August 25, 2005

Stop the ACLU! Blogburst - Yet Another Double Standard

Back in July, I did a post regarding the ACLU and their position against putting additional security cameras in cities with a higher propensity for terrorism and other criminal activity.  The ACLU cited concerns with the intrusion on privacy for every day citizens (even though they were in public places!).  Well, when the ACLU wishes to follow Americans who want to protect our borders, they have no issue tailing them and capturing their actions on camera - a practice not too far removed, it seems, from every day paparazzi:

SANTA FE - Used to be, Gary Buie and his family could go down to a local buffet in Birmingham, Ala., and fill up on comfort food and familiar eats.

Slowly, the all-you-can-eat buffet began to change. Six months ago, he and his family made the trip and were the only ones speaking English, he said in a telephone interview from Birmingham.

Alabama's immigrant population is growing, and residents like Buie are noticing.

To help the U.S. Border Patrol, the 53-year-old civil engineer and others from that state plan to drive to New Mexico in October to watch for and report undocumented border crossers.

Members of the group, the Alabama Minutemen Support Team, aren't anti-immigrant, Buie said, but "rules apply to everyone."

"I can see that through uncontrolled border access, people are coming through, and we don't know who they are."

Organizers say they hope 125 people will make the trip. About 30 have signed up so far.

These travelers will not be alone.  In addition to being joined by the New Mexico Minutemen, members of the ACLU won't be too far away.

While the Minutemen get ready for their duty, ACLU members today will start training legal observers, who will follow, photograph and videotape the Minutemen.

Ray Ybarra, an Ira Glasser Racial Justice Fellow with the national ACLU, will conduct the training.

"I hope the people of New Mexico aren't going to sit and let these vigilantes come to their communities and wreak havoc," he said.

Oh, c'mon, Ray.  VIGILANTES?  These are American citizens with one idea in mind - to peacefully protect our nations borders from being crossed by individuals who are entering our country illegally.  The hope is that they can prevent potential terrorists, criminals, illegals and other known law breakers from entering our country.  Oh, yeah.  I forgot.  The ACLU is on the side of the terrorists.

This isn't the first time the ACLU has "observed" minutemen.

Ybarra said about 150 observers were on the scene in Arizona in April, when a similar Minutemen operation was conducted. He also plans to hold trainings in Las Cruces and El Paso.

The ACLU conveniently forgets that the governor in New Mexico called for a state of emergency due to the issues they have faced with the surge of illegal immigrants crossing their border.  While New Mexico is doing everything they can to increase police and border patrol in the area, 125 willing volunteers certainly can't cause any harm in the interim. 

I just have to ponder...who would come to these volunteers' rescue if they raise concern that their "right to privacy" is being infringed upon by the very group who screams for that right on behalf of so many others?

***

This post is part of the Stop The ACLU Blog burst. If you would like to participate please Register At Our Portal.