The Minuteman Highway?

The Minutemen are “benevolently” giving back! So they think. According to LA Times’ Richard Marosi, the Minutemen were recently approved by the California Transportation Department to adopt a two mile stretch of the 5 Freeway near San Clemente, CA. As part of the program and agreement to collect rubbish within the specified area, Caltrans (State of California Transportation Department) has posted two signs along the freeway that read “ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY- SAN DIEGO MINUTEMEN”. (Although, there are female members, apparently there was no need to include the Minutewomen.)

According to the commentary LA Times public posts, (which happen to mostly sympathize for the Militia), some people think there is nothing wrong with this mix. However, such collaboration brings forth serious moral, social, and legal issues. Marosi claimed that approval of the collaboration was a direct violation of Caltrans’ own policy:

“The Department will not discriminate against groups that otherwise meet the program criteria based on the fact that some members of the public might disagree with the particular group's agenda or reputation"

Such is administrative and bureaucratic jargon under which the Minutemen were “approved for adopting”. However, most worrisome is the discretion of Caltrans to legitimize who is and who is not a group that can adopt a highway in exchange for publicity of a taxpayer purchased sign.

The power of the agency to partner with such groups legitimizes the anti-immigrant cause. By including the group as part of the program, the MM become institutionalized and marks a symbol of nativist fear that get splashed across an otherwise drab green public sign. The department has illustrated that it can determine which group gets what recognition. Congratulations Caltrans, you have officially become a fundraiser for the Minutmen, way to go! Now MM can point to the signs that read “public property” as they ask for more money to peddle their nativist nonsense.



Take a minute to right this.

EMAIL AND OR CALL CALTRANS RIGHT NOW!

It’ll only take a minute.

Here are some numbers/email addresses to the (also available at (http://adopt-a-highway.dot.ca.gov/coordinators.htm)

San Diego Adopt-a-Highway Contact

District 11

4050 Taylor Street, MS-220

San Diego , CA 92110

larry_wharton@dot.ca.gov

(619) 688-3327

Or, escalate your voice by contacting other officials at:

866-810-6346 Olivia_Fonseca@dot.ca.gov Caltrans “Civil Rights Program”

Caltrans.Director@dot.ca.gov Will Kempton-Director, Caltrans