Gunning For Canadians

Seattle-based journalist Dave Neiwert posted this video today of a "border patrol" down south taking pot shots at alleged border crossers.

The video is not produced by the Minutemen border freaks who have an outpost up in Blaine, Washington, but it's a spinoff of that group and Dave uses it to illustrate the fact that these guys are not fucking around. Q: What do you shout at a Canadian before you shoot at him?

Dave says:

This is how far-right "Patriot" groups organize: one or two organizations introduce and mainstream the concept by playing the straight man, while dozens of independent offspring go about wreaking havoc on their own agendas. We've seen this with groups like Laine Lawless' Minuteman spinoff, which strategized with neo-Nazis on the kinds of brownshirt tactics they could apply against Latinos; and with Minuteman support groups like California's Save Our State, which coddled neo-Nazis and neo-Confederates at their rallies and within their ranks. More to the point, the Minutemen themselves have been infiltrated since their inception by white supremacists, though they have announced their efforts to drive out such elements with much fanfare (without, exactly, being very convincing on the matter).

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By Dan in News on August 14, 2007 10:47 AM

Comments [rss]

Troy Morris

It's like the Irish Invasion all over again!

Dan

Just got an email:

Statement from Mayor Greg Nickels regarding today’s press conference
on immigration raids:

“Over the last few years, throughout our country, the Department of

Homeland Security has stepped up its campaign to arrest and deport

undocumented immigrants, using raids to detain them. These raids have a

devastating affect on families. Immigrant workers live in fear and

children are seeing their parents taken away.

“These raids do not address the root causes of our immigration

issues. Only safe and humane immigration policies can do that. The

American public agrees. Last April, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found that

78 percent of respondents think that illegal immigrants, currently

residing in this country, should be given a chance for citizenship.

“If these raids continue, I urge federal officials to at least

safeguard the rights and well-being of the dependents of those detained

-- many of these dependents are children who are U.S. citizens.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials can work with schools,

human service providers, child protective service agencies, and others

to ensure the safety of these innocent children.

“We have two choices. President Bush and Congress can continue

leaving millions of undocumented immigrants in the shadow of our society

unable to realize the full benefits of their labor. Or they can adopt

comprehensive reform and give undocumented immigrants a reasonable path

to legalization and citizenship. I call on the president and our

congressional leaders to make the right choice.”

Saxtor

One day on my way home from Mount Baker, I stopped in the Northfork Brewery to have dinner and struck up a conversation with a self-described "old school" border patrol guard stationed in the area. He was almost in tears telling about how much freedom and leeway he had at his former post on the Mexico border, and how different it is on the Canada border. He told stories of beatings, pistol-whippings and general lawlessness he participated in on the Mexico border, how different it is on the Canadian border and how much more difficult of a time he has doing his job. I asked him about the Minutemen, and he told me that they don't really do much on the Canadian border, but they were instrumental on the Mexico border. I feigned courtesy and respect (he was buying me beers after all), but the guy was quite despicable.