Posted on 05/27/2006 6:09:37 PM PDT by 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."
One foot of that fence is mine, and I am definitely against staying home or voting third party in the Fall.
People who are supposed to be conservative are complaining because the government hasn't done something, taxed people and paid for something.
Individuals by their own efforts or doing "barn raising" with other good folk in a community are what have built this country and maintained it.
It was time to stop relying on government and do it ourselves and this was a start.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step AND the will to keep going.
We may find this fence design doesn't fill the bill. I'm a bit skeptical looking at it. But, if that is so, then we redesign and start again. We'll learn a lot with this project, and inspire others and eventually public opinion to join in the effort, I hope.
At the Minutemen website to build the fence, you can volunteer to help.
So, if you are concerned about seeing this is done right, then volunteer and personally check all these things yourself.
Hah!
Where are the wealthy conservatives on ANY issue that really needs their help?
Plenty of conservative millionaires, and Billionaires, but damn little in the way of donations to truly deserving conservative causes!
Seems that their money only goes to things that will be PC and get their name on a building.
I'm getting too disgusted with those who have more than they can possibly utilize only pursuing more at all cost.
I've known a few of them, they tend to die of stupid natural causes because they are too self indulgent to spend any money or time taking care of themselves.
Most of them do even less to help conservative causes.
You are correct that the fence we are building on this ranch is not the same as the one piuctured on the MM website. This is because the MM are building the fence that the owner of the property wants. It is his choice as to what type or style of fence he wants as its his property. Mr. Ladd is concerned the most with cars and Mexican cattle coming onto his property. His hope is that with another fence (his fence is about 25 feet north of the U.S. borders barbed wire fence) is will discourage IA's from trying to cross on his land.
Any landowner that requests we build a fence similar to what is on the web site will get that fence. Landowners decide what they want on their property. This fence may not be the best but its better than what was there.AWB
All I've heard is that it was a camefire that got away but not on which side of the Coronado it was found at.
Anyone know a webmaster/designer?
It is being worked on. Border Patriots
The web site is in the development stage, in order to view the full site you will need Firefox.
It's got the names of at least a few FReepers on it.
You betcha!
placemark
done.
Bravo!!
We all need to be involved in some way.
NBD, just another ACLU Commie dropped his doobie.
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