“I don’t want to sound paranoid, but when you see hundreds of thousands of p
eople rallying around a foreign flag ... it’s the next thing to foreign insurrection. ... I’m not going to promote insurrection, but if it happens, it will be on the conscience of the members of Congress who are doing this. I will not promote violence in resolving this but I will not stop others who might pursue that.” Vigilante Man Jim Gilchrist, speaking to the Orange County Register, published March 30, 2006.

By John Earl

While somewhere between 500,000 and 1 million immigrant rights supporters were demonstrating peacefully in downtown Los Angeles on March 25, Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist and other leaders of the nation’s anti-immigrant movement were speaking to a crowd of about 250 supporters in Temecula, California. Perhaps the most significant moment of the even was when Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist ended years of public denial and admitted that he is a vigilante, and proud of it! A partial transcript of his 24 minute speech is below.

To hear Gilchrist's entire speech: http://www.ocorganizer.com/html/vigilante.html

Jim Gilchrist, March 25, Temecula
(Partial transcript)

"YOU WOULD BE MURDERED AND KILLED..I'M SERIOUS!"

I had some eye surgery so that’s why I look like I’m incognito today. Uhm, uhm, I was ho
ping that guy would hit me so we could get him locked up (laughter from crowd). The difference between what that guy did here and what we would do is that, if any of you even thought of doing that in downtown Los Angeles today, they would never find your BODY and I’m serious. You would be murdered. You would be murdered and killed. We don’t treat our adversaries like that. We let them have their 15 seconds of fame, albeit reluctantly, and we throw them out.

WHO ARE THE MINUTEMEN?

So, who are the Minutemen? (lots of friendly hoots from the crowd). Much of my speech here is going to be a redundancy of what you’ve already heard, but in different words because I’m going to cut some of it out because I want to talk about in the end is where do we go from here, how do we deal with rogue politicians who don’t listen to us. How do we CUT them off from all financial support. You will definitely get their attention. I will talk about that at the endo fo the speech. I’m going to be talking for about 18 minutes.

BRING IT ON

First, I would like to start my presentations out with the most famous quote in the history of the United States. “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war [member of crowd: “Bring it on.”], then let it begin here.” That was spoken by Captain John Parker to his company of 77 Minutemen assembled on Lexington Green Mass as they faced off against 1,000 armed British troops. That was 19 April, 1775.

ONE MUST TAKE A STAND

You know, there comes a time when one must take a stand, where each of us, in one way or some situation must take a stand. For Captain John Parker that time came on April 19, 1775 when he realized that he was nothing more than a British subject without any representation from his British masters.

THE LIST GOES ON

Our epiphany probably came on September 11, 2001, when millions of us realized we were Americans who no longer had a country. Because of the failure of elected and appointed leaders to enforce the law, we are facing a great threat to the security, sovereignty and properity of our nation. Particularly to our middle class and our labor union work forces: the carpenters, operating engineers, boil makers, longshoremen. The list goes on.

SERIOUS THREATS TO OUR FAMILIES

And, of course, we’re facing a very serious threat to our families. Beside the ongoing risk of terrorist infiltration, the infusion of criminal cartels like the El Salvadorian MS 13 gangs pose added risks of attacks against US territory and citizens.

INVASION

Next year–oh, by the way, you know the current estimates–there are approximately, there are OVER 10,000 unapprehended illegal aliens coming through out southern border. That’s just the southern border. It doesn’t include our seaports or our northern border. Over 10,000 unapprehended every 24 hour period. And those of you who have been at the border, as many of you have, you know what I’m talking about. I mean, they just line up, in groups of a hundred, two hundred, non stop, no one to stop them. And that’s just in one quarter mile section of border. Well there’s 2,000 miles of border. So what we have is 75,000 illegal aliens invading the United States per week. Anybody in the military here? (Somebody claps) That’s equivalent to four army divisions per week invading your homeland, occupying its territory and not leaving. Do I hear invasion? (Crowd in unison yells out “yeah,” with a whistle and applause). Four million per year! And that number is increasing. This year I anticipate that number to be closer to five million. And the year after that, as law enforcement breaks down and our rule of law vaporizes it will be seven million. And the year after that it will be ten million. You got less than 20 years, probably by the year 2025, we will live in a nation that we no longer recognize. A nation that will no longer be a United States of America as envisioned by our founding fathers for the last 230 years. This is serious stuff.

LITERAL DEVASTATION

Although the illegals are said to come here only to seek a better life–well, that’s true, be it through legitimate or criminal enterprises they’re here to seek a better life. But the consequences of immigration of an un-orderly and un-managed CUE, will bring literal devastation to our nation. I don’t think anybody will disagree with that.

