SPECIAL MINUTEMAN PROJECT EDITION

Dear Readers: In honor of April Fools’ Day, I turn this column over to Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project movement, to answer your preguntas. Enjoy!

Jim’s Response: Immigrants are not a problem, as long as their presence here is legal and within the realm of a responsible immigration policy.Immigration should be of prescribed numbers of persons with vocational skills needed to continue the U.S. as an economic powerhouse with a healthy middle class.An immigrant’s integrity and moral character are also necessary to continue our nation as a civilized nation governed by the rules of law.

In light of the irresponsible attitudes of many of our political governors regarding national security and enforcing U.S. immigration laws, a towering border fence is an appealing solution. If our bureaucrats doubled the funding of the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), there would be little need for an international fence except in the most remote areas. To grant citizenship or legal status to illegal aliens would mean we are no longer a nation of laws, but a nation governed by mob rule – something anathema to a civilized society.

Sadly, there is an element of racial supremacy feeding some immigration law enforcement advocacy groups.In my opinion, William Gheen’s ALIPAC, Jeff Schwilk’s San Diego Minutemen, and the California Coalition for Immigration Reform appear to be the more abusive groups hiding behind the mantra of “immigration law enforcement” to veil sinister agendas of fascism and/or racism. These groups are no better than the Black Panthers, Brown Berets, Asian gangs, Jewish Defense League, and similar hate groups.