This Just In ...

 

Contact:

Pat Kohlman, Manitowoc Tea Party Movement, 920.732.3100
Dan Horvatin, Rock River Patriots, 920.650.1260
Tim Dake, Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty, 262.308.0553

Wisconsin Patriot Groups Respond to Las Voces de la Frontera’s

 

 

(Milwaukee) – On Thursday, 12 August, Las Voces de la Frontera issued a press release criticizing a presentation by Gary Meinert at the State Capitol Building in Madison. The statement contained numerous factual inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and lies. We wish to set the record straight. During the two-hour presentation, Mr. Meinert relayed first-hand information on the Arizona border, including his personal documentation of drug smuggling and human trafficking. Nearly 20 groups cosponsored his appearance. Mr. Meinert, who makes his home in both Arizona and Wisconsin, spoke as a guest and free of charge in order to relay information to legislators, their staffers, and the general public. Yet, Las Voces de la Frontera’s press release erroneously referred to Mr. Meinert as the “leader of the Wisconsin Tea Party Coalition.”

Without having seen or heard the content of Mr. Meinert’s talk, the Las Voces protestors arrived early to protest what their press release referred to as racism. When the presentation began, audience members were asked to hold questions until the end. Nevertheless, members of the protest group interrupted Mr. Meinert several times, accusing him of not taking questions and again leveling accusations of racism. Most of the protestors left abruptly in the middle of the talk, thereby missing key content that wholly disproved their accusations.

In fact, other attendees characterized the presentation as extremely sympathetic and respectful to the Mexican people. Mr. Meinert provided credible information on the ways in which smuggler-guides, or “coyotes,” abuse and take advantage of Mexicans attempting to cross the border. Women coming across are routinely raped, while many individuals, including children, are abandoned en route and simply left to die in the desert. He also detailed the extremely violent behavior of Mexican drug cartels against fellow Mexicans, using tactics that include decapitation and worse. Numerous graphic photos helped to illustrate what Mr. Meinert communicated as a tragedy. Combined, human traffickers and drug cartels are responsible for approximately 400 deaths per year in Arizona alone. Most of these victims are certainly Mexicans. Mr. Meinert stressed that putting a stop to the smuggling of drugs and people is the only way to reduce or eliminate this death toll.

Mr. Meinert further addressed the failures of U.S. and Mexican policy in terms of human lives and noted that where fences are in place, there is measurable proof that they are reducing both deaths and the incursion of criminal activity.

Apart from being false, Las Voces’ baseless accusations encourage fear, distrust, conflict, and precisely the racism they claim to reject. They simultaneously discourage honest, constructive discourse. Moreover, Las Voces de la Frontera has a clear record of advancing as a cause illegal immigration on our southern border and working with groups that attempt to facilitate it. Presentations decrying the victimization and death their work actually further would be far less necessary if Las Voces and its associates would encourage respect rather than disregard of existing U.S. immigration law. We invite the public to watch and judge for itself whether Mr. Meinert’s presentation “offered racial stereotypes”, was part of an “effort to generate hysteria,” or exhibited “extremism” as Las Voces de la Frontera has claimed. In fact, we would challenge viewers not to be moved by the desperate plight of the Mexican people or acquire a newfound empathy for our neighbors.

 

The video may be viewed at:
http://thetruthusa.blogspot.com/2010/08/arizona-border-issues-symposium-with.html
 

 

The following groups within the coalition agreed to add their voices to this press release:
 912 Patriots of Southeast Wisconsin
 As A Mom
 Beloit Patriots
 Campaign For Liberty
 Central Wisconsin Tea Party
 Common Sense Citizens of Washington County
 Conservative Insurgency
 Eau Claire Tea Party
 LaCrosse Liberty Coalition
 Lake Country Area Defenders of Liberty
 Liberty on the Rocks - Milwaukee
 Manitowoc Tea Party Movement
 Menominee/Marinette Sons & Daughters of Liberty
 Northwoods Patriots
 Ozaukee Patriots
 Patriots for Honest Government
 Rock County Voter Education Forum
 Rock Patriots of Janesville
 Rock River Patriots
 Sauk County Tea Party
 Un-infringed Liberties
 Wausau Tea Party
 Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty
 Wisconsin Minutemen
 Wisconsin Resistance
 The Wisconsin 9/12 Project