THE MINUTEMAN PROJECT UPDATE 17 January 2005

Dear Americans,

The MinuteMan Project currently has 234 volunteers from the following 36 states:

Alabama 1; Arkansas 4; Arizona 71; California 55; Colorado 11; Florida 2; Idaho**1; Illinois 5; Iowa 3; Kansas 2; Maine 1; Massachusetts 2; Michigan 2; Minnesota 1; Mississipi 1; Missouri 3; NewJersey 2; Nebraska 1; Nevada 4; New Mexico 6; New York 7; North Carolina 4; Ohio 4; Oklahoma 6; Oregon 6; Rhode Island 1; South Carolina 1; Tennessee 1; Texas 12; Utah 3; Virginia 3; Washington 4; West Virginia 1; Wisconsin 1; Wyoming 1



** I'm glad to see vitus979 has already signed on ;)

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** I'm glad to see vitus979 has already signed on ;)

It's a good cause, and it took me less than a minute to get my stuff together. Believe it. ;)

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

This project reeks of incipient racism and seems ideologically close to the militia movement of the mid to late 90s. I'm far more afraid of the people joining the project than I am the people they are 'protecting' the nation from.

Yes, illegal immigration, particularly along the Mexican border, is a huge problem. This is absolutely the wrong way to address the issue.

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"In case of flood climb to safety"

This project reeks of incipient racism

How's that?

This is absolutely the wrong way to address the issue.

Probably true. What's your alternative?

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Angry white guys, acting on their own with no legitimate governmental oversight, keeping dark skinned people out of where 'they' don't belong. I guess I'm generalizing and steroetyping here. But the language on the website strikes me as very similar to milita-talk, which is a white guy thing. Could be wrong.

No alternative. I have no idea what the 'right' answer is. I live in Southern Nevada where it is a huge huge problem.

I've seen the parts of town where a lot of illegals live, and the kinds of jobs they frequently hold. If this is a better life, Mexico must be a real shithole.

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"In case of flood climb to safety"

I guess I'm generalizing and steroetyping here.

I guess so.

For the record, I don't know anything about this movement beyond what was posted here. But I have a problem when people categorize opposition to illegal immigration as racist, ipso facto. I didn't see anything on the site about keeping them out because they're dark skinned.

I think it's a bad idea, arrived at by people who feel that the government has totally abdicated its responsibility in the matter and see no reasonable alternative.

I've seen the parts of town where a lot of illegals live, and the kinds of jobs they frequently hold.

Me, too. It makes me wonder why Fox doesn't spend less time encouraging his people to come here illegally, and more time fixing his own country.

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

I don't think it has the slightest thing to do with racism. It has to do with people being pissed off and frustrated. It is clear from reading the website that the motivation is the lack of action from the government.

You say it is the wrong way, maybe, but right now it is the only alternative they have. I don't think it is much more than a PR effort, as he states, but I don't fault them for taking action. Saying it is wrong but with no alternative doesn't accomplish anything and the current system clearly doesn't work.

acting on their own with no legitimate governmental oversight all they are doing is calling border patrol, they don't have any power (or claim any power) beyond that. They are no different than a neighbor calling the cops when they see a crime.

Angry white guys, acting on their own with no legitimate governmental oversight, keeping dark skinned people out of where 'they' don't belong. You are the only one to mention color and I bet they would call the border patrol regardless. I know that is still a reality, but let's not jump the gun here.

I've seen the parts of town where a lot of illegals live, and the kinds of jobs they frequently hold. If this is a better life, Mexico must be a real shithole We have many here too and they work super hard for nothing, but it is better than there or they wouldn't be here.

At least they are making some attempt to affect change.

Simple solution. If the United States truly wants to stop illegal immigration (and I don't think we do), you either throw the employers in jail, or levy hefty fines. Deportation is a joke, immigrants will continue to come here for jobs as long as someone is willing to hire them.

Scott

agreed, on both points

I'm sure Border Patrol wants nothing to do with these guys.

I also have no faith that a few of them wouldn't start taking potshots at people either.

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I also have no faith that a few of them wouldn't start taking potshots at people either.

Except that they state explicity that they won't be armed with anything more threatening than a set of binoculars.

Frankly, I'd worry more about the risk they put themselves at. Some of the immigrant smugglers seem to lack compunction about violence.

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

There are numerous stories of people firing at US border gaurds and I believe even cases of bounties being placed on the US agents.

Which is one reason I think this idea is not so hot. If the smugglers are willing to shoot at and contract hits on armed agents of the US govt, how much more willing might they be to shoot at unarmed civilian do-gooders out in the desert?

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

I guess it all depends on how annoying they are to the people trying to get across or trying to get people across. (Do they call those people coyotes or similar? ) I have no doubt that some of those people would kill you in the blink of an eye.

The only good I can see from this is sparking a conversation about the issue. I do think there needs to be more enforcement of the border but understand and agree that it is supply and demand.