Minutemen militia poses a danger in Texas

Corpus Christi Caller-Times ^ | June 22, 2005 | Corpus Christi Caller-Times Editorial Board

[Marauder]

There is great frustration among ranchers and residents along the Texas-Mexico border. The damage done by illegal migrants is borne by landowners who must deal with this human passage.

The most benign threat involves cut fences, ransacking of buildings, and trespassing on private property. The latent threat is that among the migrants are criminal elements.

The answer needed is a realistic federal policy on immigration that would stem and regulate this flood tide. The answer is not the Minutemen, the citizens militia that purports to be a helpmate to immigration officials, which is now being organized in the Goliad area.

Unlike Arizona where this band was formed, Texas has a highly urban border with a large population that is mostly Hispanic. This environment calls for expert police skills, not armed vigilantes. But aside from tactical differences, it is bad law enforcement to use a citizens' group whose individuals may be acting out private agendas. The difference between the Minutemen and a posse is a very thin one.

[Marauder]

This paper's editorial board certainly seems to have missed the point on this issue, in that the events of the AZ operation were apparently lost on them. Their misconception is that the Minutemen are trying to conduct actual border guarding operations, illustrates their failure to understand that the real effort is directed toward solving the problem by calling public attention to it and forcing government to do its job.

[muawiyah]

Some of these Texas newspaper people can't imagine doing anything other than sending down an armed posse, property deputized, to shoot down Mexicans as they try to cross the border.

One does wonder what these newspaper guys do for fun, eh?!

[MplsSteve]

"The most benign threat involves cut fences, ransacking of buildings, and trespassing on private property."

Methinks this sentence alone shows an incredible sense of reality detachment for this editorial board.

I wonder if members of the editorial board got their training at the Minneapolis Star/Tribune? it sounds like they did.

[kharaku]

The only danger that border is in is a danger of being cleaned up.

[Just A Nobody]

... it is bad law enforcement to use a citizens' group...

It is also bad LAW ENFORCEMENT to not ENFORCE THE LAW.

[Ron in Acreage]

liberals love criminals, it's as easy as that.

[kharaku]

Has anyone given thought to the notion that the criminal elements may be bribing politicians not to support a border cleanup so their smuggling of nasty things can't be stemmed or regulated?

[dirtboy]

it is bad law enforcement to use a citizens' group whose individuals may be acting out private agendas. The difference between the Minutemen and a posse is a very thin one.

Uh, yeah, sure. The difference between a legal gun owner and a murderer is one small pull of the trigger with a private agenda. But that doesn't make all gun owners potential murderers (except to the Brady Center).

The Minutement did NOTHING illegal in Arizona. Their behavior was exemplary. Yet these liberal dipweeds still keep impunging them with what COULD go wrong - and call into question their motives instead of asking the motives of those who don't want immigration law enforced.

If the government was doing it's job and enforcing existing laws, the Minutemen could come up with much better things to do in the spare time. It's that simple. And it's also clear in this day and age that the only way to prod government into action is to embarass it. Which is why the Minutemen are doing what they are doing. Whiny, hand-wringing editorials that hardly anyone reads don't accomplish squat.

[robowombat]

Yes, true. Also I think much of the current chamber of commerce/business roundtable speak about 'improving immigration control' is just blather to encourage legislation to set up some bureaucratic busy work program whose real purpose is to provide CYA for the politicians and govt types while doing very little to stop illegals. Putting a bite on both illegal immigration and those who employ them would certainly be uncomfortable for those same Cof C types in Corpus.

Rather like the huge Potemkin village airport 'security' operation TSA engages in rather than use those personnel and funds to tighten access to airports through 'employee entrances' and fencelines as well as checking ID's vigorously and at all times of the day of commercial operations located on the airport. Of course doing this would turn up all sorts of illegal activities being conducted around large airports many of them with the connivance of companies operating there as well as revealing the large number of illegals that work within many large airports.

[Americanexpat]

"It is also bad LAW ENFORCEMENT to not ENFORCE THE LAW."

Took the words right out of my mouth. The border is to open and too big for the BP to handle it lone, local law enforcement said they don't want to pick up the illegals and when they do the BP don't go pick them up, then the judges give them hearings and turn em loose on society with a court date that they know the illegals are going to ignore. We are tired of hearing the excuses and that is why ordinary citizens are stepping up to the plate. Must be all that liberal education they need to become a journalists.

[Roccus]

Heard a not-so novel approach from Kinky Friedman. Appoint 20 'Mexican Generals" on the Mex. side of the border, give each a section for which they are responsible. Deposit $5,000,000 into accounts for each of them. Deduct $5,000 from whichever account for every crosser we arrest on the US side. He said that this plan had some history in Texas.

[shellshocked]

"Minutemen militia"


The liberal bias in the title says not to even bother reading the article.

Being armed for self-defense purposes only does not signify a "militia". If that were the case, then I guess me and my friends are all "militia".

[gaspar]

The newspaper is owned by the Left-supporting Scripps-Howard.

[shellshocked]

"the criminal elements may be bribing politicians not to support a border cleanup so their smuggling of nasty things can't be stemmed or regulated?"


An even closer to home statement is that liberals hate plugging the border because that is where they get their pot and coke.

[The_Victor]

This environment calls for expert police skills, not armed vigilantes.

Well, since the Minutemen are not armed vigilantes, the author shouldn't have a problem with them. The Minutemen are simply serving as eyes and ears for the boarder patrol.

[kellynla]

The folks on the editorial board of the Corpus Christi(I guess the A.C.L.U. hasn't been alerted to the name of this town yet) Caller-Times aren't very bright are they?

The Minutemen aren't criminals, illegal aliens are!
The Minutemen don't cost American taxpayers BILLIONS of dollars a year, illegal aliens do.
The Minutemen didn't bomb the WTC and the Pentagon on 9/11, illegal aliens did!


Semper Fi,
Kelly

[Marauder]

One does wonder what these newspaper guys do for fun, eh?!

I'm not sure I want to know, judging by moral values on the part of some of them.

[Marauder]

Just like most newspaper people, and for that matter, college professors as well as actors, they aren't grounded in the real world, even though they think they are.

[Just A Nobody]

Must be all that liberal education they need to become a journalists......and judges and lawyers.

[MissAmericanPie]

So they are saying that they are impressed with the success of "trained law enforcement", that has allowed millions of illegals from all over the world to enter this country? They should be laughed out of town.