Media Has Misconstrued the Minuteman Debate
Story by Rochelle Migliore //Art by Adrian Avila

Side notes are commonly overlooked, but can be a crucial part of the story. The way the current controversy involving the Mexican Heritage Plaza (MHC), the Commonwealth Club SF and the minuteman group, has been reported in the media is laden with such side notes.

One is how the day the minuteman event was originally scheduled has been glossed over. Sept. 16, our day to celebrate our hard won independence from Spain, is an important day for us. One that many, some within our own community, do not understand the significance of. MHC director Marcela Aviles decided that a great “marketing strategy” would be to have a one sided “debate” regarding the minutemen – a vigilante group who patrols the US-Mexico border for undocumented immigrants crossing. A one sided debate, no less, targeting those most vulnerable in our community, migrants and their families.

The so-called debate was to have Chris Simcox, a co-founder of the group calling themselves the minutemen, along with another volunteer, “debate” with former state senator Art Torres. While having done some very good work for migrants rights, such as fighting the radically unfair prop. 187, Art Torres has also made some unsettling statements, calling for more restrictive “legal and illegal immigration” policies. There are many very hard working people right here is San Jose who tirelessly labor on behalf of migrants. People who could have brought stories of migrants themselves, “legal” and “illegal”, to the public. If MHC wanted to promote a truly balanced discussion, it would have been quite easy for them to do. Without migrant representation, you don't have a meaningful debate, you have the sharing of like opinions by those not inside the migrant struggles.

An important element of this controversy is the minuteman group itself. They have sought to invoke fear, anger and violence, in part by planning their events on Sept. 16. They have, by their own admission, chosen this day on purpose, with full knowledge of its importance. That is the action of a provocative group hoping to incite anger instead of communication and violence instead of solutions. As one local minuteman organizer stated in regards to Sept. 16, “That's not an American holiday.” Most people do not embrace this kind of disrespect for meaningful events of other cultures. Why is it, then, when saying they will protest the minuteman presence in San Jose, the community is labeled as violent, but not the loaded weapon carrying minutemen themselves?

The “prestigious” Commonwealth Club SF showed the depth of their relationship to the Mexican community when president and CEO Gloria Duffy called the date of the event “an unfortunate coincidence.” All the prestige in the world means nothing next to such blatant indifference toward our culture. The Commonwealth Club is claiming ignorance for the insulting scheduling of this event, so what's Marcela Aviles' excuse?

Immigration is clearly an important subject. There is concern about the drain of resources, especially when concentrated in one area, such as California. There is worry about the loss of jobs, and the increase of drugs and violence. There is the fear of a terrorist using the US-Mexico border to get into the country to hurt and kill people. Each of these concerns deserves to be looked at with an encompassing view, one not misconstrued by untruths or trampled by a fearful, unthinking response. The people should be discussing these, and other issues related to immigration. Public forums are a great resource for us to use. Having these concerns brought out in a fairly structured and open manner can only serve to educate and empower the public, and help to alleviate some of the unnecessary fear and friction between our varied communities.

The public should be a major part of this discussion, getting their personal concerns heard and using their experiences to bring together that collective knowledge to find sound, sustainable solutions. With our wide range of backgrounds, from our youth to our elders, we can have a truly meaningful discussion. MHC would be a great venue to host this kind of open debate.

Migrants and their families would benefit also and should play a major role. Their stories and struggles largely go unheard as they tend to be one of the most voiceless parts of our society. Fear and racism embody daily life for those here “illegally.” The same is true for many migrants here “legally.” A public forum for their plight to be heard and encourage more understanding is actually just what is needed.

Click here to listen to a Block to Block radio discussion on the Minutemen