Response to Marc Brenman's Accusations

Different Rules: WSHRC vs WA Minutemen

On July 15, 2007 Marc Brenman, Executive Director of the WA Human Rights Commission, published a commentary regarding a Minutemen's rally in Everett on July 1, 2007. The rally somehow reminded the Director of a movie "A Day Without a Mexican". Although it appears the Director wasn’t at the rally, Mr. Brenman came to the conclusion that the Minutemen were anti-immigration and, I assume from his movie reference, on a crusade to rid America of Mexicans. They are not! They are, however, opposed to illegal immigrants being in this country and want our borders secured and immigration laws enforced.

Mr. Brenman, next stated that the Minutemen are 'using hate propaganda to undermine the basic tenants of democracy-opportunity and tolerance'. I can only guess this is because the Minutemen and millions of other citizens worked so diligently emailing, faxing and phoning our representatives to kill the 'comprehensive' Immigration bill. An abomination to the citizens of the United States that the Director, Democrats, President Bush and greedy corporations that hire illegal aliens at slave wages wanted so desperately to pass.

The Director, however, was just warming up and this is where different rules begin. 'The Minutemen rely on the use of hateful speech, the Big Lie (only Brenman knows what that is) and the fear of people who are different to corrupt and coarsen political dialogue, as their Nazi fore bearers did' Now I get the connection: “Nazi-Day without a Mexican.” But it gets better. ‘The Minutemen like their former fellow traveler Tim McVey(sp), are precursors to domestic terrorism and vigilantism.’ WHAT! McVeigh was executed before any of these Minutemen organizations were even formed. The all knowing Director of The Human Rights Commission finishes by calling Minutemen ‘gun-toting, self appointed know-nothings.’

It appears to me that Mr. Brenman, the Executive Director of the WA Human Rights Commission, has inappropriately used his position to spread fear and hate of the Minutemen groups. The very thing his organization is supposed to stamp out. So how does he get to keep his job? Why no outrage? Why no censure from the Legislature? No apology to the Minutemen for likely putting them in harms way with his hate and fear mongering? Do the Minutemen not have the right to assemble as other groups do? Or does Mr. Brenman believe those U.S. citizens who join Minutemen groups give up their rights by joining? It would be very helpful if Mr. Brenman would tell us what the rules for Minuteman group members are!

The Minutemen are made up of U.S. citizens of all races, national origins, sexual orientation and religions. They are men, women, mothers, fathers and grandparents. They are not gun toting racists. They definitely are not Nazis nor are they likely to morph into homegrown terrorists and vigilantes. They are law abiding citizens of the United States, who believe all residents of this country should be law abiding. They believe the United States should be a sovereign nation with one flag and English as the official language. They believe in legal immigration, no illegal drugs and a secure country where all immigration laws are enforced.

The Minutemen formed to enlighten the public of the government’s lax attitude toward border security. Their major function is performing border watches on both the northern and southern borders and informing the Border Patrol when people enter the United States illegally. They never willfully engage anyone illegally entering the United States, except to give emergency aid. The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps in Arizona has a unit, specially trained and equipped, whose only function is to give first aid assistance to people that the human smugglers leave in the desert to die.

Not everyone can become a member of Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. To become a Minuteman one must file an application, have an initial interview, undergo and pass a background check, have a second interview where they pledge among other things to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Part III of that pledge states ‘There is no tolerance among Minutemen for racism or bigotry – E Pluribus Unum- Out of Many One.’ And there is no tolerance for members that do not follow the Minuteman Standard Operating Procedures!

In Whatcom County there have been 23 months of border watches. To date there has not been even one complaint lodged against the Minutemen for any incident as a result of a border watch. Which gets me back, again, to why the Executive Director of the WA Human Rights Commission, Marc Brenman, would spread such hate and fear of The Minutemen when there is absolutely no justification for such accusations?

Perhaps the honorable Executive Director could and should enlighten us.