HispanicVista Columnists

Arizona Minutemen leader a member of a known hate group.

By Patrick Osio, Jr./HispanicVista.com

May 30, 2005

 

    Other than Ku Klux Klan members and their followers, all would agree that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) correctly identifies the KKK as a “hate group.” The same can be said about some other SPLC listed “hate groups” such as the neo-Nazi, white supremacist groups - National Alliance, Aryan Nations or the Creativity Movement (formerly World Church of the Creator).  Or separatists groups like the Nation of Islam or The League of the South. No doubts - these groups have earned their status as bigots, racists and hate-group designations.

There would be no credibility for KKK member to claim he/she is not racist. Nor would it be believed were a neo-Nazi to say he/she felt nothing but good will towards Jews. In short, membership in such hate-group organizations marks the member as a bigot, racist towards those of different race, ethnicity or religion.

This brings us to another organization identified by the SPLC as a hate group - California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR) founded and headed by Barbara Coe in Orange County, California. CCIR earned its hate-group status for its inflammatory rhetoric towards illegal-immigrants and Mexican-Americans, and covert encouragement to assail them.

On multiple occasions Coe works with Glenn Spencer, founder of American Patrol also identified as a hate group by the SPLC. Spencer has close ties to neo-Nazi groups frequently using their volunteer services such as having a video he produced delivered to each member of Congress by Bettina McCann the then fiancé of neo-Nazi leader, Steven Berry, as reported the SPLC.

Both Coe and Spencer claim that US citizens, Mexican-Americans, are part of a Mexican government conspiracy to take back the southwest, the Reconquista, as they dub the operation. Coe has gone as far as to claim that she has exposed the Mexican plan and preaches “don’t let this happen in your state” trying to give the impression it means over run by illegal immigrants, when in fact it means that US Latinos must be stopped from continuing to grow in political influence, and economical and social position.

Spencer and Coe use their Constitutional right of free speech to hurl insults at Latinos with the intent of getting a verbal violent reaction or even better, for a physical confrontation. They have individually or together sponsored well publicized rallies or talks meant to bring out “the opposition.” During the rally, allies and members of Spencer and Coe mix in the audience hurling insults at the “opposition” – while the speakers, usually either Spencer or Coe deliver a tamer but nonetheless insulting talk from the podium. Henchmen with video cameras are placed in strategic locations filming the reaction of the opposition and hoping for a violent outburst to catch on camera. What causes the outburst can then be edited leaving only the opposition’s reaction. Or when news-media cameras are present the podium speakers put on an air of peaceful citizens speaking out against a terrible wrong to the nation and its citizens.

The ultimate goal is to provoke violence that can then serve as an excuse to retaliate with further violence and ultimately cause a race or ethnic war. The Washington Times reported that Spencer at an American Renaissance (another anti-immigrant and race group) conference said that a border war between the United States and Mexico "could happen any day… I think it’s a matter of time." He warned that millions of illegal immigrants flooding into California and other states in the Southwest are the foot soldiers of this (Reconquista) movement.

Coe and Spencer have been very active along the Arizona border. Recently Spencer fell out of grace with other anti-immigrant organizations due to an outburst of gunfire wherein he claims intruders were attempting to enter his Tucson home. He began firing his rifle managing to hit his neighbor’s garage door but fortunately none of the ghost intruders. He was arrested and now has a conviction on his record. He can no longer claim he is a man of peace, thus his value to the “cause” is greatly diminished.

So we now come to Spencer’s heir apparent, Jim Gilchrist, organizer and founder of the Minutemen. According to Barbara Coe, Jim Gilchrist is a member of her CCIR. As noted, the CCIR is a designated hate-group for their bigoted and racist activities. So, Jim Gilchrist as a member of CCIR is a racist.

And the Arizona border “minutemen” April 2005, operation fits the Spencer-Coe modus operandi – act peacefully, use patriotic sound bites, while covertly provoke violence. It was no accident that there were so many “volunteers” from well known neo-Nazi groups.

What backfired on the Gilchrist/Coe plans was that so many of the “volunteers” were not racist present to cause trouble, simply there believing the cause was legitimate and not knowing they were Coe/Gilchrist puppets. The “war” Spencer predicted did not happen.

On Wednesday, May 25, a well publicized meeting in Garden Grove featured Gilchrist as the keynote speaker – this time the Coe/Gilchrist duo got what they have long sought – violence.

After the speech as his followers were leaving one of them “scared for his life” ran over several protesters who had surrounded his car and were hitting it with placards.

After the driver hit the demonstrators sending them to the hospital, he was arrested, but released without charges while demonstrators were also arrested and held with bail initially set at $50,000.

Showing his true colors, Jim Gilchrist said – "If this isn't a declaration of war, I don't know what is."

A racist by any name.

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Patrick Osio, Jr is Editor of HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com) Contact at: PosioJr@hispanicvista.com

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive manual on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The manual is an in depth primer on the culture and protocol for better understanding Mexicans that in turn allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals.

The manual is available through Electronic delivery for $9.95 making it possible to download the manual to save on your hard drive, printing its entirety or particular sections while reaping considerable savings over printed copies.