Tombstone paper calls for militia (to combat illegal immigration)

Arizona Daily Star ^ | 11/15/02 | Ignacio Ibarra

[dirtboy]

Cochise County's "official newspaper" has issued a call to arms and is spearheading the formation of a local militia to combat illegal immigration.

Tucson human rights activist Isabel Garcia said the Tombstone Tumbleweed's rhetoric is the latest manifestation of a militant vigilantism that has long existed in Cochise County with the acceptance and encouragement of local officials.

She said Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever's public friendship with groups like Glenn Spencer's American Patrol, the sheriff's lack of investigation into Roger and Don Barnett's armed detention of illegal entrants and the clear unwillingness on the part of Cochise County Attorney Chris Roll to investigate and prosecute the two brothers have given them credibility and encouraged groups like Texas-based Ranch Rescue and the new Tombstone Militia.

"To have the official newspaper of the county call on people to take up arms is very dangerous, very frightening. Law enforcement and public officials should be concerned," she said.

Garcia canceled an upcoming speaking engagement in Bisbee out of concern over the growing hostility in the county.

Roll, the county attorney, said every case brought to him is reviewed under the same standards. "If we have sufficient evidence that a crime has been committed, we will prosecute."

Sheriff Dever said frustrations with the federal government's inability to stem the flow of illegal immigration has attracted the attention of a number of groups on all sides of the issue.

While he acknowledged attending and speaking at American Patrol meetings, he said his presence should be construed as being a voice of reason rather than a supporter of particular agendas or methodology.

At least 43 people have joined the Citizens Border Patrol militia since the front page call to arms appeared in the Tombstone Tumbleweed last month - under a headline that read "Enough is Enough!" - and support continues to grow, said Chris Simcox, a former California teacher who is now owner, publisher and editor of the Tombstone weekly.

Simcox isn't shy about using the words "vigilante" and "militia" to describe his plans. He sees both as a patriotic obligation in a time of war and a necessity in light of the federal government's failure to stop the flood of immigrants funneling through Cochise County.

His plan is to put armed, able-bodied militia members on private property near the border to create a presence and a deterrent to illegal border crossers.

"This has nothing to do with the Mexican people per se. . . . It's about stopping uncontrolled immigration," he said. "We want local people, we don't want the Rambos, the mercenaries and soldiers of fortune that some of these groups seem to be made up of."

Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman, who represents the Tombstone area on the county Board of Supervisors said the county has no authority or desire to interfere with the publisher's First Amendment right to publish what he chooses.

But the supervisor said he is concerned that the harsh editorial tone of the newspaper not be represented as the position of Cochise County. He's asked county staffers to look into the newspaper's use of the phrase "Official Newspaper of Cochise County" in its masthead.

According to state law, a newspaper awarded a county's legal advertising contract may be referred to as the county's official paper.

* Contact reporter Ignacio Ibarra at (520) 432-2766 or at nacho1@mindspring.com.

[dirtboy]

Repost of article yanked because of a certain comment.

[dirtboy]

Took the liberty of re-posting this after the intial post was yanked.

[dirtboy]

ping again to re-post

[Bikers4Bush]

Can sheriffs still deputize in a time of crisis?

[Flint]

This is EXACTLY what the Constitution means when it says,"a well regulated milita being necessary for a free state". Good for them!

[Kerberos]

Well this should be no surprise. People are getting tired of our government’s refusal to fulfill their Constitutional obligations and provide for the security of the people.

Fortunately there are apparently some people who are willing to do more than sit around and complain about it.

[x1stcav]

If I was living along the border I'd be doing the same thing. They can count on my support.

[Beelzebubba]

Bang

[ctnoell]

We need militias organized in the lower 48 states to combat illegal immigration and to do our part to ensure homeland security.

[Dark Wing]

ping

[Tancredo Fan]

I see nothing wrong with the people protecting the nation at all. This administration is doing jack squat about the borders, so it's the duty of the people to take care of business.

