Minutemen once again rejected from Fremont 4th of July Parade
By martz
Thursday, June 26th, 2008 at 1:19 am in Fremont, Uncategorized, minutemen.
Here we go again. The local minuteman group isn’t being allowed to participate in Fremont’s Fourth of July parade because its presence would require more police officers to work the parade and, consequently, a bigger police overtime bill for parade organizers.
Last year the parade spent an extra $4k on police officers, including plain-clothed officers for fear that the minutemen’s presence would lead to violence, parade chairwoman Patty Hitchcock.
It didn’t.
Charles Birkman, a local minuteman, said he thinks the police and parade organizers are using the policing issue to keep them out of this year’s parade. The group is planning to file suit in order to be allowed in for the second straight year. The group was only allowed to march last year after the city gave parade organizers a $15,000 grant.
The parade is run by a nonprofit group and can chose who it wants to march, Hitchcock said. Fremont police determine how much policing is needed for an event. This is the second time this week that police overtime has affected a civic celebration. The League of Volunteers cancelled a carnival scheduled for the Fremont Hub when it couldn’t afford to pay for police overtime.
Here’s news coverage of last year’s parade:
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:17 am
What a great country, where we get to hear bigots whine about being excluded as they try to exclude others.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:55 am
If wanting national security and being proud to be an American is bigotry than Jon Simon is beyond an idiot. Mr. Simon has no idea whatsoever what the Minutemen stand for because he obviously has a progressive agenda that matches the globalists who work to destroy the American middle class. The middle class who btw, are the very taxpayers who have built this country and who continue to pay for city services through their taxes. I’m betting Mr. Simon also supports “the Fairness Doctrine” which limits free speech to only those who agree with him. The Minuteman are patriots and are the LEAST bigoted of any of the groups operating in our city. I guess Mr. Simons also agrees that a “perceived” hate crime is not Nazism either! What a buffoon!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Why is it so prevalent these days to invoke racism in lieu of articulating a position? It is ridiculous to claim those in favor of secure borders are bigots. Painting those who support secure borders as bigots is as much of an act of bigotry as the one Jon Simom claims to be against.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:19 am
American pride and national security are not signs of bigotry, though they’re often used to justify it. I have a simple agenda, that all people deserve to be treated humanely and not discriminated against over something as arbitrary as the patch of ground they were born on. If we can discriminate over that, then we could do so for anything, such as race, creed, sexual orientation, and political beliefs. And that gets to the heart of my point; the Minutemen feel free to exclude others from America while getting all huffy when others try to exclude them from anything. I certainly do not think you should be excluded, though I feel it necessary to point out the hypocrisy. Love your neighbor as yourself.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:34 am
My favorite quote from a local Minutemen member was the lamentation, according to the Argus, that, “the face of construction is brown.” I also enjoyed hearing about how we live in a Christian nation. Then there was the lady who gave justification for the murder of Gwen Araujo. “Secure borders” is a rhetorical tool, just like “intelligent design.”
June 26th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Are we missing the point here. The 4th of July Parade is to celebrate the singing of the Consitition of the United States of America.
I think the majority of us believe the munutemen are radicals, extreme far right, racist, etc. But, they have the Constitional right to express there point of view.
If we exclude them, censor them, then ask yourself, are we as bad as them?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Yes, Mr. Simon, legal citizens have a right to exclude people who are in this country illegally. We can’t take in the world, and support them. Why have laws unless you follow them? I have an idea, why not invite about 100 illegals, into your personal home, feed and dress them, educate them, give them medical care, and all for free. Let’s see how quick you’ll be to judge law abiding, legal American citizens who are trying to save this country from invaders who will turn this country into a third world cesspool. Only after you do this Mr. Simon, do you have a right to criticize the Minutemen…you need a reality check. Overpopulation breeds poverty.
Check this site, you may learn something.
http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ
June 26th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Coyote Bill, I totally agree that they should be able to express their point of view. It seems like the legality of not allowing them is disagreed upon between the organizers and the Minutemen. From what little I know on the subject, political discrimination is often legal, though not necessarily right.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Lois,
Laws are not always right, like the ones that supported slavery and the others against miscegenation. For the most part, those who come here illegally do so to get a better life through hard work, just as those who come here legally, like my wife and her family. They are not leeches. Immigration improves our country. We are a nation of immigrants. Chances are, every single reader and poster of this forum is descended from immigrants who arrived within the past 200 years. Mine came in the early 20th Century. How about yours?
