* * *
About an hour later we were on our phones exchanging information and scheduling a lunch appointment at one of Shawn Hunter’s cherished restaurants in San Antonio, a conservative mom-n-pop family business which had been there for years. I would get an exclusive.
“You know what’s missing Mike, in this modern, liberal, globalized society?” I stared at him with blankness and couldn’t help nodding. I was dumbfounded by his bullet proof vest.
“Values, Mike, we’re losing our conservative, American, family values. This needs to be addressed by all those liberal politicians in Washington who have ignored…time and time again…our hundreds of requests to address stricter border control policies. Our democratic process is being robbed from right under our very noses. What do you think happened on 9/11, huh? All of those damn terrorists had entered this country illegally. And now hundreds of patriots are dead because of it. We’re in a war, a domestic war to take back our land. They call us racist, downright nonsense!”
He pounded a fist into the table and continued speaking. “The Minutemen Project is a multi-cultural, multi-racial organization with mixed leadership of African Americans and Mexican-Americans as well. We don’t discriminate. A lot of American patriots want to close down our borders, and you know, it doesn’t matter what our backgrounds are. We’re united by one common goal, to take back our once great nation.”
“Well, many people are out there saying that the Minutemen Project focuses specifically on illegal immigration flowing from Mexico, mostly from Spanish-speaking countries, not necessarily emphasizing or addressing illegal immigration from Asia or Africa, and well Europe I guess,” with reluctance I interrupted.
“The focus is on the border in general, regardless of whatever groups are coming in. That’s what I just said about the whole 9/11 thing. We’re not racist against Mexicans. Hell, my daughter’s married to a Mexican-American. My granddaughter’s Mexican-American, they’re part of my family…they are my family. I’m not racist against Mexicans. And guess what, they’re all part of the Minutemen Project as well. It’s not about race or color, it’s about enforcing the law. It’s this new slave labor, these damn corporations trying to seduce and hire undocumented workers and providing them with low wages…keeping them below the poverty line. Corporations have no conscience. They should be fined for hiring illegal immigrants while Americans are starving. They should try to work hard in their own countries. Our country is in an economic crisis…we’re in a recession. We need all the jobs we can for our domestic skilled citizens. Illegal immigration is a Trojan horse invasion, ruining our economy and preventing hard-working Americans from buying homes and developing new communities. Just go down to Fair Oaks in the outskirts of Fayetteville here in Texas where they’re going to build part of the supercorridor, you’ll see what I’m talkin’ about. All those displaced Americans being forced and priced out of their communities and can’t contest their property rights…it makes me sick to my stomach. I say―address our border concerns, now!”
“You know Shawn, I can’t help but comment on your bulletproof vest. It comes off extremely intimidating, many people say that you’re an intimidating, militant nationalist who would love nothing more than to see the deportation of all illegal immigrants. Doesn’t that image portray you as a promoter of violence, not necessarily of democratic values?”
“You need to understand something son, public speaking in general, specifically about hot topics like border patrol and illegal immigration are sure to create hostility amongst a multitude of folks. Here in Texas, in conservative Texas where I’m part of the founding members of the Texas chapter of the Minutemen Project…I’ve received all types of crazy death threats. My car has been vandalized numerous times, but it’s not going to stop me from speaking up for the people against unlawful behavior. The bulletproof vest is for my safety, to protect myself from the opposition. It’s a preventative defense measure. I’m a military man, but I’m against the war in the Middle East, but that’s another topic.”
Just then, a few rednecks walked passed our table and greeted old Shawn Hunter, they thanked him for the work he was doing by pledging their support for the Minutemen Project.
“Look―Houston Chronicle, you want to know what the real problem is…just follow the NAFTA blueprint, that’s what I’m talking about. It’s not this battle between Republicans and Democrats, they’re bipartisan to this whole mess. They’re the double-headed dragon. They’re the leviathan, it’s a continental union concern, the regional bloc of NAFTA. They want to landlock this great North American continent. Go ask the Canadians what they think about losing their sovereignty. Our sovereignty is being threatened by the NAFTA agreement…follow the blueprint, I’m telling you. Those damn Zapatistas knew what was going on back in 1994 in Chiapas, those Indians knew all about it then. They didn’t want to lose their sovereignty either. Look, it’s been nice chatting with you son…but I got some illegal border hoppers to hunt.”
2.
The NAFTA Blueprint Page 3