I'M PROUD TO BE A VIGILANTE

You know, when the primary duty of our elected leaders to protect the lives, property and sovereignty of the American people goes unfulfilled by a deliberate neglect of the rule of law, and I’m talking about your senators and your members of the House of Representatives, your GOVERNORS, your CI-TY COUNCIL MEMBERS, and even so flo (sic) believe this, your homeowners associations. Deliberate neglect of the rule of law, that duty falls upon the citizenry, us ladies and gentlemen, to guarantee the preservation of America and the continuity of the rule of law (applause and cheers). It’s up to us. Yes, it’s come down to critical mass. It’s either us or them. You’ll see 250,000 illegal aliens marching in Los Angeles today, telling you to get out of your own country, this is Mexico, we’re taking over GA-BA-CHO! Gringo! That’s equivalent to the “n” word that the KKK used to use against black people. That’s how they look at you. And if you’re Hispanic then you’re a bandito, you’re a coconut (laughter). Now who’s the racist in this crusade here? I don’t think it’s the Minuteman Project (audience member: “No, it’s not!). You know, if simple enforcement of US law becomes to heavy a burden, and I’m talking to politicians now, or a nuisance for elected or appointed members of government, then it’s up to average Joe and Jane citizen, that’s us again, to fulfill the fulfill the destiny envisioned by our founding fathers, and accept the challenge of exercising the irrevocable right–that’s an IRREVOCABLE right that not even God can take from us, to self-governance. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s called vigilance and I am proud to be a vigilante (crowd cheers and claps, loudest so far).

EXCERPTS

...and some just have one simple plan: they want to come here and kill Americans.

...our politicians continue to lust for the hoped for votes of illegal alien families who they are going to grant prompt amnesties to and along with that prompt citizenships, allowing them to maintain voting rights in both their homelands south of the border, over seas and within the United States, DESPITE their aversion to pledge any allegiance to the USA.

...Religious orders urn for robust increase in illegal alien parishioners who will most certainly be accompanied by donations into the collection plates. I’m a Catholic. I am in direct opposition to Cardinal Mahoney’s (loud cheers) policy to turn the United states over to illegal aliens and to usurp the rule of law under a theocratic form of government. Hell, that’s what they’re doing in the Mid-East. Do we want kind of government here? (Loud “no” from crowd). Catholic Church stay out of government, please. All theocracies out of government. Thank you. I’m still going to go to heaven” (Laughter and applause from crowd).

When I came down here I saw housing track after housing track, new ones that haven’t even been moved into yet. This is beauty in the eyes of the land developers (yeah). Not the housing tracks, the illegal immigration (yeah). Can you imagine if we could squeeze six billion people into this country like sardines, there’s no limit to the trillions of dollars we’re going to make building upon every square inch of land. Land developers drool at the prospect of building upon, paving over, every inch of American country side if this endless stream of illegal aliens explodes their population and bloats the demand for more and more homes, strip malls, freeways and parking lots. There go your streams, your farms, your fields, your lakes. We will be one happy, big, gigantic skyscraper in about 50 years (no!).

Meanwhile, 21st Century slave traders purchase economic refugees from Third-World countries and greedily mark them for exploitation by unscrupulous American employers–that’s some of us, not here in this crowd but some people that we know (yeah), a scenario not see since the pre Civil War era, where morally cheap southern democrats justified their piggish behavior by what was financially good for them, despite the ominous consequences to our nation. That took a civil war to settle. Are we on the cusp of another civil war (enthusiastic “yeah” and some applause from the crowd). I pray we’re not. War is not pretty (yeah heh heh). There have only been three wars that I know of on our land. The Revolutionary War, the Mexican American War of 1848 (we won!-laughter), the Civil War of 1861-1865. That’s about 155 years ago. We may very well be on the cusp of another massive insurrection that could be justifiably called or defined as a civil war. And let’s be careful. We don’t want to be preaching violence. Remember, you don’t fire unless fired upon.

...Remember, bandits lose, good people win. It’s just a matter of time...

...what the hell can we do?...We assemble and we speak and nothing happens. And we pay more taxes (that’s right). And get used to paying more. As our middle class shrinks, your union representation vanishes and you middle class evaporates, your tax base is going to get smaller and smaller. In other words, the people upon who this hugely vastly expanding under class, lower class, is going to rely on for economic dependency is going to get smaller, meaning oppressive taxation is coming and it’s coming soon, or the politicians are going to have to literally increase borrowing trillions a year to the nation debt to the point where no one will grant us debt, not even China will give us any money.