June 26th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Sometimes free speech is just too expensive? Better to forgo free speech, especially if something that is feared to happen doesn’t occur? Safety ensures liberty, etc.. Curious that Fremont’s Protected Person clause was not mentioned?
“The approval vote came in response to a request made by Cho. “The condition of receiving the money (the $15,000)was that they (the parade committee) would have to abide by the same rules as if the city was running the parade,” Cho added….Taking that step would protect the city from accusations of unfairness or EVEN LAWSUITS claiming First Amendment violations, city officials said. ”
So was this an issue of gratuity/finance, or was it about the city and parade protecting itself from first amendment violations?
June 26th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Mr. Simon, I think you have misquoted something, as most liberals do, twisting the facts. If you’re referring to the meeting of March 12, 2007, I was at that meeting. The woman did not say there was justification in Araujo’s death. She made a comment stating that the murderers probably felt their manhood was questioned, is why they chose to murder. Because many people wonder why people resort to heinous crimes. There was no justification whatsoever. She did not, does not believe Ms. Araujo deserved to be murdered. How shameful of you Mr. Simon twisting the truth.
Yes, we do live in a Christian nation, our system of government,was founded on Christian principles.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Jon Simon,
Fremont, at the behest of your civic organization–the Anti-Hate Alliance–has adopted one of the most radical, inclusive statements regarding anti-discrimination, which, unfortunately for your PC mindset, includes protection of all ‘political viewpoints’. Therefore the city has made herself liable. That’s the crux of this issue.
Also, I’d also like to point out how ill-informed you are on our laws. The 14th amendment guarantees all the rights of citizenship for people born here. It does not grant such rights on the basis of skin color, national origin, or merely “being” in the country. This is why ‘undocumented migrant workers’ are in fact illegal…. hello?
June 26th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Jon Simon, if I come knocking on your door asking for a meal and a spot on your sofa, would you be discriminating against me when you tell be to bug off?
Just as your overuse of the word bigot has widdled the word meaningless, your definition of “discrimination” is also misplaced and thus rendered impotent. This puts those who are victims of ACTUAL bigotry and discrimination at risk of being neglected.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Jon, we may not always agree with the law, but we should abide by them, or we have anarchy. This is supposed to be a civilized nation, not one that if it feels good, do it without.
Those that come here illegally, they are committing thievery. They are stepping out of line, they’re pushing themselves before those that are doing it legally. So everyone wants a good life? Then why don’t these illegals try to fix their own country? Make a better life in their country? Haven’t they any ingenuity? Overburdening American legal citizens, will cause resentment, and rightfully so. American citizens can see this invasion of illegals as a threat to their future generations. What ends up happening is the illegals makes this country just like the country they left.
I ask you Jon, where does it end? You feel we should let everyone in? Are you willing to take in at least 100 illegals into your private home? You haven’t answered my prior post. It’s no different than what you are asking the Americans to do, this country is our home. You want this country to be overpopulated, like China? And other third world countries? The American lifeboat is full, bulging….we can’t take in anymore. I say deport the illegals, leaving room for those that choose to come in the right way.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Mr. Jon Simon,
I also find particularly offense you quotation of the Bible, especially considering your ties with the AHA, aka., Fremont’s interfaith council. “Love thy neighbor” is no liscence to sin or transgress the will of our Living Lord. I would kindly remind you to refer to Leviticus 19:15
‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly”
The God of the Bible is a Lord who not only loves but is also Just.
2 Ths. 1:5-9, “All this is evidencej that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthyk of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heavenn in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.They will be punished with everlasting destruction”
Is God only Love?
Nor does He contradict his own Law. God is not a Lord of confusion. What is His Law? read here: http://www.bibleimmigration.blogspot.com/
June 26th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Yawn,,,jeff,,,please spare us all that silly religious stuff and stick to the issues. That said, thank God, Pete Stark is an Atheist!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
A lot to respond to so I’ll just do it in a jumble.
I’m not familiar with the AHA, but interfaith councils sound like a good thing to me. I don’t know how that quote was offensive; I always thought the Golden Rule was positive. I fail to see why treating illegal immigrants humanely would require accepting 100 people into my home. Last I checked, several million work and live in the US and I haven’t had to house, feed, or clothe one of them. I may have educated some, but I never even thought to ask. The US is not full and it is not the world’s lifeboat – I did watch the video and was not impressed. My life is greatly enriched by immigrants and I am thrilled with Fremont’s diversity.
