Minuteman Project does not allow rifles

The name says it all

The idea of minutemen was to have an armed force that could assemble in minutes and defend a particular area from attack. Unfortunatly, these days, it is the U.S. citizens being attacked. I am fed up and ready for action. If the Border agents can't do the job (or, more accuratly) aren't allowed to do their job, then I think it is the duty of all armed citizens to come to the borders and help. If Mexicans shed our blood, perhaps some policies will change. Then again, we have shed plenty of blood in Iraq and look at that mess.

Bottom line is that we have the right and responsibility to take care of ourselves. What happened to patriotism and duty and honor and country. "Ask not what your country can do for you..."

Shooter429
 
..Bush doesn't need ayone to make himself look inept..he is adept at it..
Mexico's Vicente Fox is a vile, decieving man who has litte regard or respect for his neighboring country...

I think gunfire on the border will actually increase the growing rage at the border problem exponentially....especially if it comes from the opposing force...remember..Americans don't like to be shoved and insulted...
 
Bad press is rather important if the whole point of the project is publicity.

I very much doubt the leaders of the MM see themselves doing this for the next 50 years. It is a public action to generate awareness of a problem that the government isn't (supposedly) doing enough about, not an end onto itself. "Incidents" that turn the public perception from watch-group to wackos is counter to the goals of the MM.

So yes, bad press is rather a big deal.
 
GAH!

Y'know

The most infuriating part about it is that if you DID return fire on Mexicans who were shooting at you, YOU would go to jail because the gov't is ass backwards regarding it's policies of ...well, just about everything.

Maybe we should just ignore the middle east and shwack Mexico. thoughts..?
 
So, I wouldn't carry the rifle. It'll just be in that what you think is an icechest right at my feet. Or if I'm sitting in the bed of the truck, it'll be in the truck.

The illegals shouldn't be able to sneak up on you; so you'll have a little time to lock and load if needed :cool:
 
The most infuriating part about it is that if you DID return fire on Mexicans who were shooting at you, YOU would go to jail because the gov't is ass backwards regarding it's policies of ...well, just about everything.
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Yep - returning fire on the illegals is attempted murder, whereas if the illegals fire on you, it's justifiable self-defense.:barf: :barf: :barf: :barf:
 
Jim,

Carry you a good handgun that you can depend on and maybe even a backup. That should do for your defensive needs. Carrying a rifle openly in a non-combat situation (granted it could turn into a combat depending on who you run into) is illegal, plus they probably don't want the already breathing down their necks government and civil rights wackos depicting them as looking for trouble. I do understand your want to carry a rifle in such a setting as it is such a dangerous area.

Ask yourself this: Are you better off if you go and made due with what you have or stay at home because you can't carry a rifle? What help is it if you stay at home?

Carry a handgun under your coat, that's all most border patrolmen carry on foot I think.
 
According to my source

Down in Green Valley AZ. quite a few shoot outs with AK's from the coyote and meth dealers.

You should be able to have a gun that can serve the purpose.

If they can shoot out to 500yds accuratly or not we should be able to also.
Sniper sights and rifles are needed, simple.

It is not the illegal trying to go to work that bothers me, it is the one pushing drugs and other problems.

Now they want to shut down our society for a week to prove they can reclaim Azatlan. OK. War and invasion all in one article.

HQ
 
I asked this very question during my interview with the minutemen.

The response was:

No, we do not endorse you carrying a rifle. We understand concern over recent incursions by armed Mexican military and drug runners, however. You are not permitted to stand your post openly carrying a rifle. Whatever is in your truck is your business, however. Your truck will not be searched, as it is your private property and you are a volunteer for us. And you would be surprised at some of the hardware other fellows have available if need be.

Read into that what you will.

I suspect that there are several "sniped" up deer rifles, AR's, M14's and 50BMG's down there hiding in RV's and truck cabs.

Mexican military won't be showing up, because they know that too. They want quiet to continue their illegal ops, not a high profile shoot out with Americans.

Edited to add: I'm leaving tomorrow AM for a 2-day stint. Hope to see some of y'all down there. Take care.
 
