Editorial: Goodbye, good riddance to Minutemen in Goliad ,Texas chapter. SR)
Web Posted: 09/22/2005 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
<http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA092205.01O.minut emen.1730888f.html>
Organized to protect our borders against undocumented immigrants, the Minutemen were apparently powerless against another "enemy" — internal strife.
The Goliad chapter of the organization, formed three months ago, has disbanded, according to the Brownsville Herald.
Kenneth Buelter, president of the group, dissolved the organization after a brief but stormy tenure.
While he declined to comment about his decision, it came after the previous president, Bill Parmley, resigned his post, citing racism and a lack of organization within the group.
Whatever the reason behind the dissolution, Goliad — and the rest of the state — should applaud the move.
President Bush, who supports immigration reform, has branded the Minutemen a group of "vigilantes" for their controversial patrols of the border.
The group disbanded last week, a day before Cameron County commissioners passed a resolution opposing the civilian border patrols, stating "the future growth (of the county) depends on the continued good will of our brothers in Mexico."
The Minutemen still operate five chapters in Texas, and the group has deployed 50 members to areas that Border Patrol agents have vacated to aid in the hurricane relief effort.
The organization should leave the work to the professionals. It would be a tragedy if one disaster were followed by another, this one caused by overzealous civilians bent on doing the work of the government.
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