Schwarzenegger praises Minuteman

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SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who outraged some Mexican-American groups last week by calling for a closed border, praised the civilian volunteer Minuteman Project for its patrols to spot illegal immigrants.

"Look, they've cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants by a huge percentage," Schwarzenegger told KFI-AM's "The John & Ken Show" on Thursday.

The Republican governor accused the federal government of failing to control the border and said it encouraged illicit crossers by giving them access to water.

"The whole system is set up to really invite people to come in here illegally, and that has to stop," he said.

The Minuteman Project involves hundreds of volunteers, some armed, who have been patrolling the Mexico-Arizona border since April 1 to document and report illegal crossings.

Chris Simcox, a Minuteman organizer, welcomed Schwarzenegger's support. "It's gratifying to see that elected officials are responding to the will of the people," he said.

There are plans to expand the patrols to California in June, a move Schwarzenegger "does not oppose," said Margita Thompson, his press secretary.

President Bush has denounced the volunteers as vigilantes.

Nativo V. Lopez, president of the Mexican-American Political Association, called Schwarzenegger's comments Thursday "nothing short of base racism."

"Those of immigrant stock should have no illusions about what his real sentiments and feelings are toward them," he said.

Schwarzenegger's press secretary called the issue a matter of national security.

"It's not racist to ask the federal government to enforce its laws," Thompson said.

Schwarzenegger's comments came a week after he faced criticism for telling a gathering of newspaper publishers that the United States needed to "close the borders." He apologized the next day, blaming faulty English and saying he really meant the borders should be secured.

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that about 11 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, half of whom come from Mexico. California is home to 2.4 million, far more than any other state.

Schwarzenegger praises Minuteman

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What an Idiot!!!

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Yes, he's an idiot. But then again, he was an idiot before he became governor, so this shouldn't come as a surprise.

As idiots go, I wonder if, in relation to George W. Bush, he's

A) A bigger idiot
B) Just as much of an idiot
C) Less of an idiot

Man, that's a tough call.

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For the people to give up their right to personally see to their own interests, the government must agree to see to their interests for them. I think that's called the Social Contract. In this case, the government has not, and, apparently, will not, get the job done. They're too busy playing politics, and trying to get votes from various factions that would not like immigration laws enforced. If the government will not do it's job, at some point, the people have the right to ask for their power back.

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I find myself in the odd position of agreeing with Brandon. DAMN!!!!

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There are no simple, easy answers to this problem. I rather suspect the Ah-nold's views are simplistic, simply because my view of him before he became the Governator was that he was a self-promoting success story, but rather short on intelligence and insight. One needn't be an intellectual to be clever, and his parlaying a brief shot at fame as a body-builder into a major motion picture career shows him to have been very clever indeed.

In a certain sense, this might even do the would-be illegal immigrants a favor. The border in Tejas and in California was already considerably tightened in the last decade, with the result that immigrants now cross in the Chihuahuan desert, into Arizona mostly. More than a few have died there of dehydratoin. The "Coyotes" who take their life savings and dump them in the desert are definitely scum--and for all my objections to casual violence and gun violence, if i saw one of them gunned down before me, i'd get in the jeep and drive away, satisfied.

The problem with vigilantism, however, is the lack of control and oversight. I agree with the assessment that the Shrub and members of Congress are reluctant to crack down, not simply because of a desire to appeal to voters, but also because of the many high-stakes economic reasons they have to make nice with Vincente Fox.

Given the trends in multi-national capitalism, however, the economic equation which leads Latin Americans to spend their life savings and risk their lives to come here for what we consider dead-end, low pay jobs is not likely to change soon. It will only be when Wal-Mart has achieved the world hegemony it seeks that we will all be so poor that no one from Latin America wants to come here any longer.

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Ahhh now I'm back in warm and familiar territory...agreeing with Set.

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I have a friend (factually more of an aquaintance) who believes that the speed limit being 55, people who drive faster than 55 are breaking the law.

Because this wanton disregard for the law bothers him, he insists on driving 55 (or 65 where legal) in the high speed lane. Since 55 is the law, it should be high speed by definition.