...There are more issues than illegal immigration, serious issues. There is an energy crisis. There is a social security threat that some of you young people out here will probably not see your social security benefits. They will be legislated out of existence by rogue senators like we have in our US Senate today.

...Okay, what do we do? Let’s cut off the money flow to all the politicians. All of them (loud cheers). Either you show me pro-active visible history of enforcement of US immigration laws or you show me that you created something like the Minuteman Project or that you’re like Chris Simcox or Tim Donally or you’re not getting one damn penny from me (loud cheers). I’m going to give it to a reactionary group that’s actually doing something about this problem. I’m going to give my money to Tom Tancredo, who actually does something (loud cheers continuing). I’m going to give it to J.D. Hayworth, who really represents me and he lives in another state. Don’t not give it to anyone. Ray Haynes is going to be an exception. Ray Haynes has gone to just about everywhere I’ve going to speak, I’ve gone to just about everywhere he’s gone to speak. He’s on the same issue: stop this chaotic neglect of rule of law, this dereliction of duty. This reckless and blatant disregard for the rule of law that’s being condoned by our US Senate, trickles down from the White House through Karl Rove, through all our governors, including our own governor of California, down through the city councils that follow the official party line. Look the other way. What the public doesn’t know won’t hurt them because they’re just damn stupid. And now I’m getting mad and I’m going to shut down my speech.

...I would like to leave you with another famous quote. Take this seriously... “Minutemen and women, stand your ground. By the powers vested in us by our founding fathers we have an irrevocable right to peaceful assembly on US territory. And if it’s a war that our government wants, then we will fight them with the First Amendment and within the rule of law. But we certainly will fight them.” That’s a quote by Jim Gilchrist addressing the Minutemen Project volunteers at camp David March in Cochise County Arizona on D-Day, 1 April, 2005. God bless everyone of you.”

Just how you like it, eh ?

The LA times should hire you right away !

the l.a. times is being good to joe turner. why so much hate on the times? they even said joe is the all american.

Mr. Mainstream:

How is the article out of context, when over 90 percent of it is in JC's own words? What is your prefered spin?

John Earl

error

Jim Gilchrist said, "I'm damn proud to be a vigilante" on May 25, 2005, nearly a year ago, to the OC Register, which reported it the next day.

There's a fee for getting into the Register's archives, but it is cited by the Center for New Community in their October 2005 report.

But it's recent and more reinforcing when he says it again.

thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't aware of it because it has obviously been ignored 99.9% of the time in the press, and always denied by Gilchrist and the Minutemen. It is worth pointing out however, that GIlchrist his fellow travelers, including the neo-Nazis, have been much more open about advocating violence after the demonstrations. Gilchrist's thinly disguised call for violent insurrection and the frequent "lock and load" comments on Minuteman type email lists, give a more clear idea of where these people are coming from.

JE

More food for thought

http://www.hscca.org/events.php

Tim Beuler is affiliated with the Minutemen. Often seen with Gilchrist. There's photos of him with Gilchrist and him with Simcox. Check out his action against gays.

I have personally heard him in person express hatred towards gays, specifically saying he hates them. Also bashes the Islamic religion in general, generalizing it with the terrorism. And he said it's okay to kill someone in chaotic protest situations.

But hey he's still young. Maybe he'll wisen up.

hi vince you house pet

My fellow Americans need to be educated on the use of flags by peoples other than themselves. Some Americans believe that the flag is equivalent with the people, land, and government. For Mexicans and Latin Americans this is not true. For them, a national flag is a symbol of their cultural pride which in their perspective is also connected to their notion of a national identity for the people. Most Mexicans and Central Americans could give a s@#t about their government since, unlike some Americans who can't see a corrupt politician when he is lying right in front of their face (bush, cheney, rumsfield, et. al.), they recognize corruption off the bat. They also recognize the role of the U.S. imperialism in supporting corruption in their homelands. Why do you think some Latinos come to the U.S. in the first place. The lack of clarity on this issue by some Americans, especially the anti-immigrant camp, is indicative of the sense that these people really don't care about economic and social concerns relating to immigration, they're just racist, xenophobic jerks who don't like immigrants. Period. The white sheets have come off and the new American racist is an ignorant joe blow whose got nothing better to do. If these morons channeled all that energy into more constructive means we might be able to kick our corrupt politicians out of office, but that's not their concerns since racists are simpled minded people (irrespective of their education) to begin with.