I’m not big on the whole “Us versus Them” mentality. I try to think of everyone as “Us” and only deviate when someone violently makes it unavoidable that I am a “Them” to them (like Al Quaeda).
June 26th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I know that Mr. Simon would like to turn the comment board into his own personal platform page… but, I believe that the real issue here is that the Minutemen are being unconstitutionally excluded from the 4th of July Parade. I’m a constitutionally minded American citizen myself, and I believe that the City of Fremont and the Parade organizers are WRONG for attempting to keep the Minutemen out of the Parade. From what I’ve read, this isn’t the first time that this has happened. Last year the City eventually caved into the pressure and with a little organization, on behalf of the Minutemen, and preparation of legal documents (hint, hint) I think that the City of Fremont will attempt to avoid the unfavorable label of an Unconstitutional Exclusionary City. For the 1st Amendment, For Secure Borders and the American Way… I stand with the Minutemen!
June 27th, 2008 at 6:44 am
This episode of Us, Them and Everybody Else should pretty much squelch a parade in 2009. Who would want to deal with all the grief! Oh well, it saves contributors a bunch-o-money and the city the overtime pay for the PD.
Two questions for Charles – 1. Will the Minutemen be marching in other Bay Area parades? and 2. Why was the Fremont parade selected for participation?
June 27th, 2008 at 10:09 am
My comment regarding your inviting 100 illegals into your private home, is no different than your saying it’s okay to allow illegals into this country. This country is my home, I want order in my home. You say you haven’t had to pay for any illegals….you have got to be kidding!!! Legal Americans are paying $338 billion each year on the illegals. To me, they are thieves. We’ve become a communist nation, without most knowing it.
So, am I to assume you are a teacher in the government school system? If so, you are a part of the problem. Since the 1960’s, and beyond, the children have been dumbed down by the government schools. You can’t help it Jon, you’re a victim, because you were educated by the government school system too. You look to be fairly young, you know no better. I realize there are many good people go into the teaching profession (my granddaughter is one, but I’ve made her aware) wanting to do right, but they themselves have been indoctrinated, and if not made aware… become “change agents” for the one world order…the ungodly, enslavement system. It’s all about controlling the world.
The U.S. is full, cannot take in anymore peoples. I believe the U.S. should STOP, or at least slow down legal immigration also. The enemy within this nation is using the old strategy, united we stand, divided we fall. We are divided by diversity. Many of the immigrants of today will not, do not assimilate into being Americans. They want to change this country to their culture, destroy American culture…for those that feel that way….my message is…go home! Many do not speak English, refuse to learn. Unlike the immigrants of many years ago, that had to learn English, could not go on the government dole, had to have sponsors, had health checks, had to learn our Constitution correctly. The illegals feel they don’t have to follow the rules. Personally, I like most people, and can get along with most people, I am respectful of others, but I also know there are limits. Americans have to be smart, knowing they can’t take in the world. Good, soft hearted Americans also have to use their brains.
Mr. Simon, my question again is….where does it end? Give us all an invite, when you take in 100 illegals into your personal home, let us see how you feel….how do you like it? Can you handle it? Be a man, take care of the 100 illegals….don’t make the rest of us American taxpayers pay for them.
Tell me where does it end?
June 27th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Hello Doug,
It will be interesting to see if the courts find the lack of municipal finances a reason to trump the 1st amendment? Regardless, it will be a very interesting case.
Nonetheless, as Patty Hitchcock said, “That isn’t how they broke it down to us when we were sitting in gigantic meetings with all of the (city) departments,” –the city seems to have changed its story, and we want to know “the 4 w’s”?
To answer your question: You bet. We certainly plan to be in the parade 2009. We chose Fremont because
1. We are voting and tax-paying residents in Fremont. It’s our hometown…
2. We marched in the parade the prior year with no incident or problems, with the crowd applauding, so why not the next?
It’s not simply a matter of us complaining. It’s a matter of a high-level attitude, from the city council down, which has abridged our right to peaceful assembly and free speech. WE have done this same thing elsewhere, and Fremont is the ONLY city to adopt obstructionist measures. So, something certainly is unusual, and we get a hint of it when we read statements of city leaders against us. And for what? We have only held rallies in Fremont in support of Congressional legislation. No more. Is this a crime? Geeeeeshhhhh!!!!!!
