Send in the clowns…

Victor Trujillo, KGBT Channel 4, (Harlingen,Texas) reports:

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps believe the construction of a border fence will help deter illegal activity along the border region.

As Minuteman volunteers arrive in the Valley from different parts of the country, they are setting up posts at undisclosed locations to monitor and report suspicious activity along the border.

It’s the official start for Operation Secure America by the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a border watch operation scheduled throughout the month of October with intentions to monitor suspicious activity, report illegal crossings and support border patrol agents.

Connie Foust, their national operations director, told Action 4 News they have men and women volunteering for this fall operation.

“Hopefully we will be turning in illegal alien entrance into our country and securing our nation’s border,” Foust said.

She said the group is in favor of the border fence planned by federal government.

“I’m sorry that we have to do that, but we have to do that. We have to enforce our borders for the security and prosperity of our country,” she said.

She doesn’t believe farmers will have to struggle to get access to the water as some private land owners and farmers have said.

OK, Connie. The farmers don’t know about water access, but you do?

“What I’d like to know is those that are worried about the habitat, all right, they need to look at the plastics and the clothing and everything that is left out here in this habitat that animals and birds eat and die from,” she said.

When was the last time you saw a jackrabbit, let alone an ocelot, eating a plastic bottle?

Just on their first visit to the several high traffic areas along the Rio Grande, they’ve spotted trails and landing areas commonly used by undocumented immigrants. Inflatable tubes and wet clothing were found near one of their posts.

The Minuteman’s National Operations Director wants to make one thing clear to the border communities.

“I have the opportunity to have interaction with many thousands of Minuteman. What I found them to be in reality are patriotic Americans; they are not racists; this is not a race issue, and I really want people to understand that,” Foust said.

We should take Connie’s word for it, not folks that monitor racist groups. I guess by the definition the Minutemen use of “non-racism” (kinda long and convoluted — though basically it boils down to they have the political right to act like idiots. Geeze, so did the Klan), Connie would be right.  But — in another context — Pam Spaulding wonders why people feel compelled to say “I’m not a racist” (usually when they’re busted for doing something so boneheaded we can’t label it any other way) .

The Minuteman’s National Operations Director, who spoke exclusively to Action 4 News, said Operation Secure America will run through October 28.

Oh goody…

If you see Connie, say “HOLA” for me — though I might not have as favorable an impression of her that The Age (Australia) did…

Mexican President Vincente Fox calls them ruthless and dangerous migrant hunters; George Bush has called them vigilantes. …

…Connie Foust favours a more discreet Ladysmith .38, which she wears high up on her waist. Ms Foust lives in a small town near the border. She arrived from Montana five years ago for the climate, which she hoped would make her arthritis more bearable.

Great… arthritic old ladies with guns. I guess Connie could prove she’s not a racist and plug a white guy.  Harlingen isn’t far from where Dick Cheney shot one not too long ago.  This should be … uh… interesting.