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Originally Posted by dksuddeth
So if you hear gunshots down the street and see 2 or 3 people chasing and shooting at a lone individual, you'd leave your target rifle locked in its place and dial 911?
Or, I know this probably wouldn't happen in canada, but go with it, say a mob is attacking some gay couples home breaking windows and as you look out the door, they grab one of the guys from his doorway and start kicking the crap out of him?
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We're getting to the point that this part should be taken to a gun control thread, unless someone is able to show that the Minutemen are a gun-toting militia. While I understand that you're reacting to silent_jay's thoughts, I can't see that it's helpful to post this argument in every single thread. THis isn't a gun control thread, it's an immigration/Minuteman/(MAYBE militia) thread.
It's worth pointing out that we're now debating something that no one said. It was NEVER claimed in this thread that the Minutemen are defending free speech. Samcol said they were USING their right of free speech to mount their vigils. It's not the same thing. And in my opinion, that's a muddled interpretation. Sitting on public property or private property (with the owner's permission) and using binoculars and cell phones to alert authorized border patrols guards of illegal crossings isn't a freedom of speech issue. It's also not a 2nd amendment issue. In fact, it's not any sort of rights-based issue until you get to their press releases that are intended to pressure elected officials into funding and providing enforcement of existing laws.
The border patrol guy in the article said it best - they treat these minutemen and their reports like any other citizen, which is all they are as long as they aren't breaking any laws. It's really nothing more than a neighborhood watch on public land with press releases.
Elphaba said it well - they get more attention than their efforts merit.
Silent_Jay - I'm glad you're back in the thread.