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| Actual Americans grow Minuteman group amid illegal immigration fight |
| 2007-11-01 |
| KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Retired Kansas policeman Ed Hayes lives a quiet life with his wife and pet poodles in a spacious suburban home near Kansas City, far from the main front line over illegal immigration along the U.S. border with Mexico. But over the last 18 months the 66-year-old grandfather has been drawn into the battle nonetheless, becoming active on a second front. He has joined many individuals, who, with state and municipal leaders, have given up waiting for federal action and are working to control illegal immigration themselves. The issue has become a priority not only for activists like Hayes but also for state and local leaders around the United States The Minuteman group has a controversial reputation. Critics see it as a sometimes violent, racist organization of would-be vigilantes and some classify it as a hate group. But supporters say the group is non-violent and only aims to enforce the law. Because our goverment won't Minuteman membership has been growing nationally recently, with hundreds of new members added in the last three months, according to Garza. A new chapter is starting in Colorado with a new-member meeting November 17, and the group now has some form of representation in nearly every state with a total of more than 9,000 members, Garza said. Kansas City parks and recreation board member Frances Semler said she joined the MCDC last year because she was so frustrated with a lack of action by Congress and an increasing strain on community resources. Her membership has cost the city convention business and some have called for her dismissal. Frances hang in there Still, MCDC members say they see their fight against illegal immigration becoming more mainstream as states and municipalities around the country pass laws to curb illegal immigration. Forty-three states enacted 182 immigration-related laws this year, "an unprecedented level of activity," according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. "This is not a political thing," said Hayes. "It's not a Democrat or a Republican thing. It's an American thing." |
| Posted by:Icerigger |
| #3 It really angers me that none of the presidential candidates feel the same way about our illegal problem as I do. NONE. I say just stop giving illegals everything for free and they would leave on their own. We make it way too easy on them to be or remain illegal. This is a huge issue and all the candidates skirt it big time. I don't give a rip about same sex marriage, stem cell research etc etc. I do but lets talk about the war and illegals first. But noooooo. |
| Posted by: Jan 2007-11-01 21:46 |
| #2 Only 25 people, Rex? That coyote is an underachiever. A real one could pack in 65. Slacker! |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie 2007-11-01 15:48 |
| #1 Controversial my @$$. Look at who's crying "controversy" and then make up your mind. At the current pace, this has the potential to become the #1 issue in this country, eclipsing even the WoT. Watch the MSM to seize any incident in Iraq to deflect attention away from the house next door that is currently occupied by 25 people, none of whom speak English. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2007-11-01 15:02 |