Vince emailed me and said he's not OC. I doubt it's him anyways, if it was always the same one person posting as OC. It hardly matters to me who it is anyways, but that's just me.

"I had some eye surgery so that’s why I look like I’m incognito today."

You know, it's ironic and funny that this was suggested by one of his opposition. If you remember that Current TV documentary, someone who went by the name "Ellee" spoke to the camera. Well when I was there, she suggested to me that Gilchrist gets some work done on his eyes or something, as in cosmetic surgery. Well Ellee, looks like he did it! You'll be very pleased. :-D

And Gilchrist, nothing says incognito like a bandada over the mouth and nose. Try it. It's fun. :-)

I am sure that OC is Vince, since Vince is always obsessed with making sexual remarks and inuendo, probably projecting his own fantasies. Whatever, but I think a person should be honest about who he or she is.

John Earl

I am not Vince, sorry to dissapoint you.

Okay, I thought maybe Earl had Gilchrist that time. But of course, when you read the speech it is obvious that Gilchrist is not referring to himself as a vigilante in the same sense as the characters in the OX BOW INCIDENT were vigilantes. Gilchrist redefined the word to just mean a vigilant person.
Normally I don't approve of redefining words because the use is often dishonest. Exampes would be the Aesopian language used by Communists to fool gullible Westerners. In Gilchrist's case, he explained his new defintion to the audience and that is honest.

By the way, the 1775 Minutemen were not revolutionaries. They considered themselves loyal Englishmen who were just protecting their existing right from encroachment. It was not til the next year that new government became seen as necessary.

Even then, they were not revolutionaries in our modern sense. After all, they were Christians with guns.

Tom:

I don't agree with your interpretation. It's clear that "vigilence" he's talking about something OUTSIDE of regular government (which he says can't do it's job) and the use of the word "vigilante" leaves little room for any other interpretation, especially in the context of subsequent comments shortly thereafter that for all practical purposes advocated insurrection if Congress doesn't act the way it should. VIgilantes spring up from the perception, shared by Gilchrist and his potential insurrectionists, that government isn't exacting the justice that it should.

JE

The Minutemen have been saying that they're not vigilantes. Even their theme song says so. Now Gilchrist has used the word to describe himself. I guess what comes next is to ask him if he considers himself a vigilante in the general and basic sense of the word, or if he'll continue to deny the label like before.

Cliff:

I love that phrase: "in the general basic sense of the [vigilante] word."

He said what he said, and within a context of not so subtly advocating violence "I won't stop them." He's their leader, for J Gil Christ's sake, so that's like saying "go ahead and do it, as long as I don't have to fight and get hurt myself."

It could be that, as far as his own behavior is concerned, JC's vigilante activity will be confined to harassing employees of Mexican and Pizza restaurants with a really big flash light pointed in their eyes, with a few "you...you...PIG!"s thrown in.

"We are the Minutemen, bada boom, bada boom...."

Yep I heard his speech and read the transcript. I'm surprised even he would say stuff like that. I did say "if it's a war you want, it's a war you got" at Sacramento to the protesters, even if he was quoting some historical figure. After the rally he told me he was ready to fight, as in literally fight. Maybe for him rallies and public speeches are about getting psyched up and ready to fight. Leftover tendencies from his military days? He's without control when he says he was hoping some guy would punch him so he'd get arrested. He actually wants people to be arrested. Whereas if it was me, if no one does anything bad then I for one don't want anyone to be arrested.

I made a major typo. I typed that I said "if it's a war you want it's a war you got" at Sacramento. I meant to say, Gilchrist said that into the microphone, not me. Major typo there, sorry. I didn't speak on the mic nor would I say something like that if I did.

Mr. Earl,

The only part of the speech I am dealing with at this point is the so-called outing. Maybe you can make a case that he is a vigilante, but he did not really admit that in that particular statement. There is no smoking gun there.
Subject change!
I have attended Save Our State rallies such as the one in Alhambra. Is there any question that the dangerous people are the ANSWER, and other groups who come to disrupt the peaceful SOS? Bullhorns blaring in the ear, getting in ones face, were the tactics used by the counters.
Certainly this is a far greater threat to free expression than anything the Minutemen have done.

Tom:

Anyone, immigrant or citizen, with any English language reading skills, can see that Gilchrist is very clearly saying that he's a vigilante, and proud of it.

As for the counter protesters acting worse than the anti-immigrant demonstrators: no, that isn't correct either. I have seen some act just as bad at times, but not worse. One thing that keeps the MM in line, of course, is that they are usually, not always, far outnumbered. But there's no way to justify saying that the effect of the fascist and racist rhetoric and actions of the MM and friends are less than the effects of actions even the other side, including the small contingent of reactionaries within it.

