Posted on 12/03/2005 2:17:59 PM PST by chicagolady
Post commander says rejecting group wasn't difficult
By Andre Salles Staff Writer
YORKVILLE — A group dedicated to enforcing immigration laws will not meet in Yorkville next week.
The Illinois chapter of the Minutemen, an organization founded in 2004 to help curtail illegal immigration into the United States, planned to hold its third Fox Valley area organizational meeting Wednesday at the Yorkville American Legion.
According to members of the group, the goal of the meetings has been to determine local interest in immigration issues, and to craft an agenda for a Fox Valley Minutemen organization.
But following the controversies that have surrounded previous meetings of the group, Yorkville Legion Post Commander Gary Bullock has decided to deny them the use of his hall.
Bullock, in a written statement, noted that the decision to deny the request was "not a difficult one to make."
"Post 489's concern is goodwill and mutual helpfulness to our community," he wrote. document.write("") "I cannot see one positive benefit for the community or our post by having the Minutemen come to the Yorkville Legion Post."
This decision comes mere days after the Oswego American Legion refused a similar request from the group. Officials from the Oswego Legion would not confirm the reasons for canceling the meeting.
"I am disappointed (that the meeting was cancelled)," said Rosanna Pulido, co-founder of the Illinois Minutemen. "But I am more disappointed in the American Legion."
Pulido noted that the first resolution to come out of the 2005 American Legion National Convention in August was a call for action on the illegal immigration issue. The resolution calls for an immigration reform policy from Congress, and states that the Legion will "use all possible means to bring a solution to the challenges faced by the United States because of illegal immigration."
"We are in lockstep with the American Legion and their stance," Pulido said. "They recognize that there is a threat of illegal immigration to this country's security and well-being, and yet the people in Yorkville are determined to shut out the Minutemen from renting their facility."
The last Minutemen meeting at an American Legion hall in the Fox Valley happened on Nov. 10 in Elgin. There, hundreds of protesters surrounded the building, and Elgin police called in various other police departments to help maintain order. No arrests were made, and the protest was considered peaceful, according to police.
Pulido said the Minutemen are seeking out spaces to hold future meetings. She said the group has arranged a meeting for Carpentersville on Jan. 7, but she would not reveal the location, citing "adversaries." Pulido said more information would be available closer to the scheduled date.
"We'll keep going to each Legion we can," she added. "We got calls from veterans who were very upset that the meetings were canceled. Other opportunities are opening up."
12/03/05
FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
E-mail them and express your thoughts.......
RGFalato@aol.com
post489us@yahoo.com
Visit their website
http://www.yorkvilleamericanlegion.org/
Ping
ON THE NET...
http://www.minutemanhq.com
Minuteman Ping!
ping
Done! Thanks for the e-mail addresses.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
Quislings to the left, cowards to the right.
Such attempts to shut down everything that is good and decent... I heard a 9/11 victim's father speak today about how our lax immigration policies caused his son's death. He and the other families are practically laughed out of Congress, told we "need the strawberry pickers," brushed aside. Thank God for strong Americans like him and you to keep up the good fight on the front lines! (I am behind the scenes but will keep fighting against the tyranny too.)
That's interesting. The VFW Post I belong to in my area voted last Monday night to quit renting our hall to these very same groups. The negatives started out weighing the positives.
Gang violence, fighting, drinking and loud music outside the hall despite being told that they must not do these things outside the hall. That's probably because most of the trouble makers seems to be unable to communicate in the language of the land they're in. We're looking at other sources for revenue in renting our hall now.
I'm also a member of the MOPH and in the process of joining the DAV. I've so far been holding off on the American Legion. Now that three different Legions have denied their buildings to the area Minutemen I'll probably continue holding off on joining our local Post.
The ultra-liberal San Francisco Chronicle is running a poll on the Minutemen. Are they a.) patriotic law-enforcers, or b.) dangerous vigalantes? Check in with your two-cents at http://www.sfgate.com
The Minutemen poll will be running for two more days. Go to "News and Features" on the left side of the screen, and you'll see "Polls." http://www.sfgate.com
Janet ,
Have you received any feed back from the American Legion guy??
As a member and Band Director for the Yorkville American Legion, I and the other 450 members had no input in the decision made by the new post commander.
I agree with you and will take it up at our Monday, Dec. 5th post meeting. I am in favor of what the minuteman are doing to close up the illegal entrance to our country. I have forwarded your letter to some of the legion members who have email addresses.
Thanks for your input.
RGFalato@aol.com
Yorkville American Legion Big Band Director
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