June 27th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Steve Cho, “maybe you should pick another issue” after we told him we were attacked by an International Socialist Organizatin (ISO) mob in June 2006.
Bob Wasserman, “these people should move to Pleasanton”, just before he MC’d a conference with La Raza in Alameda City. Saying people like ourselves should leave Fremont parrots what the ISO pledged, “Run the Minutemen out of Town!”
Bob Wakoski, “I would boo with them” (if he saw the Minuitemen marching)
Remember, these are our city leaders talking with respect to our rallies and particiption in Fremont’s civic life.
Not to mention many, many other instances.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:24 am
…As a result we’ve don’t have equal protection. Now where in our laws is “equal protection” granted? Do you know?
June 27th, 2008 at 10:27 am
What a great country we live in were (people) like Jon Simon who throw around false accusations of bigotry can exercise his First Amendment Right to free speech but a group of people who want to preserve our national sovereignty are not allowed to march in a parade.
Illegal immigration contributes to many of the problems facing our country like over-population, our health care crisis, and identity theft to name a few. The Minute Men should be held as heroes for having the guts to stand up to these criminals and the politicians who protect them.
I am also sick of hearing that illegal aliens are not criminals. The fact is to work in this country you have to provide some form of proof that you are here legally, such as a social security card, green card or work under the table. Every illegal is a criminal because not only did they illegally cross our border but they are guilty of fraud, tax evasion, forgery, identity theft or a combination of these.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Great points Lois! Many illegals come to America to exploit our country, not embrace it. I believe that all Americans are generous and understanding people. We can all respect people that come to our country (legally) to provide a better life for themselves and their families, however the ultimate priority should always be given to the American people, our needs, our hospitals, our schools, our children, our infrastructure, our laws, our language, our programs, our roads, our jobs and our way of life!
June 27th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Charles, thanks for your reply to my Q2. You did not respond to Q1, Will the Minutemen be appearing in other Bay Area parades this July 4th?
Illegal immigration is a serious issue, and as evidenced by the comments posted, contentious. This leads to another question, why use a venue, a parade celebrating liberty and freedom, for an issue to be settled by the courts and Congress? Do you see it as the chance to gain visibility for the cause?
June 27th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Dear Doug,
We wanted to part of Fremont’s parade because we are patriots and the fourth of July is a celebration of the founding of an Independent, sovereign nation. Thus, we believe we fit right in since our group seeks to protect our soveriegnty, independence, and rule of law. We are a civic interest group, no different from other civic groups involved in the march. Moreover, we are a specifically patriotic organization.
The rules of the parade committee required we do not bring any signs or banners which included political messages. We were only allowed a single banner with our Organization name on it. This we did, and we were very careful to abide by the rules of the parade. That being said, there were other groups who did not abide by all the rules and brought their own political messages into the march (signs). We have this documented. Yet they appear to be in the march this year…so go figure? Because we abided by the rules, we were not using this as a venue to promote our cause. We were simply participating. We do not make our participation controversial, rather it is our city leaders which seem bent on such. This is because our city leaders are predisposed to progressive politics. Why else whould the Mayor be at an Open border conference in Alameda with La Raza present?
Q1: We will not be marching in any other parade this year. We intended to march in Fremont’s, as we did last year. Our membership (EBCBS/GGMM) is in Fremont. We are a Fremont organization. We turned in our application early (one of the first), and dutifully attended the public parade committee meetings. We were one of the more engaged parade groups until we were declined this year.
You brought up several other questions which I can’t answer due to lack of time. But I want to say this issue has not been settled by either the courts or Congress. It has been aggravated. And, until it is settled, local and state jurisdictions have chosen to address it. This issue is being addressed outside the federal domain… Ever hear of Sanctuary cities? How about the illegal alien ID cards issued by San Francisco and in the state of Mass? Thus, you are indeed kidding yourself if you think this is solely a Federal issue.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Doug, Why don’t you take a closer look at the groups that participate in the Parade.I think you will find that there are groups that have views on controversial subjects, or potical issues, but yet they are allowed to participate and celebrate America’s 4′th of July.
