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Border Patrol Complains About Minutemen Volunteers

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Oski2005, Apr 5, 2005.

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  1. Oski2005

    Oski2005 Member

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    Border Patrol Complains About Volunteers

    By ARTHUR H. ROTSTEIN, Associated Press Writer

    TOMBSTONE, Ariz. - Volunteers who have converged on the Mexican border to watch for illegal immigrants are disrupting U.S. Border Patrol operations by unwittingly tripping sensors that alert agents to possible intruders, agency officials complained Monday.

    Scores of participants in the Minuteman Project began assembling late last week and clusters of volunteers began regular patrols Monday, in an exercise some law enforcement authorities and civil rights groups fear will result in vigilante violence. Many of the volunteers were recruited over the Internet, and some planned to be armed.

    Over the past few days, they have set off sensors, forcing agents to respond to false alarms, said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Jose Maheda.

    "Now we not only have to look out for aliens and drug smugglers, now we have to look out for these untrained civilians who are unfamiliar with the landscape," Border Patrol spokesman Andy Adame said.

    Adame said apprehension numbers have gone down since the volunteers arrived, an indication fewer people might be trying to cross. But he also noted the Mexican military and police have apparently been conducting an operation south of the border town of Naco, which tends to drive down crossings.

    "No one's crossing and that was the goal, to show the government that if we have people out here no one's going to cross," said Chris Simcox, Minuteman field operations director.

    The volunteers had a limited presence across 23 miles of the San Pedro Valley during the weekend. They spent Monday expanding their line southeast of Naco to watch the border and report any illegal activity to federal agents.

    They gathered in groups of three or four spaced out about every quarter mile. Some sat in lawn chairs, others stood scanning the desert with binoculars.

    The idea, according to project organizers, is partly to draw attention to problems on the Arizona-Mexico border, considered the most porous stretch of the 2,000-mile southern border. Of the 1.1 million illegal immigrants caught by the Border Patrol last year, 51 percent crossed into the country at the Arizona border.

    Jim Coniglio of Tucson, who plans to patrol with other volunteers this week, said residents in some areas of the border have complained of being "overrun routinely" by migrants. "They're feeling insecure," he said.

    The Border Patrol opposes the operation. "The possibility for something going drastically wrong is very high," Maheda said.

    Link
     
    #1 Oski2005, Apr 5, 2005
  2. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    I can just imagine those guys sitting in their chairs with shotgun ready to pluck them mexicans. Whos bright idea was this?
     
    #2 Air Langhi, Apr 5, 2005
  3. wouldabeen23

    wouldabeen23 Member

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    this could go down hill REAL fast....Then again, cut off ALL illegal immigration and see how much these "Minutemen"-hehehe-like paying more for their produce, lawn care, and sort of day labor service provided by illegals...
     
    #3 wouldabeen23, Apr 5, 2005
  4. insane man

    insane man Member

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    :D
     
    #4 insane man, Apr 5, 2005
  5. No Worries

    No Worries Member

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    I suspect that this border citizen patrol gives these gun enthusists something to do with their hunting buddies while waiting on deer season. Any bets that these guys are half lit most of the time?
     
    #5 No Worries, Apr 5, 2005
  6. whag00

    whag00 Member

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    This is knee-jerk "patriotism" at its finest.
     
    #6 whag00, Apr 5, 2005
  7. wouldabeen23

    wouldabeen23 Member

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    Now...in fairness, not all gun enthusisasts and hunters are the same, namely me!

    Unless I'm goaded, I try and stay out of political discussions at the range or at a gun show. Unfortunately, my hobby is not one that typically lines-up with normal "liberal" labels. That's what is fun about being a Liberal gun enthusiast/hunter--I can be who I wanna be and only catch flack from the far wingnuts on either side of the political spectrum.

    But I digress....

