Tea party groups to hold immigration rally near U.S.-Mexico border

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

"Tea party" groups are planning a large rally near what they say is a popular U.S.-Mexico border crossing point for illegal immigrants in Arizona on Sunday in support for the state's hard-line stance on illegal immigration, and in favor of the local talk show host who is challenging Sen. John McCain in this month's Republican primary.

Candidate J.D. Hayworth, a former congressman turned conservative radio commentator, is one of dozens of speakers planning to take the stage at the morning rally on a remote ranch about 100 miles south of Tucson.

Others include Sharron Angle, the Republican challenging Sen. Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) in November, and Sue Krentz, the wife of a rancher killed near the rally site. The unsolved shooting death of Rob Krentz, who had spoken out on the problem of illegal immigration, prompted the state legislature to pass a law earlier this year empowering police to question people if there is a "reasonable suspicion" they are illegal immigrants.

A federal judge blocked some of the law's most controversial aspects last month after the U.S. Department of Justice challenged it in court.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/10/AR2010081003383.html

[jpak]

1. Will they be waving Confederate flags?

Like the Minutemen?

[brewens]

2. If we could trick them into actually being over the boarder on

the Mexican side, we could string a fence up real quick and lock them out. Zen ve make zem show us za papers to get back in! Of course only the official "long form" birth certificate would be acceptable.

[liberal N proud]

3. Can we move the border while they are rallying?

Suddenly they would be trying to get back into the US.

Your papers please, let me see your papers.

[bergie321]

4. Hopefully

Mexican border patrol agents don't shoot at them like we do to Mexicans.

[Permanut]

5. Okay, so by "large"

we mean half a dozen old white guys (I'm an old white guy, I can say that), pick-em-up trucks with primer spots, Rambo style ammo belts and 50,000 rounds of ammunition? My mother-in-law had more people at her birthday party last week.

[DBoon]

10. 50,000 rounds of ammunition?

I'd be surprised if they carried anything more lethal than Bud Lite

[mercuryblues]

6. Oh my

I thought that area was so dangerous. Drug mules, Mexican gangs shooting everything up, etc. Isn't that where they are finding headless bodies in the desert? Oh, wait, nevermind.

[pampango]

7. It will be held on private property with security from the border patrol and two sheriffs' offices.

While tea party groups have long argued for harsher penalties against illegal border-crossers, this will be the first large-scale rally on the U.S.-Mexico border, Selaty said. Some participants say it could be as large as the one held in March in Reid's home town of Searchlight, Nev., when thousands joined former Alaska governor Sarah Palin to oppose Reid and protest the health-care overhaul.

The event will take place on the private property of a local rancher, so counter-protesters will not be permitted. Security will be provided by the U.S. border patrol, two sheriff's offices and the rancher's personal security force, Selaty said. Attendees will not be barred from bringing firearms, but organizers are asking that they leave their long arms and rifles in their cars.

"We're trying to stand behind Gov. Brewer while the federal government is proceeding with its lawsuit challenging Arizona's right to protect its own borders," said Tim Selaty Sr., vice president of a tea party group called United We Stand for Americans.

Selaty said the group timed the rally to have maximum impact in the Aug. 24 contest between Hayworth, an immigration hard-liner, and McCain, who until recently had been a strong proponent of comprehensive immigration reform that created a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.

[Taverner]

8. Ah, so they're COWARDS

nuff said :)

[greiner3]

9. I lived and worked in Sierra Vista;

The town a few miles away from this much ado about nothing. The area of the ranch is in gullies and hills abutted against a 10,000 ft peak. Almost touching the ranch is a federal monument, Coronado National Memorial. This in turn is up against one of the more guarded US Army posts in the US, Fort Huachuca. This fort houses the worldwide Army communications center, Army Intel (I always got a huge kick out of just thinking about this) and training base for the Air National Guard, among others. There is a barrage balloon that circles right above the ranch in question. Maybe the call from the tea baggers convention for the morans to leave their rifles in their respective vehicles reflects this fact. I can imagine a bunch of these yahoos getting liquored up and firing at the Big Balloon (I loved that show growing up; F Troop) over their heads. The last item I want to bring up is that when I left this area about 20 years ago was pretty built up. I'm sure it is a lot more urbanized now, even for being 30 miles from Tombstone AZ. All the building was going south of Sierra Vista, right in the direction of the ranch.

The point I am attempting to make is that this is about one of the piss poorest places for undocumented immigrants to try and cross into this country. There is only one road, US 92, that goes anywhere north and east of any crossing. There is a good amount of traffic at all hours on this road, civilian and military. There are many people living along this US highway who would notice anything that amiss, what with all these supposed illegal crossings. This whole mess in AZ smells and I call bullshit on them. I can't stand his politics but when he does his show, Penn does seem to the right thing. I wold love to see him and Teller do a show just about this. But he is pretty conservative and I don't see it happening.

[Javaman]

12. "Eeet izz Balloooon!"

Ahh F-Troop.

[felix_numinous]

11. Hoping Mexico puts out another travel advisory

like they did for Arizona. Could save some lives.