Human Rights Commission to visit Whatcom County

Minuteman concerns prompt visit from human rights panel
JON GAMBRELL
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Saying the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps inspires fear among minorities, the Washington State Human Rights Commission will come to Bellingham later this month to hear testimony about immigrant life in Whatcom County.

The five-member commission visit comes after about 450 people marched on downtown Bellingham over immigrant rights and as the Washington Minuteman Detachment continues a monthlong watch of the county's border with Canada.

Marc Brenman, the executive director of the commission, said concerns over the Minuteman group's "anti-immigrant rhetoric" on the Internet spurred the meeting, scheduled for April 27. ...(more)

I'm sure the Border Vigilantes will be rushing to say, "ah gee-golly, we're just like a neighborhood watch". But evidence of their intimidation tactics aren't hard to find.

The march also drew counter-protesters. Tom Williams, leader of the Washington Minuteman Detachment, videotaped marchers from a black Jeep parked along the route. (source)

Kirk Shields-Priddy owns a farm on the border. He voiced opposition to the Minutemen, saying: "We could not receive a hard and fast assurance from the minutemen that they would not be carrying guns. They were indicating they had the right to tresspass on our property." (source)

The plans, confirmed by Seattle Minuteman organizer Spencer Cohen, would have volunteers suggest job sites across the state believed to employ illegal immigrants. Minuteman volunteers would wave protest signs and potentially take photographs of suspected illegal workers to post on the Internet. (source)

Their message is real clear: 1.) they think everyone with brown-skin is a suspect (and maybe even a terrorist) and 2.) if you disagree with them, you better do it quietly because they are (probably) armed-and-dangerous.