2008 Woodie Awards
My View: Taking the time to talk to the Minutemen
By: Nichlaus Hulsebus
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: Opinion
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A spray painted message captures the sentiment of the townspeople of Nogales Mexico, " Fronteras; ci catrices en la tierra." Borders; scars on earth.
White wooden crosses hang from a wall that separates Nogales from Arizona; each cross represents a person who lost their life while trying to cross over to the United States.
At first glance it seemed like some sort of politically minded installment art, then I read the names on the crosses and saw the collection of withering flowers gathering lovingly around them.
I felt sick.
Over spring break I traveled to Tombstone, Ariz. to talk with the Minutemen.
Not the punk band, not the revolutionary war legends, no, these new Minutemen are a group of volunteer Americans who have decided to do something about the problem of immigration.
If you want to be a Minuteman, you will need the following items: one lawn chair, a good pair of binoculars, a decent two way radio and just a touch of over inflated self-righteous delusions of grandeur, which is a requirement for any activist.
I could sit here and bag on the Minutemen all day but the simple truth is that no matter how misguided their intentions, at least they are doing something about a very serious problem.
Simply put, the Minutemen's problem is with Mexican citizens trying to enter the country illegally to take jobs for less money.
There are a host of other nefarious activities along the border, such as drug smuggling and men called coyotes.
Coyotes take people's money and promise to lead them into America only to leave them stranded in the desert with no water and no way to protect themselves from the elements.
I cannot blame someone for wanting to escape poverty. Most of these people just want a chance to work so that they can provide for their families.
Still, the corpulent citizens of this country make their way down to the border to keep the Mexicans out.
I guess they don't have enough to eat. Most of the Minutemen are retired, so it's not their jobs they are protecting.
White wooden crosses hang from a wall that separates Nogales from Arizona; each cross represents a person who lost their life while trying to cross over to the United States.
At first glance it seemed like some sort of politically minded installment art, then I read the names on the crosses and saw the collection of withering flowers gathering lovingly around them.
I felt sick.
Over spring break I traveled to Tombstone, Ariz. to talk with the Minutemen.
Not the punk band, not the revolutionary war legends, no, these new Minutemen are a group of volunteer Americans who have decided to do something about the problem of immigration.
If you want to be a Minuteman, you will need the following items: one lawn chair, a good pair of binoculars, a decent two way radio and just a touch of over inflated self-righteous delusions of grandeur, which is a requirement for any activist.
I could sit here and bag on the Minutemen all day but the simple truth is that no matter how misguided their intentions, at least they are doing something about a very serious problem.
Simply put, the Minutemen's problem is with Mexican citizens trying to enter the country illegally to take jobs for less money.
There are a host of other nefarious activities along the border, such as drug smuggling and men called coyotes.
Coyotes take people's money and promise to lead them into America only to leave them stranded in the desert with no water and no way to protect themselves from the elements.
I cannot blame someone for wanting to escape poverty. Most of these people just want a chance to work so that they can provide for their families.
Still, the corpulent citizens of this country make their way down to the border to keep the Mexicans out.
I guess they don't have enough to eat. Most of the Minutemen are retired, so it's not their jobs they are protecting.