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| Minutemen to build fences on private property |
| 2006-05-10 |
| Anticipating no response to its demand that President Bush place U.S. troops on the Mexican border, a civilian watch group said Tuesday it will start building a short border security fence May 27 on private land. Last month, Minuteman Civil Defense Corps leader Chris Simcox said the group would break ground to start putting up fencing privately unless the White House deployed military reserves or the National Guard to the border by May 25 and endorsed more- secure fencing. "We are not anticipating that the White House will make any effort in the next 2 1/2 weeks as far as putting troops on the border, or even as far as moving training to the border," Minuteman spokeswoman Connie Hair said. The group initially plans to put up two parallel 15-foot high steel-mesh fences, anywhere from 50 to 150 feet long, on a ranch in Southern Arizona, the busiest illegal entry point on the U.S.-Mexican border. An unpaved road will run between the fences. Hair declined to reveal the location in hopes of avoiding harassment, repercussions or retaliation. Todd Fraser, a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman in Washington, said the agency has no position on such fencing. "If private citizens want to construct something on their property . . . who is the Border Patrol to say they can't do it?" Fraser said. The Minuteman group has received about $175,000 in Internet donations to build fencing, while others have volunteered time, equipment and materials, Hair said. Initially, a large fencing company offered to donate materials, but it won't be able to provide supplies immediately, she said. The Minuteman group will buy the materials to be used later this month. Hair said Simcox still hoped to hold costs to between $125 and $150 a foot with volunteers donating labor, including design and survey work, as well as heavy equipment. Plans call for a fence complex based on an Israeli design. Much seeting expected. On the south side facing Mexico, a 6-foot deep trench will keep vehicles from crashing through the fencing. Behind that, coiled and razor-edged barbed wire will be placed in front of a 15-foot high heavy-gauge steel mesh fence angled outward at the top to make climbing more difficult. The other fence will be built behind that on the other side of the road. Inexpensive video cameras will be mounted between the fences and monitored from home computers. Other Minuteman groups have also undertaken fencing projects. On April 30, some 200 Minuteman Civil Defense Corps of California volunteers began building a 6-foot barbed wire fence along a quarter-mile of rugged terrain 50 miles east of San Diego. It connected to an existing 12-foot high government-built fence. Meanwhile, the California-based Minuteman Project, founded last year by Jim Gilchrist, is raising money to build a private fence along parts of the California-Mexico border. Simcox said last month that a half-dozen Arizona border landowners indicated they would allow fencing to be put up. Other border landowners in California, New Mexico and Texas also have given their approval, he said. |
| Posted by:Jackal |
| #16 Here's the Minutemen Fence site. I like their design - and donated enough to build a few feet. There are "competing" orgs, but I wouldn't trust anyone else with my donation. Simcox is doing everything right. Adding signs would be another good step, but the fence is the key - and yes, Moose, I recall you were the first here to strenuously call for its construction in the key places - kudos and my appreciation. You were right. Simcox is beginning to succeed in shaming the Congress into acting. It's working, people, please keep it up and lay some money down. We will win this one in spite of the asshole politicians, but the sweetest part IMHO will be thumping the socialistas with a hefty length of rebar across the nose. |
| Posted by: Ulinert Gleaper6365 2006-05-10 22:07 |
| #15 That is something I suggested a while back. Put up big signs that frighten (not threaten). Maybe with a big thermometer on top saying something like "110 degrees - 2 miles - 1 gallon of water" (how hot it is, how far most people can walk at that heat, and how much water they will need to drink). Tell them how far it is to the next water and to turn back now if they have any doubts. Give them dire warnings of how dangerous it is, and how to signal for help, to beware of robbers and drug runners who may kill them. And liberally covered with skulls and crossbones. By themselves, such signs wouldn't stop many. But added to other things, they might have a powerful deterrent effect. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-05-10 21:48 |
| #14 Seriously, they should read "Do you want to die" |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-05-10 21:09 |
| #13 One, Mexican version of Spanish. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-05-10 21:07 |
| #12 In how many languages? |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2006-05-10 16:30 |
| #11 What's to stop the wet backs from cutting through the fence? "Trespassers Will Be Violated" signs? |
| Posted by: ed 2006-05-10 16:07 |
| #10 What's to stop the wet backs from cutting through the fence ? Snipers are one solution. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-05-10 15:38 |
| #9 Kind of off subject here but, are any 'Burgers Minuteman? |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2006-05-10 15:04 |
| #8 fake but accurate |
| Posted by: Dan Rather 2006-05-10 13:22 |
| #7 There are several Google references to those numbers, but didn't find the original source. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-05-10 13:14 |
| #6 Truly, Besoeker? Or just good snark? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-05-10 13:05 |
| #5 Boycott Results On May 1st, as a result of the Mexican boycott, national retailers reported 4.2% lower sales for the day, with a 67.8% reduction in shoplifting. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-05-10 11:32 |
| #4 God Bless America!! |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-05-10 11:01 |
| #3 No snipers. Correction - there might be, but they'd be coming from the southern side of the fence... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-05-10 11:00 |
| #2 i just wished i lived in texas or arizona or had money too donate too help build the fences. maybe i could get a job as a sniper along one of them |
| Posted by: Greamp Elmavinter1163 2006-05-10 10:03 |
| #1 C'mon federal f*cks! Lets see you stop people from building fences on their own property. You go Chris! |
| Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-05-10 09:58 |