    I would wager that these Minutemen folks, whom are the sort I'm familiar with in my hobby, are either ex-military types( interestingly enough a minority in the gun enthusiast world) or wannabee Rambo's who hunger for the chance to use their private arsenal. I bet they take this VERY seriously as they get their chance to play soldier and pretend that they had the balls to actually go to real war themselves. I have moved within some of the BBS's that this type frequent, let me tell you, there are some disturbed individuals in the wide world.

    I admit, I'm making generalizations, but I'll wager I'm not far-off.

    *Roxran*...you are OK cuz you're a Rockets fan...:D
     
    #7 wouldabeen23, Apr 5, 2005
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2005
  8. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    The Chronicle is also talking about it:

    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/3119925

    This picture seems to verify your "bored redneck" theory:

    [​IMG]
     
    #8 rhadamanthus, Apr 6, 2005
  9. El_Conquistador

    El_Conquistador King of the D&D, The Legend, #1 Ranking

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    Oh now this is funny. A group of liberals attacking Americans for voicing their displeasure for and protesting against a government policy. Too ironic.
     
    #9 El_Conquistador, Apr 6, 2005
  10. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Member
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    No liberal has voiced displeasure over Americans for protesting. Just their displeasure at Americans for trying to take justice into their own hands and interfering with the Border patrol.
     
    #10 FranchiseBlade, Apr 6, 2005
  11. Oski2005

    Oski2005 Member

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    "However, some of the volunteers who manned the watch posts said they came to the border because they are concerned about the effect immigrants have on American society.

    "There is a real problem with assimilation," said Breaux, the Houstonian. "Around Houston there are a lot of people who won't carry American or Texas flags on their car. Instead they carry a flag from El Salvador or Mexico."
     
    #11 Oski2005, Apr 6, 2005
  12. No Worries

    No Worries Member

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    [​IMG]

    Hmmm. I thinking there is a man who has never drank a beer in his life ;)

    I still suspect some are using the rally cry "let's get licquored up, drive to the border, shot us some wetbacks, cross the border and screw the sister of the guys we shot" or some such.

    And Jesus said "the only good wetback is one grapping his *ss as he is racing back to the border as we unload our clips".
     
    #12 No Worries, Apr 6, 2005
  13. jo mama

    jo mama Member

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    doesnt your unquestioned leader president bush disavow them as well? is he a liberal too now?

    personally, i dont have a problem with it. it is amusing watching all these 60 year old fat dudes play commando, but i dont think they are doing anything wrong. bush said he was going to fix this problem himself and he never did so the people of the area are doing it for him. bush should be thanking them.
     
    #13 jo mama, Apr 6, 2005
  14. jo mama

    jo mama Member

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    these are the guys to watch out for. for them its more racially motivated than it is protecting our borders.

    what is wrong about being proud of the country you are from? we are after all, a nation of immigrants.
     
    #14 jo mama, Apr 6, 2005
  15. MR. MEOWGI

    MR. MEOWGI Contributing Member

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    Border Patrol Complains About Minutemen Volunteers.
     
    #15 MR. MEOWGI, Apr 6, 2005
  16. No Worries

    No Worries Member

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    Why doesn't the Border Patrol love America?
     
    #16 No Worries, Apr 6, 2005
  17. whag00

    whag00 Member

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    That joke is never not funny...
     
    #17 whag00, Apr 6, 2005
  18. jo mama

    jo mama Member

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    damn those liberal activist border patrol!

    some might say that the violence perpetrated against border patrol agents is a direct result of the perception of liberal activist border patrol guards imposing their political beliefs on others.
     
    #18 jo mama, Apr 6, 2005
  19. wouldabeen23

    wouldabeen23 Member

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    If I were in a better mood today I would have DEFINITELY LOL....good one Mama
     
    #19 wouldabeen23, Apr 6, 2005
  20. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    As much as I'd hate to defend TJ, the organizer of the Minutemen did specifically say that this effort was, in part, a protest to let the government know they were unhappy with US immigration policy and practice. Protesters often create headaches for law enforcement. That the Minutemen are getting in the way of the Border Patrol is not different in kind from the WTO protesters, say, getting in the way of the police.
     
    #20 JuanValdez, Apr 6, 2005
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