Posted on 04/12/2007 8:08:51 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
A simmering illegal-immigration debate at the University of Texas at San Antonio— where 45 percent of students are Hispanic — erupted into a heated protest Wednesday during an outdoor speech by Chris Simcox, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a group of volunteers who patrol the Mexican border to stop immigrants from entering the country illegally.
UTSA's chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas invited Simcox to speak to draw attention to the lack of security on the border, said Laura Morales, the group's executive director.
Liberal groups descended on the Simcox talk, booing and chanting "Racist, fascist go away!" into bullhorns throughout the speech and clashing with university police, who were pushing them away from the stage. The spectacle drew a crowd of about 750 to the university's Sombrilla Plaza, making it perhaps the largest culture clash on campus to date.
Before the protest, school administrators asked protesters to allow Simcox to speak without interference, but they resisted.
"This guy represents hatred and murdering of immigrants on the border," said senior Jonathan Bryant. "We're not just going to sit back and let that happen."
Struggling to be heard amid the noise, Simcox scolded the audience for their behavior.
"Thank God I taught kindergarten for the past 13 years; it helped me prepare for this kind of crap," he said. "What you see here is a vigilante lynch mob."
Police pushed back the mass of angry students, and at least one protester fell , but no one was arrested. When Simcox left earlier than planned, the crowd cheered wildly.
In his speech, Simcox said he believed in immigrants' rights, and that his Minutemen stood watch on the border to rescue the families from dying in the desert. He also called the North American Free Trade Agreement an economic disaster and said Latin America needed to do more to help its citizens.
"We are not haters," Simcox said. "We are trying to solve a problem."
Though Simcox's platform sounded measured, protesters weren't buying it.
"He's racist," said Justin Felux, a member of the Student Worker Teacher Alliance, the group that organized the protest. "It's a continuation of the Ku Klux Klan border watch in the 1970s."
Fliers distributed by Felux's group claimed the Minutemen are linked with white supremacist organizations, a claim that Simcox denies.
"He's not racist, he cares about the border and he cares about America," said Morales, director of the conservative group. "It was the great philosopher John Locke who told us if the government is not providing for you, you have the right to do something for yourself."
Earlier this year, Morales' group gathered signatures to remove the so-called "border crossing statue," a bronze sculpture in the Sombrilla plaza on campus that depicts a family crossing the border. Like the Simcox event, the petition drew more protesters than supporters.
UTSA's isn't the only Young Conservatives chapter sparking controversy on campus. In 2005, members at the University of North Texas in Denton drew criticism for staging a mock roundup of undocumented immigrants. Passersby won a candy bar if they "caught" another student wearing a shirt marked "illegal immigrant."
Morales said she supported the Denton students' effort, but would not do the same at UTSA because it "would not come off as well."
Carla De Leon, a 23-year-old criminal justice major who stopped to read the anti-Simcox flier, said she didn't agree with the civilian border patrols. Her parents both crossed the border from Mexico and are now U.S. citizens, she said.
"I am surprised how they could do this at such a diverse university," De Leon said. "He's lucky that he was born here. Because otherwise he would be going through the same struggles" as immigrants.
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mludwig@express-news.net
I’ve heard illegals blamed for both TB recurring and for Hepatitis C.
Name one!
How can Jonathan Bryant be a college senior and so stupid at the same time?
I think the professor’s last name starts with a G, I can’t recall offhand. I just remember last year he got into a big debate with this one speaker. To be honest I can’t even remember the specifics of the debate, I didn’t go to the debate. I don’t know who the guy is you are asking me about, his name doesn’t ring a bell to me.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Following Entry Posted 4/07/2004 05:42:00 PM
A Liberal Reviews Air America
San Antonio writer and activist Justin Felux provides some observations about Air America Radio in the Alternative Press Review. His take is that the programming is produced by white people for white people and it's trending towards being a complete turn-off to minorities. Other reviewers have used the words 'disappointing' and 'boring.' Here's an excerpt from Felux.
Sadly, it seems that nothing will be there to balance the utter whiteness of the network's format. Considering that the Democratic Party would be a political nonentity without the support of black voters, the fact that they are shut out and marginalized at every turn is beyond insulting. Air America Radio is just another episode in a long history of callous indifference and clueless misunderstanding the Democratic Party and white liberals in general have shown toward the black community. White liberals need to wake up and realize that this sort of business isn't going to cut it any longer, and black liberals need to speak up loudly and let them know it. Refusing to tune in to Air America Radio would be a good place to start. I know I won't be.
After only a week, Felux's and other initial reviews of Air America have to be an embarrassment for the liberal pundits who were ebullient with optimism prior to launch.
My perspective is that it seems the singular mannerism that is common among all the producers and players involved with Air America is anger at and hatred for conservatism. Historically, anger and hatred seldom contribute to entertainment value. And, without entertainment, Air America won't have an audience.
Mr Felux, whatta guy, right? I wonder when he will apologize to… to… well, somebody.
< /pukeing dog >
The newspaper employee ends her typing with that and shows a lack of human decency to acknowledge that the problem is ILLEGAL aliens not immigration. But.. it's what liberals do.
It most certainly is! Don't they see that Simcox is right? That whole families are crossing a burning dessert to get OUT OF MEXICO? That the whole situation is ethnic and class-cleansing by Mexico's white elite? Yet, they would have us do nothing and pretend that a family with children on foot crossing a dessert is somehow noble and quaint. Liberalism must be shouted down and stopped. PC must be crushed.
“How can Jonathan Bryant be a college senior and so stupid at the same time?”
Inspector Clouseau: How can a blind man be a lookout?
Chief Inspector Dreyfus: How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!
Inspector Clouseau: It’s very simple. All he has to do is enlist.
San Antonio is a sanctuary city. The following is from UTSA’s admissions:
- Academic and personal background, including high school, parents education, extenuating circumstances affecting academic qualifications.
- Socioeconomic situation and barriers to achievement.
- Geographic issues, including South Texas and home in rural or underserved area
- bilingual language ability
- educational attainment of the applicant’s family
- hometown or county of residence that has been designated a medically underserved and/or health professions shortage area, with particular emphasis on South Texas
- socioeconomic history (educationally and/or economically disadvantaged)
- race/ethnicity
- success in overcoming adverse personal, family, or “life” conditions/ experiences
- Generally, individuals who have resided in Texas for 12 months immediately preceeding enrollment are classified as residents. If dependents, they must have resided with their parents/guardians in the state for the 12 months preceeding enrollment. Applicants whose residency status is unclear should complete a Residence Questionnaire
UT hires quite a few wackos. UT in Austin’s claim to fame is Prof. Pianka who teaches his students that we’d be better off if someone released enough ebola to kill 90% of humankind.
There are so many third world illegals here now, the problem will now direct the solution....in their favor.
Mexico lost the Mexican-American War. The U.S. paid Mexico after a treaty (The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) was signed.
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