Posted on 04/18/2005 2:39:17 PM PDT by Spiff
Minuteman founder leaving border early but volunteers to remain
By Arthur H. Rotstein
ASSOCIATED PRESS
1:32 p.m. April 18, 2005
TUCSON, Ariz. – The chief organizer of civilian volunteers who are spending the month watching for illegal immigrants and smugglers along the Mexican border is pulling out of the Minuteman Project early, a project official said Monday.
Jim Gilchrist, a retired accountant from California, will leave Arizona on Wednesday and plans to appear before the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus next week in Washington. He will be taking the official Minuteman Project name and a group of volunteers.
"He is claiming victory ... so he felt it would be appropriate to wrap up his participation this week and prepare to go to Washington," said Chris Simcox, the project's field operations director.
Simcox, who also plans to be in Washington next week, said Gilchrist isn't severing his ties to the project or with other organizers.
Despite Gilchrist's departure and Simcox's temporary absence, Simcox said patrols will continue as planned until April 30, albeit under the name of Simcox's organization – Civil Homeland Defense.
The volunteers, some of whom are armed, arrived on April 1 and began spreading out a few days later along a 23-mile stretch of desert between the border communities of Naco and Douglas. They alert authorities when they see someone cross the border illegally, but are not allowed to detain anyone.
Law enforcement officials have said they fear the project will lead to vigilante violence, an accidental confrontation between armed volunteers and authorities, or a dangerous encounter with the violent smugglers who use the area.
The volunteers claim their reports have led the Border Patrol to more than 260 illegal immigrants. The Border Patrol has acknowledged receiving more than 300calls from Naco and Douglas, resulting in hundreds of apprehensions, but the agency will not say whether any calls came from project volunteers.
Therefore, it is ok if business is off?
I REALLY had hopes of this just being the beginning for the MMP, just hope it doesn't fizzle out after the hearings.
Apology issued.
As you have amply demonstrated, there's no accounting for the actions of morons. A slight drop in moron traffic to local businesses is a good tradeoff for calling attention to our intolerable border security problems.
Plus, Douglas is a corrupt mess. They could slide off the face of the planet (or at least Cochise County) and we'd all cheer.
You call a 30% drop a slight drop?
For a one month period - yes. Secondly, I don't trust the numbers.
Nam Vet
oops link here ----> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1384987/posts
Lou Dobbs did a great story on this tonight. Jim is leaving to pursue employers who hire illegal aliens and to get the rest of the border states organized with volunteers to protect both the northern and souther borders. This movement is catching on like wildfire.
Pi** off, you coward.
The truth hurt?
You don't tell the truth. You sit at your keyboard and insult patriots. I repeat my previous post to you.
OPM- other peoples money
Well hon, I just posted the article. You should call these business owners and give them a piece of your mind. That may give you peace of mind.
Its AP and was published in many local papers thru-out the country.
"some" of the entire state of AZ is armed. It is open carry without permit.
Makes sense, Jim does not live in AZ anyway.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.