Why is it so hard for our City Officals, Parade Cordinators, and Others,to believe that maybe just maybe Fremont’s Minutemen would like to take part in the festivities in the city in which we live, with out displaying any message and give thank’s to the country that has been so good to us.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Charles’ and Mike’s responses raise valid points. The fact that the Minutemen were allowed to participate last year without incident lends credence to their question, what changed this year? And yes, I have seen groups carrying signs in support of their specific causes.If we believe we are staunch supporters of the Constitution, then freedom of speech must be vigorously defended, for all, by all.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
NO TO THE A’s IN FREMONT!!!
June 27th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Steve Cho points out the fact that this is a 1ST Amendment issue. What’s the difference between last years parade and this years parade then? Why take the exclusionary position? Public leaders seeking office should come to the aid of the Minutemen and take a stand for the 1ST Amendment, if they plan on being elected, of course.
Steve Cho should be the first in line to help the Minutemen out, considering he himself was personally invited by the Minutemen to attend the Fremont Republican Candidate Forum that several other candidates also attended.
It’s one thing, Mr. Cho, not to know what a sanctuary city is, even though you’re running for Mayor of Fremont, it’s another to allow your fellow community leaders to willfully trample the rights of fellow American citizens, without doing a damn thing about it.
Lets not forget, these community leaders take an Oath of Office to “protect” and “defend” the Constitution. I guess that Oath means nothing to people like Steve Cho, Bob Wasserman and the rest of the Fremont City Council.
Don’t worry though, the voters will have their say soon!
June 27th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Joanne said “Don’t worry though, the voters will have their say soon!”
What are they going to say?
Fremont has three people running for Mayor: Former Mayor Morrison , current Mayor Wasserman, and termed-out current Councilmember Cho.
The political spectrum, from left to right, probably looks like this: Morrison, Wasserman, Cho, Minutemen.
If the Minutemen are unhappy with Cho, which candidate for Mayor will they vote for? If they vote for none of the above, who will win?
June 27th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
There are a lot of attacks flying between minutemen defenders and Mr. Simon, our first poster.
I want some of the defenders of the minutemen to respond more calmly. The commenter, Lois, for example, has made a few comments that seem exasperated and don’t seem well thought out.
Friends, please realize that the minutemen and immigration are not incompatible, to the best of my knowledge. Minutemen are standing to defend our constitution, laws, and a proper and fair legislative system through which to make those laws, and they are against illegal immigration, NOT illegal immigrants.
The immigration debates that we have are a result of an immigration system that can’t possibly work to everyone’s benefit. Realize we have to change this system. There are several ideas, and at best I believe the goal should be to make legal immigration easier and cheaper, so that illegal immigration is truly a worse and more difficult option.
Now, the statement that I object to in particular is: “They want to change this country to their culture, destroy American culture…”
I hope the minutemen don’t believe that, Lois. It would make it difficult to defend them. That, in itself, is an un-American thought. It is culturally intolerant, and our country was meant to be the most tolerant of all. Our heritage was meant to be one of tolerance. Closing the back door the illegals come in through and finding a way to widen the front door so we can welcome them safely and legally, I believe is compatible with the minutmen’s goal. Shouldn’t they be able to practice their traditions and display their culture upon (legal) immigration, if this is truly a FREE society?
As for the situation with the parade, I just want to comment that this is whack. The city of Fremont is making ridiculous excuses. Anyone, no matter what their opinions, who genuinely act with the interest of our country in mind deserve to be proud and take part in celebration. I don’t see what the problem is.
June 27th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Lois, in your post, no. 20 in this string, you stated,”Legal Americans are paying $338 billion each year on the illegals”. I would appreciate it if you could provide some detail on this staggering number. Thanks.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
The First Amendment contains all of our God-given rights to create/preserve a free people, a free nation. The Second Amendment describes our God-given right to re-take our freedom, our nation if the First Amendment is violated. No private organization should be given a permit by any governmental organization to celebrate an all-American holiday like 4th of July if that organization won’t abide by, and in fact champion, our freedoms.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Zorro, While I agree that Lois’ comments have been coarse, the tone was set when Jon Simon opened this little discussion by labeling the minutemen as bigots.
I think Mr Simon will find a majority in Fremont who support in practical terms the overall goal of the minutemen -legal immigration standards being upheld. Perhaps his ignorant comment is a consequence of working in the ideological bubble of public education. In which case, Lois’ criticism is a valid one.
