Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Border crossings

Meanwhile, right-wing extremists continue to use 9/11 as an excuse to intensify their bigotry, and wage a little terrorism themselves:

Pride & Prejudice On Desert Border
"It's an invasion," said Chris Simcox, leader of the newest such group, the Tombstone-based Civil Homeland Defense, which says it is doing what the government has exhorted the nation to do since 9/11: be extra-vigilant about security. "There's too much crime coming over that border, and Americans are being victimized."

To critics, the rise of such groups - Simcox's is the third in southeastern Arizona - is an ugly and dangerous offshoot of 9/11, one that has racists arming themselves in the name of homeland security and drumming up support by preying on fears of terrorism.

"It has intensified incredibly since 9/11. They'll blame immigrants for anything," said Devin Burghart of the Chicago-based Center for New Community, which tracks anti-immigration groups' activities.

One of these days, they're going to kill someone -- if they haven't already.

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