Vigilantes patrolling Arizona border are more radical than ever
Militia like the "Mountain Minutemen" are raising concern among humanitarian workers along the U.S. border
BY DAVID NEIWERT
Though more than three years have passed since the Arizona-based Minuteman organization run by movement co-founder Chris Simcox shuttered its operations, would-be vigilantes are still patrolling the Arizona desert for border crossers. They are generally operating in smaller and, some say, more radical cells.
One of these militiamen made headlines recently when he got into an armed confrontation with a Maricopa County sheriff’s deputy. This was especially noteworthy, since Sheriff Joe Arpaio – a well-known nativist figure himself – made a point of denouncing the vigilantism of the border watchers.
...
This militia, called the Mountain Minutemen, is being operated by a former California Minuteman named Robert Crooks, who has since moved to Arizona. As did Simcox and his colleagues, Crooks insisted to the KPHO reporters that he “wants to change the way militias are viewed” and claimed he doesn’t accept felons or racists. He also dismissed the confrontation between a militiaman from his crew and the Maricopa County sheriff’s deputy. “In reality, it was just the fog of war,” said Crooks, adding that he is trying to cut down on drug smuggling through the Vekol Valley. “I’ve been shot at 23 times in 24 months,” he said.
The man dubbed “Reaper” also described for the reporters how the group allows for military contractors – a number of whom showed up for a recruitment meeting, including some on active duty – to participate without officially joining so they can get around government prohibitions against joining militias.
more
http://www.salon.com/2013/10/05/vigilantes_patrolling_arizona_border_are_more_radical_than_ever_partner/
= new reply since forum marked as read