Lois states her fear of a foreign culture overwhelming the way of life in her home country. Though my personal perspective shows this not to be the case, I think she has cause to believe this. There are millions of immigrants from Mexico who have yet to learn the language. Entire industries have been inundated with cheep immigrant labor. Uninsured drivers have increased premiums. Established families pay high property taxes in part to support services and education for immigrants. Until recently, you may have been denied an education at on of our premium universities to make room for a son or daughter of an immigrant.
Then you have simpletons such as Jon Simon tossing the word bigot in the direction of those who fuss at the above problems. Mr Simon requires no calm response, but rather a prodigious reeducation of his own bigoted world view. And it may be coarse at times.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
very true Marty.
It’s funny how the “anti-hate” crowd ends up doing the most hating. Like in 2007 when a leader of the Fremont Anti-Hate Alliance (which “innocent” Jon Simmons is a member of) violently attacked one of our members at a ‘tolerance’ meeting. This attacker was a UCC Reverend, I believe, who got upset when our 70+ year old Minutewoman questioned if any hate crimes in Fremont were really legitimate. The good Reverend shaked her off her chair, knocking her to the floor, and then ran out of the building! We pressed no charges out of respect to the Alliance, but did file a police report.
The point is Fremont has not only trumped free speech for the sake of so-called “police expenses” (which no one seems able to presently account for) but is violating her own ‘protected persons policies’ which forbids discrimination for many things, including political views. Mind you, these anti-discrimination poilicies were authored through the Human Relations Commission, of which the AHA is a appendage (or vice-versa).
We want the City to reform itself. That’s it. We’re not interested in anything else but ending these double standards and getting back to rule of law. This is what the 4rth is all about–celebrating a people ruled by law not by the caprice of men. In Fremont we got a bunch of politicians who’ve swallowed the pill of political correctness and won’t recognize the rights of their own law-abiding residents.
Believe me you’d be amazed on how these people understand “peaceful assembly” and “equality under the law”. It’s truly amazing.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
The irony can be overwhelming. It’s almost a cliche at this point, but those who claim to be the most tolerant are the furthest from it. Even the “Anti-Hate Alliance” invokes the image of a rigid mandate where intolerance will not be tolerated. Do they hate the haters? Nobody knows.
I have a case in point for some to ponder, and that is the 2006 slaying of Alia Ansari (this is the Afghan woman gunned down in Centerville). For weeks after the murder, the template was that of racial tensions in Fremont. How the white establishment were incapable of tolerating the new Afghan community. All Bay Area newspapers editorialized this point. Every evening news program ran a segment on the “racial unrest” in Fremont. I’m sure the apparent level of bigotry caused Jon Simon to punch a hole in his bedroom wall. We were, according to some, intolerant. And violently so.
As it ended up, a Latino thug murdered Mrs Ansari.
One has to realize the burden it can be to constantly be accused of racism and bigotry, and how some are justifiably sensitive to such accusations.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
HEY JON SIMON,
Way to set off another firestorm in California! This blog is hot! What a great country, where we get to have freedom of speech, now only if the City of Fremont and the July 4th parade organizers can recognize another important part of the 1st Amendment, the right of the people peaceably to assemble.
March on Minutemen… Free Men… Free Soil… Fremont!
DON’T TREAD ON ME!
June 27th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Zorro, have you not heard LaRaza and the likes of them talk of wanting to take over this country, claim it as theirs? They want this richly developed country, they want their culture here…they want to destroy the American culture. They can’t do anything in their south of the border countries, so they figure they can come here, and develop their culture here…..possibly via the NAU. Smart Americans will not let this happen.
I am speaking for myself, as an American citizen, I can’t speak for my brave Minutemen friends. My Minutemen friends, have never shown a lack of respect for other peoples. They have the backbone of our forefathers. However, we all have witnessed the vile behavior of Mexican gangbangers, and their socialist friends, their physical attacks on our peaceful group. It happened in 2006. We’ve been spit upon, sprayed, had Marxist Mexicans in our face, seen a lot of finger waves, had threats, because we choose to exercise our peaceful assembly, freedom of speech rights. We have been to several rallies, and have been faced with people from south of the border, and they covet what we have, they want to go ahead of the line, bypass well mannered people from around the world, that choose to come here the right way. I don’t think immigration should be made easier. Immigrants of years ago, had requirements, and fulfilled them in order to become citizens…they waited in line respectfully.