Isabel Garcia ought to be in prison... she's one of those Aztlan nut cases. She also works for the Pima County, AZ public defenders office, and runs some sort of anti-American fifth-column outfit called Derechos Humanos.

Just today I have seen news about a Mexican illegal being arrested for rape in Oregon after having been deported several times, and also see that the useless INS has declined to interfere with illegal aliens getting their fake Mexican ID cards after being asked to do so by Tom Tancredo.

If the government won't protect the people, the people themselves should be doing it.

A dead fish rots from the head. Enough.

[glc1173@aol.com]

"Can sheriffs still deputize in a time of crisis?"

Yes - in Arizona, Arpaio is already doing it. It doesn't even have to be at a "time of crisis"; Arpaio formed up his posse (under that name) before 9/11.

Sheriffs most anywhere have broad authority to hire and fire deputies. Here in North Carolina, training requirements for unpaid volunteer deputies would limit things somewhat as to calling them "deputies" - but volunteer squads along the line of the local Burlington police force's "reserve" (as opposed to "auxilliary") division are obviously possible.

As for "time of crisis," any sheriff in southern Arizona could easily say that illegals are overloading the jail he must manage - plus overloading local schools.

Get the sticker!

[Travis McGee]

Border bump.

[Skooz]

Why do I have pictures of "Mad Max" and the "Road Warrior" in my head?

[HiJinx]

(Isabel) Garcia canceled an upcoming speaking engagement in Bisbee out of concern over the growing hostility in the county.

By George, I believe she's finally getting it! We are very hostile to her kind. She's the one who said (after the shootings at Red Rock) that private citizens don't have the right to make arrests. That's a blatant lie and ignores the legal requirement in teh Arizona Revised Statutes for citizen's arrests.

And this person is a Public Defender in Pima County? Oh, wait, that's right...Pima County is our Blue Blight!

[Eternal_Bear]

Totally Constitutional! The federal government better butt out or give aid to the militia.

[Tancredo Fan]

Oh, wait, that's right...Pima County is our Blue Blight!

I hear the Tucson police chief, Richard Miranda, is a big cheese in despicable LULAC and the equally disgusting Chicanos Por La Causa. He also refuses to cooperate with the INS. Both Garcia and that Tucson cop ought to be rotting in a cold, dark cell somewhere.

[tracer]

Prosecuting these beleagured American ranchers while failing to prosecute The Invaders for doing that which has made necessary the course of action taken by said ranchers denies them of equal protection under the law as mandated by the US Constitution.

Cases dismissed........

[TEXASPROUD]

The old west is still alive and kicking in Cochise Co.

[HiJinx]

Tucson likes it's reputation as a sleepy desert town, and as such, has allowed the activists to gain a hold there.

Things are about to come to a head in Cochise County, and it ain't gonna be pretty. If you remember the Shadow Warriors post from yesterday or Wednesday, you'll see that things are going to happen on the reservation to our west as well.

[Squantos]

Stay Safe !

[AAABEST]

Thanks for the ping DB.

These people are doing the job that our government has arrogantly refused to do, protect our borders and our citizens. This is clearly mandated in our constitution and the officials responsible are guilty of nothing less than dereliction of duty.

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

thanks for the ping. Best damned news I heard all week.

[dirtboy]

Yeah, this is an interesting story, by all means. It dovetails nicely with that Donahue segment Tuesday night.

[Squantos]

FSP ? Free State potential ?, a county ? , a city ?, a sheriff ?, The local noooze presstitute ?.............Stay Safe !

[Cinnamon Girl]

Anyone who hasn't been to Tombstone, AZ needs to go visit (but not in the summer). It's a place where the old west lives on.

[WRhine]

If the government won't protect the people, the people themselves should be doing it.