He always drives in the left lane, because it pisses him off to see illegal drivers whizzing by him. Surprisingly they end up whizzing by him on the right after flashing a friendly finger of support for his law-loving patriotism.

This is a true story. I was quite embarassed to drive with him once.

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The self appointed "Keepers Of The Speed Limit".
Worse than a toothache.

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You are just agreeing with everyone here, aren't you blue...

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Arnold is not against immigrants, he is against ILLEGAL immigration. I agree on principle that the minuteman should not be taking matters into their own hands. But I'm glad they're doing it.

As far as Wal-Mart goes, we have only ourselves to blame. If people really didn't like low prices, they wouldn't shop there. Blaming the problem on a company doesn't make much sense to me. Wal-Mart has to be supported by someone! We want what Wal-Mart gives us.

I like immigrants. My ancestors were immigrants, just like everyone else's at some point (unless you live in east Africa, where all humans presumably originated from). I just don't agree that people have the right to sneak into the US illegally.

The government should have done something about this a LONG time ago. Brandon is right. If they refuse to do something about it, then the American people have the right to step in and do the job.

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I'm still stuck on:

Nativo V. Lopez, president of the Mexican-American Political Association, called Schwarzenegger's comments Thursday "nothing short of base racism."

"Those of immigrant stock should have no illusions about what his real sentiments and feelings are toward them," he said.

Immigrant STOCK? That doesn't seem to promote acceptance of Mexican Americans. Perhaps Mr. Lopez needs to check his own language skills?

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Those of immigrant stock describes absolutely everyone on both the North and South American continents--therefore, he enjoins every mother's son of us (and the daughters as well) to have no illusions, etc. . . .

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Get out. These idiots are running around in the desert because they don't like immigrants.

There are all kinds of ILLEGAL things going on.

People break the speed limit, make disallowed deductions on their tax forms and smoke in public places. In my state (MA), it is illegal to buy anything out of state and not report it on their taxes. Do you think anyone does this?

If these redneck buffoons are so worried about people commiting ILLEGAL acts, why don't they start in there own back yard. Let them hunt for steroids in their local gyms or track people buying booze for their kids.

This is hypocrisy, pure and simple. They are out hunting for brown-skinned foreigners.

edit: fix typo

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Ironically, some of those Mexicans who are being hunted can claim their anscestors were here a thousand years before the white Americans who are hunting them.

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ebrown_p wrote:

Get out. These idiots are running around in the desert because they don't like immigrants.

There are all kinds of ILLEGAL things going on.

People break the speed limit, make disallowed deductions on their tax forms and smoke in public places. In my state (MA), it is illegal to buy anything out of state and not report it on their taxes. Do you think anyone does this?

If these redneck buffoons are so worried about people commiting ILLEGAL acts, why don't they start in there own back yard. Let them hunt for steroids in their local gyms or track people buying booze for their kids.

This is hypocrisy, pure and simple. They are out hunting for brown-skinned foreigners.

edit: fix typo

It strikes you as not terribly feasible that people wouldn't want 10 million illegal aliens in their country unless they had a base hidden motive?

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I see absolutely nothing wrong with this. I am all for the Minutemen and seecuring the border. I love diversity, but not illegal citizens.

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Quote:

"Look, they've cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants by a huge percentage," Schwarzenegger told KFI-AM's "The John & Ken Show" on Thursday.

Actually it was
"LOOOK--- DEYF GUT DAWN DA GRAWSSINK AWF EELEEKAL EEMEEGRENZ BY A HUUUCHE BESENTECH"
I am a master at mimc on keyboard

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farmerman wrote:

Quote:
"Look, they've cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants by a huge percentage," Schwarzenegger told KFI-AM's "The John & Ken Show" on Thursday.

Actually it was
"LOOOK--- DEYF GUT DAWN DA GRAWSSINK AWF EELEEKAL EEMEEGRENZ BY A HUUUCHE BESENTECH"
I am a master at mimc on keyboard

Schwarzenegger praises Minuteman

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