AZ Border War Could Get Hot This Weekend Sierra Times - Posted: 05.29.00

Southern Arizona - As the border war heats up, several Hispanic organizations appear to be joining the battle at the U.S. borders. According to a press release by La Voz de Aztlan, an emergency Vigil is to be held at Armory Park in Tucson, Arizona starting at 7:00 P.M., on Friday June 2, 2000, concerning what they claim as "the ongoing hunting and killing of undocumented Mexican workers by armed Arizona vigilantes and their supporters."

"The shooting and killing of our brothers and sisters from Mexico crossing the border will not be tolerated by the U.S. Latino leadership," said coalition leader Dr. Armando Navarro who along with Mario Obledo, President of the National Coalition of Hispanic Organizations, is calling for an immediate cessation of the defense action of the Arizona ranchers.

Latino groups and leaders from throughout the United States will join the Arizona based civil and human rights organization Coalition de Derechos Humanos, as well as national religious groups, in the Vigil at Armory Park which is located on South 6th Street between East 12th and East 13th Streets.

There has been no response from the Ranchers.

As reports of the latest shootings were blamed on Mexican citizens, The Sierra Times has learned via investigation and eye witness reports that several Mexican Nationals, driving Humvees, crossed the border and began shooting at Immigration and Naturalization Service Personnel. This was also reported in KFYI radio (910 am) in Phoenix last week when talk show host, Bob Mohan conducted a live talk show near the border. The Border Patrol is adding 10 agents to its 24-agent ranch patrol in Cochise County - at the heart of the border showdown. The press release also states that Arizona ranchers recently disseminated a "flyer" throughout the United States inviting white supremacists to come to their ranches to help hunt down Mexican workers crossing the border. But no verification of such a flyer has ever been reported, nor did any of the persons listed on the press release confirm such a flyer with The Sierra Times.

The coalition of left-wing hispanic groups called for a call for a national mobilization in support of the "Coalicion de Derechos Humanos. Candlelight Vigil" has been made by Navarro and numerous other leaders from throughout the country. Organizing efforts have been initiated to have caravans of supporters drive to Tucson to demonstrate their solidarity with the Coalition. Navarro stated, "the illegal and dangerous actions being taken by armed Gringo ranchers against defenseless and unarmed Mexicano and Central American immigrants cannot be and will not be tolerated. Navarro has not to this day retracted or apologized for the phrase "Gringo," which many Caucasian Americans consider a racist statement.

The sheriffs of Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz and Yuma counties, dismayed over a federal border policy that essentially has moved the bulk of migrant traffic to Arizona, also sympathized with rural residents coping with thousands of trespassers on their properties.

"The Border Patrol hasn't been very effective in protecting the property and lives of people who live on the border," said Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik. He told the Tucson Citizen that rural residents have been misrepresented in the news media as radical vigilantes, when - in fact - they have not acted illegally.

Ranchers and others are just protecting themselves and their property from trespassers, and the trash, human waste and environmental degradation that they leave behind.

Because of this, he has joined forces with sheriffs in 4 other counties to lobby for more federal help in stopping illegal immigration.

The federal government is pushing for a greater task force and more control over the border in Cochise County, but that is feared to send the illegal immigration problem else where. If the Border Patrol gains more control in Cochise County, the sheriffs warned, the INS strategy will push illegal crossings to Yuma County, where immigrants face extremely harsh conditions and could die in greater numbers.

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 02, 2000

Answers

This is serious stuff. Klintoon is not only allowing it to happen, but his policies have been setting it up for some time. Even though I live about 5 hours north of the border, it's not far enough for comfort. If Gore wins (God forbid) I'll move to Idaho. The rest of you Arizonans, keep your powder dry!

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 02, 2000.

You and all the other gun nuts belong in Idaho.

Isn't that the state that is heavily populated with militia members?

Sounds to me like you would fit right in.

-- (goons @are at this.forum), June 02, 2000.

Link

-- Enquirer (enq@just.the.facts), June 02, 2000.

Goons,

I suppose you'd like someone to suggest that you should leave your home state?

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 02, 2000.

A plague of human waste, litter, dead livestock and downed fences. Can't these folks around Douglas get a sense of humor? We're registering Democrats for Christ's sake. Get a grip!

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), June 02, 2000.

Flash,

Wait a minute! I live 3 hours north of the border and I don't have any issue with *those* people... We are so hypocritical here in this state it's unbelievable... I know Mexican families here in Arizona who can trace their family roots back some 150 years. No border will ever erase the fact that the SW was once part of Mexico; ya just cannot build a border around family ties, period! The xenophobic responces in our local media makes me puke. "English Only" is the battle cry, well, duhhhhhhhhh, any immigrant will tell ya that! But us honkies have no problem naming almost every damned street in Scottsdale, Az in Spanish. I hear the children of recent immigrants speak both in english and spanish equally.... I am of Irish blood and proud of that, but am not so narrow minded as to shut out the beaustiful culture and language *these people* bring to MY Arizona. So, while you head up to Idaho, don't let the door slam you in the ass on the way out and ?Porque no me mamas la berga?