Thanks TF. I believe this is going to be a growing trend as Bush has made it all too clear that he will not protect our borders or, for that matter, enforce our immigration laws. It's going to be interesting to see how the Feds react as thousands of patriotic citizens undertake our government's PRIME responsibility of protecting and defending this nation from invasion.

[MrB]

Repost of article yanked because of a certain comment

I can just read the glare inherent in your statement...:)

The militia must be equipped with the arms common to the contemporary infantryman in order to do its duty....

[Gritty]

Good article. There may be hope yet!

[PatrioticAmerican]

The goobermint either protects us or we will protect ourselves. A bit of one in the same, but it seems our representatives believe that illegals are good for their re-elections.

[varon]

"To have the official newspaper of the county call on people to take up arms is very dangerous, very frightening.

I hope it is very dangerous & freightening to the illegals, enough so as to keep them on their own side of the border.

[CIBvet]

Thanks again for your work, and my new bumper-sticker.

We're in the beginning stages of taking Alaska back from the overwhelming invasion of Illegals in last 10+ years.

[FITZ]

People are getting tired of our government’s refusal to fulfill their Constitutional obligations and provide for the security of the people.

I can see where people are becoming impatient with the government's inability to address this problem but there could be many problems with citizens doing this kind of thing. Protecting private property of course is a right we have but if it goes beyond that, they're going to run into problems.

[FITZ]

"To have the official newspaper of the county call on people to take up arms is very dangerous, very frightening. Law enforcement and public officials should be concerned," she said.

She doesn't care one iota about the United States and she's just grandstanding on this issue for her own gain, she isn't complaining about civil rights abuses or corruption in Mexico because she's on the side of that government but I do agree with this ---it isn't something citizens should have to do and it is dangerous for both the citizens and illegals.

[x1stcav]

Thanks.

[dirtboy]

ping

[madfly]

fyi

[madfly]

fyi

[madfly]

ping

[Kerberos]

"Protecting private property of course is a right we have but if it goes beyond that, they're going to run into problems. "

Well in case you haven't noticed we already have problems, big problems, and those problems are the direct result of the government not doing it's job.

So when the government refuses to do the job that they were hired to do then it becomes the reasonability of the people to correct that. And that's what these people are attempting to do. And quite frankly I would like to see more of it.

[madfly]

ping

[madfly]

fyi

[CWRWinger]

re: Post 40

That's what it's going to take and nothing less, to fix the illegal alien problem.

[FITZ]

Well in case you haven't noticed we already have problems, big problems, and those problems are the direct result of the government not doing it's job.

Believe me --I've noticed the problems and I live in an area where there are huge problems including an economic disaster where hospitals are on the verge of bankrupcy ---and not just from illegal immigration but out-of-control legal immigration including anchor babies handed easy citizenship and welfare benefits. However I can see many many problems with citizens taking these matters into their own hands.

[madfly]

His plan is to put armed, able-bodied militia members on private property near the border to create a presence and a deterrent to illegal border crossers.

"This has nothing to do with the Mexican people per se. . . . It's about stopping uncontrolled immigration," he said. "We want local people, we don't want the Rambos, the mercenaries and soldiers of fortune that some of these groups seem to be made up of."

Regardless of the title of this thread, this does not seem to be a racist group nor are they advocating violence, labels that seem to be slung around very quickly here these days.

[Kerberos]

"Believe me --I've noticed the problems and I live in an area where there are huge problems "

Well then you should have also noticed that the government is not doing anything about it.

I just saw an interview on Fox where Shepherd Smith had some government guy, and a couple of ex FBI guys on and he asked them all the exact same question. How has our security improved in this country since 9-11? And you know not one of them could give any kind of an answer that says it's gotten better, and that’s because the truth is it hasn’t

I can understand your concern about the sad state of affairs that we have gotten ourselves into in this country, but unfortunately that is the reality of the situation. But I am afraid that we have reached the point of critical mass. If one sits around and waits for the government to protect them, well you could very well end up dead. JMO

[TERMINATTOR]

Molon Labe !