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Minutemen in The Washington Post

February 7th, 2008

Minutemen in The Washington Post

The February 2 edition of The Washington Post had an interesting photo on its front page:  a woman with a mask over her face:

She showed up for Saturday's protest with a surgical mask around her neck.  "No TB please" was written on it.

A Hispanic man approached on the far side of the street.  She put the mask on.  She said she does it whenever someone might be carrying tuberculosis.  Illegal immigrants don't have to pass health tests before getting jobs, she says.  They might be working right there at McDonald's, she said.

"Do you know what it takes to spread TB?  Would you like a little TB with your Happy Meal?"

Horrifying?  Offensive?  Completely over the top?  Yes, yes, and yes.  Here's more from the top of the story:

"Most of us don't feel safe on the Phoenix streets without being armed," says Wes Pecsok, a contractor who keeps his pistol in an inner vest pocket.  "We're not going to be intimidated by these thugs."

The protesters are members of the Minutemen, Riders USA, United for a Sovereign America. They find a common bond in their rage, their fury at the government, their loathing of Hispanics who have come to the United States illegally.  They say that many immigrants carry disease, and kill cops, and rape children.

And this:

Barb Heller said she fears what amounts to an annexation of parts of Arizona by the Mexican government:  "The president of Mexico is saying that wherever there is a Mexican, that's Mexico."

I suppose we could be grateful that the Arizona protesters so thoroughly covered the code words  that are used to spread hate in the debate, and generate fear and loathing of Latinos.  But we're too busy being horrified.