|
From the Hate or Heroism report by the Border Action Network:
Clad in camouflage fatigues with home-made "badges", using high-tech equipment and operating out of secret "headquarters”, anti-immigrant vigilante groups in southern Arizona are taking the law into their own hands. Heavily armed, these groups are rounding up undocumented border crossers at gunpoint, and turning them in to the federal authorities. In some cases, immigrants have been injured and brutally killed. Among the core vigilante groups operating in Southern Arizona are the Texas-based “Ranch Rescue”; Sierra Vista/Douglas businessman Roger Barnett, the “American Border Patrol”, lead by California-based radio talk show host and self-proclaimed “immigration control activist” Glenn Spencer; and the newly forming “Civilian Homeland Defense”, called to arms by the recently transplanted Californian and Tombstone newspaper owner, Chris Simcox.
In a post-September 11th climate and with an Administration that has supported secret detentions of immigrants, military tribunals, and neighbors reporting on the activities of neighbors, border vigilantes have been attempting to fuel anxieties about terrorism and national security. These groups are broadcasting the message that the U.S. is literally “under siege” by immigrants and that federal law enforcement agencies have failed to protect citizens from this perceived threat. Arizona vigilantes have created a climate of fear and anxiety that further justifies the aggressive and forceful tactics they claim are necessary to “protect our borders”.
While some of these groups refer to private property rights as cause for their paramilitary tactics ,”Hate or Heroism” shows that in all cases, the groups thinly veil their racism and in some cases are connected to national agendas that attack all people of color. The American Border Patrol's Glenn Spencer, for example, can be traced to the Council of Conservative Citizens and to neo-Nazi organizations such as the National Alliance.
The media coverage of vigilante activities tends to grant the greatest amount of air time to their charismatic leaders, offering a small amount of counter-point coverage to human rights groups protesting the widespread abuse of immigrants along the border. The voices of southern Arizona community members, however, barely register and immigrant voices are silenced altogether. For these reasons, the vigilantes are able to cast their actions as both mainstream and patriotic, and the real human costs of these activities are left unknown to outsiders.
“Hate or Heroism” calls for immediate action on a state and federal level. Our research reveals incidence of financial misconduct, a possible violation of state land leases, violations of Arizona's laws, and numerous incidences involving immigrants that warrant further investigation.
Although law enforcement officials have expressed concern about vigilante activities, there has been little action to stop the spread of these groups. On a number of occasions, vigilante leaders have openly challenged the legitimacy of law enforcement agencies, yet, much vigilante group membership consists of retired military, INS, and police officers. The result: law enforcement inaction, which becomes tacit approval of vigilantism and anti-immigrant activities.
Because of increased border militarization, immigration routes have been compressed into rural southern Arizona. This has created a situation in Cochise County that is untenable for immigrants, local residents, human rights advocates, and for anti-immigration advocates alike. In response, vigilantes call for varying degrees of further militarization of the border as a solution. While our report does not include discussion of immigration and border policies or militarization, it does point out that further militarization of the border is not a solution to immigration's impacts on rural communities nor will it affect the numbers of immigrants crossing the U.S.- Mexico border. The report argues that militarization has actually contributed to the growth of vigilantism and that "more of the same" will only exacerbate the violence, anxiety and fear that the vigilante groups are fomenting.
The report concludes with several concrete recommendations to Governor-elect Napolitano. She must step in and put an end to the emigration of hate groups into southern Arizona. And lastly, we make the point that as a community, we must also step up and speak out. "Hate or Heroism" shows that these groups target all racial and ethnic minorities and not only immigrants or Mexicans. We need to stand together to demand an end to the violence on the border before it escalates.
Please Don't Feed the Trolls
Wikipedia defines an Internet Troll as: "either a person who sends messages on the Internet hoping to entice other users into angry or fruitless responses, or a message sent by such a person." San Diego IMC strives to provide both a grassroots media resource as well as a forum for people to contribute to a meaningful discussion about local issues. Please, when posting comments, be respectful of others and ignore those trying to interrupt or discourage meaningful discourse. Thank you.
-- San Diego Indymedia volunteers
|
|
Download this article in pdf format >>
Make a quick comment on this article>>
|
Stories contributed to this site are licensed under the
Creative Commons Non Commercial - Share Alike - By Attribution license
unless otherwise specified by the author.
| 