-- Rob (celtic64@inficad.com), June 03, 2000.

Rob,

It's good to hear feedback from a real person living in the area. That's why I post stuff like this, not just to try and stir things up, but rather to try and get meaninful information and opinions from others.

Thanks for the update!

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 03, 2000.

Rob,

After a cup of coffee, I reread your post. Somehow my caffine-starved brain translated 3 hours north of the border to 3 minutes. If you live 3 hours north of the boarder, you are not anywhere near enought to the boarder to know what is going on. In fact, Phoenix is about 3 hours north of the boarder, and if you live in that area you likely don't know anymore about what is going on down there.

Why do you and others of similar beliefs always try and portray illegal immigration as a race issue? It's not. It's the simple fact of people who don't live in our country trying to illegally enter it, while others wait for permission to enter legally and according to the rules? I have some non-white relatives that waited several years for permission to immigrate legally. Obviously since we are talking about the boarder with Mexico, the people involved are mostly from Mexico and Central America. The race issue is being used by those with their own agendas.

Since I don't live down by the boarder, I must rely on what news I can uncover. Some of this comes from conventional sources, such as TV and the newspaper (AZ Republic). The rest comes from the internet. If you have facts, .ie. you live in the area or have friends or relatives that do, then they could also provide valuable information.

You say "but am not so narrow minded as to shut out the beaustiful culture and language *these people* bring to MY Arizona."

Who said anything about shutting Mexican or Hispanic culture in general, out of Arizona? It's an integral part of our lives here in the southwest, and I find the diversity stimulating. My wife is from another country. Mexicans and others who enter the country legally continue to bring more contemporary flavor as they immigrate.

Lastly, why do you and a number of others have the need to make insulting remarks to those whom you disagree with? If you have read my other posts, you haven't seen me doing this.

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 03, 2000.

Flash,

Because I spend all my vacations in Santa Cruz county in and around the Nogales area, I think that entitles me to a more birds eye view than just reading it in the paper. i bring up race because that is what it always boils down to here on the local Radio shows, *them people* don't want to learn english, *them people* suck off the tit of the welfare hog, *them people* are lazy! Sorry, but *them people* are some of the hardest working citizens this country has today. I hear about the drug traffic and criminals coming across the border, what about the northern frontier?? Unfenced and unmanned for the most part, yet I never hear people complain about that. Why is that? I know of a couple of illegal aliens here in Phoenix who are from Canada, yet they have no trouble getting a job or going about their daily lives. yet my hispanic friend whose family has been year several decades is consistently harrassed by the INS and a few times by *police raids* in Chandler to prove he belongs in this country... You don't see any hypocrisy here?? No double standard?? I am sick of it and I will speak out, vehemently, against it. I am sorry if you were offended, it was not my intention, but when my passions get the best of my, well, I can come across as an ass myself! there are solutions out there, but nobody wants to listin, after all, who wants *those people* here?

-- Rob (celtic64@inficad.com), June 03, 2000.

Rob:

There is a simple formula. It has nothing to do with race. The parts of the equation are the United States, Mexico, the Republic of Texas [Tejas]. These are followed by San Jacinto. If you know history [without revision] that answers your question. It is the same reason that the Normans control England, etc.

Now if you need an explanation; it isn't worth talking about.

Best wishes,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), June 03, 2000.

Z

am not a fan of revisionist history at all, so yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. The history of the United States has been very ugly at times and the period you are referring to is one of theose times.... and today, we are paying the price for that, no?

-- Rob (celtic64@inficad.com), June 03, 2000.

Rob,

Thanks for the clarification. Now I can understand why you feel the way you indicated. I agree that the immigrants are hard working people and most want nothing more than a job to support their families. It is tragic how they are often exploited here, and sadder when they die in the desert. In my mind, the biggest culprit in the current situation is the Clinton Administration which is refusing to properly enforce the law and pushing the locals to desperate means. I think that there is a lot of media hype and hysteria fanning that goes on in pursuit of the almighty dollar, too.

Z,

Thanks for weighing in. As you indicate, we are facing an invasion which must be stopped, hopefully by peaceful means, or it will eventually cause social upheaval. If the government will just allocate the necessary resources and enforce the law, it can be done peacefully. If not, we need to ask why? Maybe Carlos is right!

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 03, 2000.