What is culturally intolerant? My wanting to retain a strong American culture? Sir, what Americans have done, is to be too tolerant. Being too tolerant has led us where we are today…on the verge of the NAU, a disaster to come. Being too tolerant has led Europe into a horrible fix with the European Union. It’s one thing for a different cultural people to celebrate in their privacy, but just don’t make demands, to change the American culture. Many, many years ago, my former fiance’s family came from Hungary, they learned impeccable English, learned the Constitution, had to have sponsors, never went on the dole, had health checks…they came here legally. They spoke Hungarian/German at home, but when they went into the outside world, they spoke English. They learned, assimilated into the American culture. They did not try to change our culture, or our laws to suit themselves. They didn’t make special demands.
I personally would STOP all immigration, or at least slow it down greatly. I am a compassionate person, but Americans have to be smart too. I’d rather help needy people, in their lands, teach them to help themselves. Overpopulation breeds poverty.
By the way, it is not an exaggeration of how much it costs Americans on illegals. I quoted from well informed sources. Besides their upkeep, we spend millions on them in prisons.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Lois says, “…it is not an exaggeration of how much it costs Americans on illegals. I quoted from well informed sources”. Lois, I’m guessing that’s your answer to my question to you regarding the $338 billion spent each year on illegals. Okay…
June 28th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
What an eye-opener I have had today while reading all comments.
Interesting how some people need to take the word “illegal” out of illegal immigrant – but if someone stole your car, that word “illegal” sure would be in there.
I don’t have a problem banning people from activities who are breaking our laws, no matter which law it is. How is being “Patriotic” a crime? People who are pro-amnesty are condoning illegal behavior. We can throw an American in jail for stealing and identity theft. Why not an illegal immigrant?
I don’t see where a “patch of ground” is an issue if that patch of ground is in the United States of America. When you have people stealing a patch of ground in this Country, you will have an issue. Open borders do not work.
Jon, you house, feed, and clothe, every illegal immigrant as long as you pay taxes. Who else pays for Public Health Services, Public Schools, etc.?
Lois, thank you for seeing the big picture here.
Reality check here: Who would let their children run all over someone elses backyard or front yard without that neighbors permission? I would expect my neighbors to respect my property.
If you are not a legal resident, you would not be able to work (if employers upheld our laws)and therefore, would be unable to pay taxes. You would be unable to be a viable assest to this Country.
Our Government gives away medical services, educational services, and even illegal employment to people who do not want to fit into this Country’s way of living.
Until I can find a Country other than this one to live in, I will not give up my fight against ILLEGAL immigrants and the politicians willing to sell us out abroad.
The Minutemen are my heros as are the men and women in our Armed Services. I thank you for your patriotism.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
The Minutemen are as Americans are Abe Lincoln and George Washington.
Why aren’t they allowed in a 4th of July Parade?
Oh yes Fremont is near San Francisco.
Says it all doesn’t it?
PU.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
# Jon Simon Says:
June 26th, 2008 at 8:17 am
What a great country, where we get to hear bigots whine about being excluded as they try to exclude others.
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And Jon Simon?
Do you mean to call Ray Herrera and Lupe Moreno both Minutemen & woman BIGOTS?
Making a fool of yourself isn’t cool Jon!
July 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
It’s more than easy to find out the cost of illegal immigration, but for you folks who would like a helping hand here are a couple links:
http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecentersf134
FAIR Federation for American Immigration Reform
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalrelease.html
Center for Immigration Studies
As for a historical birthday party celebration, which is what the 4th of July is all about you may want to check out the History and Origin of the Minutemen of the American Colonies.
And lastly, everyone should be thanking the Fremont Minutemen for helping to preserve your constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. Those very rights that are under attack by many American-hating groups and individuals such as Councilman Cho who has proposed that we NOT celebrate our national holiday of the 4th of July, but instead further dilute our soverienty and national identity by replacing the day with an “International Day and Parade”.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I am sure glad that there are so many of my fellow citizens who still hold the constitution and our rights as important. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one around who does not agree with the narrow minded left thinkers. (Well, many in my family are pretty conservative)
I just came upon this posting as i looked for when the parade begins. I still do not know but I am making a sign in support of the minutemen and our troops to hold as I watch this celebration of our Freedoms. Thank you!