Anti-immigrant Movement Hamstrung By Members
Published June 20, 2009 @ 12:46PM PT
The fragmentation of the Minuteman movement and proliferation of splinter groups even as popular support for the organization wanes demonstrates the untenability of a modern mass movement in the U.S. based on fear and racism. Minuteman founders Jim Gilchrist and Chris Simcox had barely organized the movement before their acrimonious split, and it has been downhill for the Minutemen ever since.
Dee from Immigration Talk has been publishing emails (first and second) from a disenchanted Minuteman, which tell of chronic infighting, romantic intrigue, intra-group defamation lawsuits, and staged video shootings of immigrants.
This is not a stable movement.
This is all to say that Shawna Forde is not an aberration in a group like this. Dave Neiwert and the SPLC were pointing out the connections between the Minutemen and white power groups back in 2005:
The day after the Minuteman rally in Naco, the two Alliance members there -- one of whom identified himself as "Sam Adams" -- were assigned to an observation post about a mile from McCutchen's location. They arrived there after a 10-minute "training session," driving to the post as they blasted white power music.
"We understand why Gilchrist and [project co-organizer Chris] Simcox have to talk all this P.C., crap," said one. "It's all about playing to the media. That's fine. While we're here, it's their game and we'll play by their rules. Once Minuteman's over, though, we might just have to come back and do our own thing."
And the media bought it without much scrutiny. Now anti-immigrant leaders are shocked--shocked!--that someone like Shawna Forde had slipped into these groups through deception. Back in 2005:
The presence of [neo-Nazi National Alliance] members was not much of a surprise, and there were likely more than that pair. "We're not going to show up as a group and say, 'Hi, we're the National Alliance," Alliance official Shaun Walker told a reporter in the run-up to the protest. "But we have members ... that will participate."
Repeated claims by leaders of the anti-immigrant movement that they have nothing to do with anti-Latin@ and white power groups are continually undermined by the grassroots participation in the movement by members of those groups.
[Images: SPLC]
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Comments (7)
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David is an attorney in Philadelphia, PA, where he helps immigrants to the U.S. navigate the complex immigration legal system. Views he expresses at change.org are his alone and don't represent the views or opinions of his employer, Nationalities Service Center. The information contained on this site is intended for educational and advocacy purposes only.
I tried the website www.LasVegasNA.com, and it doesn't exist. Makes me wonder if the National Alliance even exists.
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 06/22/2009 @ 03:30AM PT
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You can use teh Google as well as anyone else ... but you're right, all those white power organizations were just dreamed up by liberals in need of a bogeyman.
You might be interested to know that on the National Alliance main page you can buy yellow ribbon magnets that say "Bring Our Troops Home and Put Them on the Mexican Border" for the low low price of $2.50. I can't promise they won't put you on their mailing list if you buy one, but that's a risk you may have to take.
Posted by Dave Bennion on 06/22/2009 @ 05:06AM PT
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No, Dave, I did use the Google. Why don't you just give me the link?
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 06/22/2009 @ 06:17AM PT
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Dave, liberals do take rascists a lot more seriously than conservatives. We just laugh at them. You use use them as tool to attack the right, even though They have nothing to do with Us. Border security should have nothing to do with race or left/right issues. All Americans, no matter how long They have been here, no matter what shade, religion, or politics, have the right to feel their borders are being protected by the government They are paying to do that job. These vigilante groups should unnecessary. I hope Obama is doing a better job than Bush did.
Posted by Charlie Reed on 06/22/2009 @ 05:48AM PT
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Charlie, as long as the Republicans want the cheap labor for their corporate buddies and the Democrats remain PC, playing up to special interest groups and stop thinking about increasing their voter ranks from possible future citizens, we will never have border security I am afraid to say.
Posted by Mark Lindley on 06/22/2009 @ 06:58AM PT
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Mark, Your comment need not be one word longer, It said it all. Our only chance is to vote the bums out and vote in people from either party Who understand what We demand.
Posted by Charlie Reed on 06/22/2009 @ 08:38AM PT
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I tried the phone number 702-320-4885. That's bogus, as well.
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 06/22/2009 @ 02:36PM PT
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