Man patrols, petitions to ban day laborers from parking lot [Patriotic Duty Alert]

Union Tribune ^ | Aug. 22, 2006 | Elena Gaona

[conservativecorner]

RAMONA – Clint Hamilton says he'd rather be playing softball with his 10-year-old daughter.

Instead, the Ramona resident said “patriotic duty” pushes him to spend at least 20 hours a week trying to stop day laborers from gathering outside the downtown grocery store where he once shopped.

A one-man Minuteman army, Hamilton videotapes and photographs people hiring workers and said he's been criticized and threatened.

“All I ask them to do is get out of our parking lot,” he said.

Hamilton, 44, speaks in calm tones and wears a U.S. Border Patrol baseball cap. “I'm basically a nice guy,” he said.

Outside a doughnut store in the shopping center, men gathered for coffee on a recent morning said they don't see Hamilton that way.

“He's just racist,” said Antonio Murillo, 75, who buys a pastry and a cup of coffee and spends his mornings chatting with the workers, something he said he has done each morning for more than 15 years.

[Melas]

I doubt many here on FR would shed any tears about you!

I'm sure that a fair number wouldn't, but a fair number would. I can live with that.

[Melas]

If you want to live next door to legal Mexicans, head south!

Well, at least you you honest about it, and didn't try to pretend that it was about illegal immigrants vs legal immigrants. It's refreshing to see someone admit that he/she holds legal immigrants in equally low regard.

[rudy45]

How do the actions of Mr. Hamilton upset you, and lead you to make that statement?

[rudy45]

sorry, I misdirected that last post

[rudy45]

see post 23.

[pageonetoo]

Maybe I should rephrase so I can offend you (re: your tagline).

I said you should move south if you wish to live next to LEGAL MEXICANS. Illegal Mexicans are not welcomed in the United States Constitution. Illegal anybody is not welcomed in it, either! They are invaders. They should be shot on sight! they are stealing from tax-paying Americans, and their heritage. Yep, I'll refresh you, good!

[Melas]

Ok, I'll happily oblige with an explanation. Hamilton is harassing these men, and I'm convinced that he's doing so because they are Mexican.

Don't let the red herrings in the story throw you. For example, Hamilton's lament that he can't keep them out of "our" parking lot. There is no "our" parking lot, at least not with an an "our" that included Hamilton. It's Albertson's parking lot, and anyone with a shred of common sense knows that Albertsons could post the parking lot and dispense with this gathering at will.

The fact that Albertsons, or rather it's management hasn't done so is the telling, but omitted fact in this article. So long as the management isn't telling them to leave, they have every right to be there.

[Melas]

Having briefly explored your previous posts, I've found your problem: You've smoked too much dope...with and without your children.

[pageonetoo]

Having briefly explored your previous posts, I've found your problem: You've smoked too much dope...with and without your children.

Wow, I'm impressed. You wasted a portion of your life on me. I hope you enjoyed your visit!..

I doubt if I will waste any more of mine! My problem is with people who think everythng is about race or color. You're the bigot in the picture, dude! I am a businessman, and I woul not use illegal labor to cheapen my product, nor unfairly compete. Americans suffer for those illegals to be here. They are doing jobs that Americans can do.

[rudy45]

Are you OK with having illegal aliens congregating in a parking lot?

[rudy45]

Suppose we asked Mr. Hamilton, and he told us that race has nothing to do with it, it's a matter of legal vs. illegal. Does he still deserve a hypothetical beating?