Minutemen indeed

Looks like those mighty militiamen planning to organize a group of "Minutemen" to patrol the U.S. border with Mexico may turn out to be a classic right-wing case of all hate, no cattle.

According to a report by Michael Marizco at the Arizona Daily Star, the actual level of threat they pose, in terms of actually attracting the promised 550-man force, is not exactly dire:

Organizers of the Minuteman Project say the scenario will become reality on April 1.

But those organizers have made similar statements in the past, generating a steady barrage of newspaper and television stories. Meanwhile, law enforcement officials and other experts say they have failed to produce substantive results.

And some wonder if anything will be different this time, especially since the organizers have failed to provide any proof of the involvement of 550 people they say have volunteered already.

"Obviously, this is driven by a desire for publicity as opposed to a desire for results," Gov. Janet Napolitano said when asked about the project at a press conference recently.

The last "call to arms" issued by one of the Minuteman Project founders resulted in a handful of volunteers and unproven contentions that they had detained more than 4,000 illegal entrants. The irony is that the same media that have reported the membership numbers without verification could fuel the hype and incite a mob to head to the border this time around, officials say.

Whether anybody other than newspaper and television crews will show up this time is dubious, some say, given the organizers' history.

Consider:

-- In November 2002, Minuteman Project founder Chris Simcox said dozens of people would come out for his much-debated Civil Homeland Defense, the Tombstone-based group that was supposed to patrol the border, gather up illegal entrants, turn them over to the U.S. Border Patrol and show up the federal government for not doing its job.

The group has seized about 150 illegal entrants, a far cry from the 4,000 Simcox contends have been apprehended since he started two years ago, according to Miguel Escobar, Mexican consul in Douglas. The consulate responds to every citizen's encounter.

By contrast, Escobar has tracked at least 65 incidents in which citizens stopped entrants since 1999, when groups and individuals such as Cochise rancher Roger Barnett, American Border Patrol and Ranch Rescue began apprehensions in Cochise County.

-- The Border Patrol has had three to five instances in which citizens were standing with a captured group of illegal entrants in the past year, said Tucson Sector spokesman Andy Adame. By contrast, the agency receives 300 to 500 anonymous calls from other civilians each month, he said. The agency has adopted a "wait and see" attitude toward the Minuteman Project.

-- A handful of people showed up at the first organizational meeting of the Civil Homeland Defense on Dec. 7, 2002. Fifty were expected.

-- On Jan. 1, 2003, two volunteers showed up for the first training session. Four reporters were there to greet them.

Now, those of us tracking these border extremists have been aware of Simcox's "Minutemen Project" for awhile now. Back in late October 2004, the following was posted at Free Republic (at this link, since taken down), essentially advertising the project:

Dear Americans,
The MinuteMan Project currently has 19 volunteers from the following 10 states:

Arizona 4; California 4; Colorado 1; Florida 1; Massachusetts 2; Oklahoma 1; Oregon 2; Texas 2; Virginia 1; Wyoming 1

If YOU, or someone you know, would like to be a participant in The Minuteman Project, please read the recruiting poster below and respond accordingly. * * * * * *

To Citizens of the Republic of the United States of America:

Anyone interested in spending up to 30 days manning the Arizona border as a blocking force against entry into the U.S. by illegal aliens early next spring?

I invite you to join me in Tombstone, Arizona in early spring of 2005 to protect our country from a 40-year-long invasion across our southern border with Mexico.

Chris Simcox of Civil Homeland Defense, and the publisher of the Tombstone Tumbleweed newspaper in Tombstone, Arizona has been protecting our borders for five years with only a handful of patriotic volunteers. It is time we provided him with reinforcements.

I am recruiting volunteers to converge on the southern border of Arizona for the purpose of aiding the U.S. Border Patrol in "spotting" intruders entering the U.S. illegally.

This is strictly a volunteer project. No financial subsidies are available. And, you will probably need a tent, sleeping bag etc. You will be responsible for all costs associated with your participation.

Currently, about 5,000 illegal aliens enter the US/Arizona border DAILY. Another 5.000 invade the U.S. from the Texas, California and New Mexico borders...DAILY. That's 10,000 per day - 300,000 per month. Over 3,000,000 (three million) per year!

Our objective will be to spot these intruders by eyesight, or with the aid of binoculars - telescopes, and inform the U.S. Border Patrol of the location of the trespassers so that border patrol agents can intercept and detain them. Generally, we will not be confronting the illegal aliens. The tentative area of observation will be a 10-mile stretch of forested highlands, and lowlands along the San Pedro River.

I hope to bring serious media attention to this event, which will tune the American people into the shameful fact that 21st century minutemen/women have to secure US borders because the US government REFUSES to do so.

I estimate the cost per person (for 30 days) could be as high as $3,500, depending on your travel, meal and lodging arrangements. I will be visiting the Tombstone area in mid December or early January to meet with Chris Simcox regarding the availability of facilities for those who do not want to use tents or travel trailers. I intend to stay the entire 30 days of this mission, however, that length of time is not a requirement to volunteer.

I will try to negotiate substantially discounted rates for lodging, especially if we are bringing 200 - 300, or more "vacationing guests" into Tombstone all at once.

The Tombstone area parks also offer some interesting hunting, hiking, mountain climbing and fishing opportunities for avid outdoorsmen/women.

I will be acting as an interim coordinator of The MinuteMan Project. My immediate purpose is to recruit as many volunteers as possible.

If YOU are interested in participating in this unprecedented event, please contact me via email at:

Century21MinuteMan@sbcglobal.net

Please provide me with a brief history of yourself, for example, your vocation, any military background, outdoors (outback) experience, etc. There are no written prerequisites for joining this mission, however, I would appreciate knowing something about the experiences of those responding to this invitation.

Please INCLUDE the following information in your email response:

1. Name

2. Address

3. Telephone number and best time to call

4. Brief statement why you want to participate in this project

5. Brief history of any experiences related to the mission of The MinuteMan Project.

6. Amount of time (1 - 30 days) you desire to participate.

7. Any physical ailments or disabilities that might limit the "type" of participation, i.e., limited to deskwork only, confined to a wheel chair, etc.

The MinuteMan Project is in its embryo stage, therefore, information about all aspects of the project is not yet readily available. More information will follow as this plan comes together.

[PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL]

Cheers, An American Without A Country

James W. Gilchrist, BAJ, BSBA, MBA (Taxation), CPA (Ca.) - retired Aliso Viejo, California.

Educate the Public. Please add to your emails:

"Government must defend us against INVASION by others" -U.S. Constitution, Article IV, Section 4.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing." -Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

"It is a sad day in America when the law-makers side with the law-breakers against the law-abiding citizens." -Ezola Foster

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a brave and scarce man, hated and scorned. When the cause succeeds, however, the timid join him...for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." -Mark Twain

"While we slept, the United States was stolen." - author unknown

This is starting to sound more and more like the great militia summit that was planned for central Montana (near Lewistown, to be exact) around the time of the Freemen standoff, which was advertised as a chance for all the region's Patriots to come together to talk strategy in the event of "another Ruby Ridge" in Jordan.

Eight militiamen showed. They were outnumbered by the 15 reporters at the summit.