Minutemen building Ariz. border fence (broke ground today)

Yahoo by Associated Press ^ | 05/27/2006 | ARTHUR H. ROTSTEIN

[faq]

PALOMINAS, Ariz. - Scores of volunteers gathered at a remote ranch Saturday to help a civilian border-patrol group start building a short security fence in hopes of reducing illegal immigration from Mexico.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps plans to install a combination of barbed wire, razor wire, and in some spots, steel rail barriers along the 10-mile stretch of private land in southeastern Arizona.

They hope it prompts the federal government to do the same along the entire Arizona border.

President Bush has pledged to deploy as many as 6,000 National Guard troops to strengthen enforcement at the border. The guardsmen would fill in on some behind-the-lines Border Patrol jobs while that agency's force is expanded.

But the Minutemen have said it's not enough. The group's founder, Chris Simcox, said they want a secure fence and they're starting at the site where his first patrols began in November 2002.

Rancher John Ladd and his son, Jack, were hopeful the effort would limit the illegal immigrants and drug runners who have cut the small fence along the property or just driven over it to cross into the U.S.

"We've been fighting this thing for 10 years with the fence, and nobody will do anything," Jack Ladd said.

Most of the day was dedicated to speeches from politicians and Minutemen leaders and celebrating large donations the Minutemen group has been receiving. As of midweek, the group had raised about $225,000 for fence materials and signed up about 1,000 volunteers to work on the project, organizers said.

"We're not going to stop. We're going to stay here with a group and keep building," said Timothy Schwartz of Glendale, Ariz., who was among at least 200 volunteers gathered. He said he wants a fence along the border from California to Texas.

Quetzal Doty of Sun Lakes, Ariz., a retired U.S. diplomatic consular officer, brought his wife, Sandy, to the event.

He said he's convinced the Minutemen and most Americans aren't anti-immigrant.

"They're just anti-illegal," said Doty. "The Minutemen walk the extra mile to avoid being anti-immigrant and that's what we like about the organization and what got us interested."

[SwinneySwitch]

Paging Sinator McCain!

[Boiling point]

I gave $100 a couple weeks ago and plan to make regular donations. After I sent my donation the Minute Men sent me a thank you e-mail that gave an update on fund raising. The letter said they had raised 330,000 with a construction company owner donating $100,000. I feel that the amount raised is small considering how serious people feel about this issue and indeed wonder where the big bucks are myself. A big thanks to whomever donated the hundred grand though!

[Boiling point]

However the fire started, I'm sure the Minute Men will be blamed for it.

[siznartuf]

"Scores of volunteers gathered at a remote ranch Saturday to help a civilian border-patrol group start building a short security fence in hopes of reducing illegal immigration from Mexico."

Bravo!!

[groanup]

This is a form of rebellion. And that is a GOOD thing.

[SandRat]

Ya know,...... I was thinking the lefties would say the same thing, except for one tinsy tiny problem.

The MM would have had to use a 155mm piece firing green bag charge 6 behind a WP or an Illumination round to get from where they are to where the fire is to start it.

It's a b**** when reality sets in to DU thinking

[BJungNan]

Is this where I can send a donation?

[Digger]

Where are the wealthy conservatives? If this was a liberal cause Soros and his ilk would have donated millions. Aren't their wealthy consrvatives anymore? Are they too afraid of offending someone? I would think that a billionaire could go down in history by dropping $10 million or more in the cause of securing our border. Are the wealthy all one-worlders?

I've been wondering this for years. You better believe that if I had the cash this & 10 pol recalls would be in effect right now.

[DumpsterDiver]

Is this where I can send a donation?

There is a link in Post 7 to make a donation.

[DumpsterDiver]

I like to think of my donation as a way of sticking it to those in government that would never do that which the Minutemen have the ba!!s to do.

I know the feeling! :)

[Texasforever]

Is it true that the California Minutemen endorsed the independent candidate for Duke Cunningham's seat even though the Republican is against the Senate immigration bill?

[GeronL]

The US government will tear it down.... the US government does not want to stop the RECONQUISTA over the next 20 years

[PGalt]

BTTT

[GeronL]

These people thought sending a few hundred NG guys to the border to push paper who aren't even allowed to make an arrest if they witness a crime would placate conservatives.

[tobyhill]

If it's $150 per foot then they could do the whole border for only $1.6 billion. That's a bargain for a fence like that and I think the government needs to let the minutemen build it then reimburse them for the cost.

[soccer_maniac]

We already spent 285 billion in Iraq

[Texasforever]

So a rancher gets a fence. Now what?

[TheDon]

Thanks for the link, I just made a donation.