Is this common knowledge in the U.S?

[Orwell]

I simply don't trust their intentions. I suspect that mixed in with this anti-illegal immigrant thing there are much less "honourable" feelings i.e. bigotry and racism.

Arizona Minutemen Driven Largely By Sense of Insecurity, Victimization

According to this article, the Minuteman claim that they started making background checks after allegations that white supremacists where trying to infiltrate them.

 

[RandFan]

I simply don't trust their intentions.

Arizona Minutemen Driven Largely By Sense of Insecurity, Victimization

Could you tell us why?

 

[RandFan]

I simply don't trust their intentions.

Arizona Minutemen Driven Largely By Sense of Insecurity, Victimization

Are you capable of thinking critically and give us an analysis of what you think is significant from your link, perhaps quote something or are you only able to parrot propaganda?

 

[Orwell]

A little bit of patience, please! Posting something meaningful takes time. Go back to my preceding post.

 

[Mephisto]

Man!

I wish these "Minutemen" would just leave the immigrants alone. There is only one solution to the immigration problem, and that is going after the scumbags that hire these people. All of that "terrorists coming through the borders" is a bunch of typical right-wing fearmongering crap.

Did you fall into a pit of tigers without realizing it! I happen to agree with you (especially since the Minutemen in my area are currently involved in a squabble over who gets to hunt Mexicans in what area). The trouble is, I think you're assertions are correct.

I would be willing to bet that the quickest way to get everyone off of welfare or social programs would be to make them work in the fields. Turning down a job usually left to migrant workers would be great incentive for Americans to realize how important learning religious dogma is in school.

I have spent years explaining to east coast relatives that we do NOT live in the wild west, but now we've got armed white men, hunting Mexicans; maybe I do live in the wild west!

 

[RandFan]

I simply don't trust their intentions. I suspect that mixed in with this anti-illegal immigrant thing there are much less "honourable" feelings i.e. bigotry and racism.

We all suspect things based on our biases and preconcived notions. Are you suggesting that we should react negatively to the Minutemen based on gut reactions?

From your link:

While immigrant rights groups condemned the Minutemen as ignorant about the realities faced by immigrant families striving to earn an adequate wage on which to survive...

This misses the point. The plight of immigrant families is not a valid reason for us to relinquish control of our border. Nor is it reason to give illegal aliens billions in aid and causing the shut down of trauma centers accross California.

...the Project generated increasing controversy when it became popular among white supremacist websites and Internet discussion forums. The Arizona Republic reported in March that an Aryan Nation site linked directly to the Minuteman Project, issuing a "call for action on part of ALL ARYAN SOLDIERS."

Troubling but not proof that those who formed the Minutemen have ill intent.

 

[Orwell]

I never said you should relinquish control of your border.

I just don't like it when untrained citizens with unknown personal motivations start doing a job that is supposed to be done by well trained, fairly professional, police type forces.

 

[RandFan]

I never said you should relinquish control of your border.

I just don't like it when untrained citizens with unknown personal motivations start doing a job that is supposed to be done by well trained, fairly professional, police type forces.

We live in a democracy. Our legislators are failing us. The costs are mounting. The states who don't have the problem don't want to shoulder the burden of the costs. There is no political will to do anything. So, we act. We follow the law but we act.

The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Californians: Executive Summary

Analysis of the latest Census data indicates that California's illegal immigrant population is costing the state's taxpayers more than $10.5 billion per year for education, medical care and incarceration. Even if the estimated tax contributions of illegal immigrant workers are subtracted, net outlays still amount to nearly $9 billion per year. The annual fiscal burden from those three areas of state expenditures amounts to about $1,183 per household headed by a native-born resident.

This analysis looks specifically at the costs to the state for education, health care and incarceration resulting from illegal immigration. These three are the largest cost areas, and they are the same three areas analyzed in a 1994 study conducted by the Urban Institute, which provides a useful baseline for comparison ten years later. Other studies have been conducted in the interim, showing trends that support the conclusions of this report.

As this report will note, other significant costs associated with illegal immigration exist and should be taken into account by federal and state officials. But, even without accounting for all of the numerous areas in which costs associated with illegal immigration are being incurred by California taxpayers, the programs analyzed in this study indicate that the burden is substantial and that the costs are rapidly increasing.

BTW, leaving control of the border to the government at this time IS relinquishing control.

But I will say that I have no problem with your concerns. I have no problem with groups monitoring the Minutemen. It is clearly, potentially a significant source of very serious abuse.

So, I will grant you your concern. Thank you for responding.

 

[peptoabysmal]

I never said you should relinquish control of your border.

I just don't like it when untrained citizens with unknown personal motivations start doing a job that is supposed to be done by well trained, fairly professional, police type forces.

I've heard quite a bit about this on the radio news that I listen to on the way home from work, an ABC affiliate station news program, not a talk show. The Minutemen claim are very concerned about not being vigilantes, they are armed with cell phones, do not confront illegals and call the border patrol when they spot one or more. Sort of like a neighborhood watch program is the way they portray themselves.

To address the original post, I hadn't heard about hijackers coming across the Canadian border, what I had heard is that the hijackers came in on tourist visas and then got transferred to student visas so they could enroll in flight school. It wouldn't suprise me if they got financial aid to take the flight school.

Coming across the border illegally is the hard way to be a terrorist when we make it so easy for them. Of course the only thing that would really prevent this is racial profiling. Are we ready to go there yet?

 

[Orwell]

Thanks for the links. Though I didn't read the first two. I won't read what others won't take the time to comment on. What's the point?

I didn't see this comment before. Ed was saying that most of what I wrote in a previous comment was mostly wrong (without, by the way, telling me why) so I gave him a few of links to chew on.

 

[RandFan]

I didn't see this comment before. Ed was saying that most of what I wrote in a previous comment was mostly wrong (without, by the way, telling me why) so I gave him a few of links to chew on.

Cool, in the end you did comment and I responded. That's all. I really don't like debate by links. That's just me though. In any event thanks.