our borders, number one," Hall said. "Our borders are unsafe. And the people who are coming across are being taken advantage of."
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[sorry dog]

Jane Erye would be faster reading than this thread.