Well, it's good to see some level of common sense is being acted upon. I do agree it's not beneficial to be spread all over the news carrying rifles, since a defensive view of "observe, report, and detain" can't really be pressed when you're ready to do it with lethal force from a couple hundred yards. But there IS a very real danger factor that can't be completely ignored for the sake of liberal media. Isn't the Boy Scout motto still "Be Prepared"?
 
Shooter 429

Very inventive. I missed it before I posted now I am reading all the posts.
I likeee.:)

I would get the longest barreled pistol and have a stock with it. Lee Van Cleef had the right idea.

I am not so sure about the rifle hidden in your truck in plain view but it would be in my tool box that is for sure. I am going to be going down and visiting someone in Az pretty soon. Have not seen him and his new house. It is on my priority of things to do, and soon.

HQ
 
"You are not permitted to stand your post openly carrying a rifle. Whatever is in your truck is your business, however. Your truck will not be searched, as it is your private property and you are a volunteer for us. And you would be surprised at some of the hardware other fellows have available if need be."
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nuff said......

Im scared to ask what some had behind the seat :eek: I bet a few probably had .30 caliber MGs behind thier seat and maybe a .50 and 20mm Rifle thrown in for good measure..lol
 
Rangefinder said:
I do agree it's not beneficial to be spread all over the news carrying rifles, since a defensive view of "observe, report, and detain" can't really be pressed when you're ready to do it with lethal force from a couple hundred yards.
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I agree the "image" may not be good, but regrettably this is due to what the press might do to the "story," and the ignorance of the public.

Lets get one thing straight. It is entirely feasible that due to the threat posed by certain insalubrious persons found on the border, a rifle is indeed a necessary tool for defense. But by no means does access to a rifle connect to the notion that the MM are using a rifle and long range shooting/deadly force as a means to enforce the "observe, report, and detain" philosophy. You can’t observe by shooting a person at 200yds, nor can you report or detain.

The rifle would be on hand in the event that a rejoinder is necessary for defensive purposes. It is not an apparatus associated with their mission, per se.

I agree with what the MM are doing, but I worry an incident may occur that will put this patriotic work in a bad light. I hope the government steps in soon to secure the border properly so this type of citizen response is no longer necessary.
 
Harley, thanks for the props

It just struck me as I started to write.

Anyway, as an update to the MMP, I just caught the tail end of an interview with them on TV, and although the focus was guns (as always) the reporter ended by thanking them for what they were doing. As I lacked context, I wondered if it was meant as sarcasm or not. If not, that is one helluva lotta positive publicity.

Anyone see the whole interview?

I think I was on CNN?

Shooter429
 
Here's a thought:

Many of you seem to think that the border is so dangerous you should have a rifle in hand to deal with it. To me, that sounds like a situation that I wouldn't volunteer for.

So for those of you volunteering for free combat without backup, are you also going to go into the worst parts of our cities to combat crime directly? Will you attempt to detain drug dealers? Is there any difference?
 
So for those of you volunteering for free combat without backup, are you also going to go into the worst parts of our cities to combat crime directly? Will you attempt to detain drug dealers? Is there any difference?
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Handy,
Yes, there are people willing to do that. They're called police officers, bounty hunters, and the occasional vigilante. Just because a conflict is dangerous doesn't mean people aren't going to be willing to do it. They're called marines, cops, firefighters, army, etc. And the minutemen do have backup, each other, the FBI, and Border Patrol agents. You seem quick to criticize other people's opinions here yet don't really offer any solutions yourself.

As far as rifles,
From the interviews I have seen from Minutemen Project participants, and from talking with members firsthand, i've learned that the minutemen project's goal is to "Observe and Report", not openly engage. Therefore a long-gun or scoped rifle would not be in the boundaries of their stated goals and the means of achieving those goals. They do of course realize the danger the situation presents which is why they allow sidearms.

As far as military level engagements go, i've never seen positive proof with my own eyes of it being true, or not. So I won't opine on it in regards to validating it or not. I will say though that if it is taking place, and I wouldn't put it past mexico, then it should be reported to the military and other authorities, if it isn't already being done so. I don't think the minutemen projects' standing orders would require any volunteers to stand and fight military grade armor or soldiers. If a situation arises needing longrange vision, that's what binoculars are for. If it requires longrange shooting, call the border patrol, i'm sure some of them have rifles.:cool:
 
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