The Bulls And Bullshitters Of The Patriot Movement
A little over seven years ago I became more of a street level activist in the immigration law enforcement movement that was gaining notariety and expanding at a rapid pace. I say more of an activist because I've always been active in my government in some fashion or another since I was a kid protesting the Vietnam War. I wasn't a draft resister perse, but I hated how we entered the war, how we were prosecuting it, and what it was doing to divide this country. I actually enlisted in the US Army as the war was raging, but was rejected on a medical. Since then, I have attended public meetings, propelled some initiatives, and protested at times I deemed the necessity to do so. I remember dragging my soon-to-be wife along to a public meeting of our then congressman back in 1985 or so. But when illegal immigration took off like wildfire in the early part of the 2000 decade, I stepped out of any remaining comfort zone that may have still existed in my world. Although there were activists who were also involved in illegal immigration, I had a difficult time finding comrades in my area that felt as strongly as I did, and were willing to get on the streets. I did feel quite alone for a time. In contrast, during the late 60s and early 70's, I had little trouble finding a war protest to attend.
All that changed one day when during an internet search, I stumbled across a few months old website called Save Our State. A small but vocal and active few had banded together around an organizer named Joseph Turner, to do whatever was necessary to bring the illegal immigration issue to the front of the stove, and to a full boil, so it could no longer be denied by a recalcitrant media, and an apathetic government. Within a few weeks I had settled in and was exchanging ideas, strategies, and information with what seemed, and later proved to be, a very engaged, energetic, and growing group of American patriots that were also out of their comfort zones on the same issue. Over the next two years each of us took the reins of public protest and rode our examples like chariots in a Roman colliseum. Suddenly, street-corners, business fronts, parks, media outlets, and state houses were sporting an SOS rally or protest that stirred emotions and raised the spectre of revolt against a government that had become all too comfortable with a growing fraudulent practice that most of us thought was consuming American finances, and giving birth to an insurrection driven by racial pride and a centuries old grudge over stolen lands.
As our numbers grew, protests and other strategies expanded, alliances were formed, and leaders emerged. Leadership is always a double edged sword for movements, as history has proven that leaders can be as dangerous to a movement as they can to a movement's enemies. Hitler, although a notorious tyrant, was quite obviously a powerful leader. But as history has shown, he soon became prone to slaughter his own, for his own personal reasons, in addition to those who were the stated enemies of his state, and soon his movement was defeated. Not to digress on Hitler, or make an identical comparison mind you, but the point being made that leaders are often volatile, and left unchecked, can redirect an entire movement to their own end. SOS sprouted many leaders for a time, and some took center stage, as well as commanded a larger theater. These leaders, although often at odds with each other, became icons and mouthpieces for the immigration law enforcement movement, also being considered the patriot movement. I've always considered leadership a noble calling, and have deferred to them for the over all good of the effort. I won't say I'm a yes man, but I did grant leeway to many of the leaders when appropriate, and even a few times when not. The cause always come first.
In addition to Save Our State, there were other organizations that also had leaders emerging or practicing. Jim Gilchrist, Chris Simcox, William Gheen, Tom Tancredo, Barbara Coe, and Jeff Schwilk just to name a few. When you add in Chelene Nightingale and Joe Turner, we had the makings of a partial fledgling guerilla command structure. I'll spare you the history lesson on the results, since most of you have actually lived it, but this piece is about which of our leaders were dedicated and which were here for show. For practical purposes we'll call them Bulls (the heavy hitter dedicated ones), and the Bullshitters (the ones here for show). Because the article here is long, and space on each post is limited, as well as the amount of time I can sit and write, the lists of each will be a work in progress so the piece can be published. I plan to upgrade it over the next few days and add some to each.
Here's my list of Bulls.
These are guys and gals who have worked hard, consistently, and have stayed the course through thick and thin without getting sidetracked by some other calling.
Tom Tancredo. A public figure even without the immigration issue, he risked his political gonads to comeout swinging at, not just illegals, but immigration altogether. Even other immigration law activists were stopping short of legal immigration in their agendas. Tom hasn't stopped, although resigning from congress muted him a bit. I was disappointed over his resigning, but I have no clue what was going on in the colorado political arena..I'm from California. But Tom is still beating the drum today
Tim Donnelly. Now a public figure, and before, a dedicated minuteman, borderwatcher, local activist, and great public speaker, still hammering away at illegals. Now he's a state assemblyman pushing that agenda in what can be best described as among a houseful of enemies in the state capitol.
Robin Hvidston. I met Robin via Emails long before I met her at an SOS protest. She is a workhorse that seems to have thrown her all at the immigration law enforcement movement. She organizes, participates, advertises, and then sends out reports. I could not tell you how many events she was behind, but I doubt I can come close. She has stayed the course, even through times where she was villainized for associtation, and still she's here sluggling away.