John Earl

I realize that it is preferable to have a tidy sound bite to attack your political opponents. I respectfully do not think you have one in this case.
I do commend you for publishing the context to the statement. We will just have to agree to disagree.

And I was in Lake Forest where 1inchgroup threatened to shoot a day labor worker in the face. I got it on video. He may pass it off as retaliation or whatever, saying the guy had a knife. But if that's the case, why should he get out of his truck and pursue a situation and say things like "you're a f***ing bitch!"

I'd rather have a bullhorn in my face than have a nutcase threaten to shoot me in the face.

1inchgroup still posts in SOS. He still shows up in Lake Forest. No action was taken and infact he was defended by at least one of the Minuteman members.

http://media.putfile.com/1inchgroup-of-SOS-in-LF

When the full video clip is loading properly at putfile, you can view it.

Jammer, thanks.
Naturally I cannot comment on a personal experience such as Mr. Earl mentioned. I was tempted to ask for possible video of such occurences and you already did that.

I have video as well. Can you mention any group actions that are as vicious as the pro-illegal alien groups? One incident from one person is fine, but group stuff would be more representative, I would think.
I will look at your video tho.

Duane Roberts and I witnessed Ray Hererra, a Gilchrist supporter, shove Naui. It wasn't in self defense and from how we saw it, Ray shoved him. I don't think Naui shoved him back, but just continued on. I didn't have my camcorder ready for that one.

In Laguna Beach I did see people who opposed SOS use megaphones up close to peoples faces and ears. I didn't like that.

In Lake Forest, nails were placed under the tires of the vehicles owned by Minuteman members. Definitely something I don't condone. There are photos of that, including ones I've taken with my camera.

the Minutemen continously violate their own SOP(Standard Operating Procedure) in Lake Forest by responding to opposition by yelling, including a guy who said "F*** Guatemala!" I have footage of that and another Minuteman who said to day labor workers "you guys keep laughing when you're back in Mexico."

They always violate #4 in their SOP:

"Do not speak to nor gesture to any suspected illegal aliens or day laborers."

Here's #3:

"If confronted by employers, protestors or legal observers, ignore them. NEVER engage in conversation with them unless instructed by a supervisor. Protect yourself if they approach you in a hostile manner. Beware of sneak attacks with mace, bull horns, cameras, thrown objects, punches, etc. If attacked, press charges with the police immediately. Demand an arrest."

They engage in encounters with supposed employers and others numerous times and engage in arguments. I have video of one of them who yelled out "Dean Ford sucks!" at a Dean Ford truck.

Even #6

"Respect the community, its residents, and all private businesses and property. Leave no trash. Make friends with the locals when possible."

Kind of hard to expect when even Gilchrist himself goes around calling people and "Anarchist" for not agreeing with him. Ken Mock, a 50 something year old guy who rides a bike recreationally, was called an Anarchist for not agreeing with them. A middle aged guy on a bike, and Gilchrist says he's an Anarchist. They also told the garden place owner or someone that Ken is with the ACLU, which isn't true.

Tom:

MM and close friends are almost always vicious. Just go to their meetings. Take Barbara Coe, for example. Her rhetoric is vile racist fascist trash. Go to www.ocorganizer.com and listen to it. Read CCIR literature. Look at the websites that racially profile immigrants as vicious criminals in the most racist fashion, same as Nazis did to the Jews. Go to NationalVanguard.com where Mayor Allan Mansoor's political ally, Martin H. Millard writes his facist neo-Nazi literature. There is nothing more vicious and, at times, insidious. The people who are racist on the pro-immigrant side make up a very small percentage. On the other hand, racism abounds among the MM types.

JE

One of the things that brought conflict between the Minutemen/SOS and I was their fanatical behavior in Lake Forest.

Those are good points. Thanks for the insght.

Americans *do* expect their government and organized social systems to be responsive and ethical. So the flag becomes a symbol of the government, etc.

I think that people across the political spectrum think of it this way.

"See ya later Chief Hensley. Shame on you for refusing to do your job."

I did not post this above. Can someone please delete or hide it. Someone used my username.

I don't agree with his methods but the illegal numbers are WAY out of control. We have a president who wants to open the borders even wider and you wonder why an organization such as the Minutemen spring up? I think the best idea I've heard is to offer a bounty for each illegal detained and returned back to their country of orgin.

if you want the flow of immigrants to slow down why dont you concentrate on free trade policy and make it fair trade rather than scapegoating people.

I meant John W