In a classic episode of The Andy Griffith Show, the indefatigable Barney Fife gives Gomer Pyle a ticket for making an illegal u-turn. When Barney makes the same u-turn a second later, Gomer runs after Barney shouting “Citizen’s arrest, citizen’s arrest.”
Vigilantism or responsible citizen activism?
That is the dilemma posed by the controversial Minuteman Project. The recent debate over the immigration bill has been largely about the woeful shortcomings of the unfortunate Border Patrol, which is understaffed and largely incapable of stemming the flow of illegal immigrants across the Mexican border.
In order to address this problem, Jim Gilchrist began the Minuteman Project, in which normal citizens loan their eyes and ears to the Border Patrol to aid them in apprehending illegal immigrants crossing the Mexican border. The project has been a lightening rod, as is clear from the way Gilcrist was received at Columbia University. Detractors have charged them with being vigilantes and racists, while supporters contend they are simply living out the American spirit.
I have been undecided on what I think of the Minutemen for some time. On the one hand, I admire their passion for the rule of law and their desire to see America honor that rule. On the other hand, I have had concerns about their approach to supporting the rule of law. While citizen involvement is crucial in a democratic republic such as our own, it seems that it should be limited to electing representatives, not fulfilling executive powers.
It was with an immense amount of curiosity, then, that I received this first-hand report of a weekend at the Minuteman Project from a friend and a man for whom I have no little amount of respect (I will keep his name anonymous). His account is even-handed and responsible, and if nothing else gave me a broader perspective on the problem of illegal immigration and an exceptionally helpful perspective on the attitude and mindset of those involved in the Minuteman Project. As someone who had never heard a first-hand account of the Minuteman Project, I found the report fascinating. The report is below the fold.
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