Ray Herrera. I don't know him well, and I first met him here in Sac in 05 at the state capitol. I won't sing all of his virtues, but the guy is dedicated and active, and considering he gets a double dose of revulsion from his latino counterparts for being linked somewhat by skin and blood, I think the guy has the spirit of a true warrior in our arena
Barbara Coe. I know she doesn't think too highly of me anymore, and I blame the cockroach for that, but I give credit where credit is due. She is still hammering away, although in a reduced state due to advancing age, and declining ranks, and that my friend deserves the title. Barbara has gone before us all. She was there with the original SOS and the Save Our License and prop 187 initiative back in the early 90's, and she's still with the movement today. I know she has treated some of us badly, once again I blame the cockroach for that, but we have to give her credit for being a bull on the immigration issue
Glenn Spencer. Glen is a demi-god in the immigration arena. He started way out there ahead of any of us, and he has not wavered a bit in dedication or spirit. He has lead by virtue of pure adhesion to principle, and never let villainization or adversity deter him. His webpage has been a perpetual beacon of direction and attraction to activists and potential ones. He was with Coe and Prince on 187, and has stood on streetcorners before any of us even knew that there was an Aztlan or what a reconquista was. Glen is a king of Bulls.
Honorable mentions
Jeff Schwilk. I always call schwilk an excitable boy. He says terrible things about me and some of my associates. He's obnoxious, crude, carelessly threatening, and certainly not someone you'd place your life in the hands of.
But....He's been bullish on illegals from start to somewhat of a finish. He's still here, and still operating, although in a somewhat subdued manner. Schwilk deserves an honorable mention as a bull, but with reservations. I can't be too kind to him when he has beat down some of the more active people in this movement solely to protect the honor of an honorless person who he has fallen for so-to-speak. Obviously I cannot forgive him until he stops doing the things that make him a somewhat of an ass to many of us. He's far from noble, but he's got staying power and dedication to this cause. Schwilk has stood against day labor, illegals loving politicians, illegals supporters, and illegals. He's come to personal harm, albeit by his own foolishness, but still in the line of duty.
Here's my list of Bullshitters.
These are the types who claim they will die on this hill defending their country, and pledge themselves to a cause, only to peel away after a short skirmish or drift to a more lucrative enterprise when things don't pay off (pun intended) in the short run:
Chelene Nightingale. Yeah, who would have guessed her to be first on my list of Bullshitters? Many people think Chelene was a raging bull on immigration, but the facts and history will show that it was a useful opportunity that soon gave way to a plethora of other causes. I place a great deal of blame on Nightingale's broad shoulders for the loss of SOS's membership. Immigration gave way to politics, religion, economics, and soon enough, every unproven theory proposed by any cockamamie self-professed rightist. Even her gubernatorial run saw illegals take a back seat to issues from individual constitutional rights to water for farmers...who use illegals by the way. Now she's on to being the governor of an imaginary government. It's always been about the fame for her, and she dropped out of our fight years ago. Haven't seen hide nor hair of her on a streetcorner protesting illegals for years. She is/was a bullshitter
William Gheen. I'm sorry, but I think Gheen is a goul. Although he has kept his organization together for several years, and he has appeared in numerous press conferences and other spectacle in regards to illegals, I can't tell you that I ever...read EVER...saw that man at a street level event. I see him as a front man in a suit who would abandon his entourage the moment their finances dried up. He has continually shored up that feeling by threatening to shut down his website if donations don't reach his stated goal. I cannot tell you that I've read his name in print in several years, and haven't heard of an ALIPAC protest or rally that was not a money collection effort. In addition, he has initiated some of the most notable attempts to garner the fame of others via political and and internet assassination Although Gheen is with us in name, I believe the spirit of revolt is not with him.
Joseph Turner. Here's another one that some will complain to me about for placement in the Bullshitter class, but once again, I have good reason. Turner was an Icon in the movement to start with, but he quickly turned towards politics, and just as quickly slinked away to obscurity. I thought highly of Joe's intellect at the start, but was always left wondering about his direction. I also harbored some misgivings about his being absent more often that not from street events while being quick to criticize others for failing to to same. Likewise, although everyone agreed that running for office was a needed component of our movement, I was secretly suspicious that the whole illegal immigration issue was but a useful tool for him in his pursuit of what might be another goal. In a short assessment though, Turner was only a flash in the pan. He started the SOS forum in late 2004, and pretty much left us in practical terms by late 2006. He was an effective news maker during that period for the most part, but since then, what has he done? I haven't heard a peep out of him in years, despite some very relative events in the school system in his hometown. He may have been a bull for a short time, but he looks quite self-castrated now.
Chris Simcox. Here's a sad chapter in our history for sure. I liked Chris at the beginning, but was never satisfied with his management. The monetary side of his organization was always under scrutiny, and failed miserably in propriety. He had all these big plans of border walls and running for senate on a border security platform, and neither materialized any more than enough to garner some funds, and then go MIA. After his star shot, he slinked away under a dirty cloud with charges pending and mud flying. When was the last time you saw him demanding illegals be sent packing? This guy was a bullshitter for sure