Minutemen or Vigilantes or Both

There is a huge brouhaha going on right now on the right side of the blogosphere over Bush calling the Minuteman Militia “Vigilantes�.

I didn’t really care about Bush’s statement because he has failed us so badly on the issue of illegal immigration in his first four-plus years that I often wonder if he cares. In fact, whenever I see that specific topic posted or this new one about the word “vigilantes”, I usually go right over it without reading it so that I didn’t get infuriated.

But after reading this post at Cold Fury I realized something; BUSH WAS RIGHT.

Not only was he right, but if you look at the situation and his statement logically, he gave himself and the federal government a big backhand to the face with what he said.

Think about it, what is a vigilante?

My Webster’s Dictionary defines the word as a noun that describes someone who is of an unauthorized group organized professedly to keep order and/or punish crime.

Isn’t that what the Minuteman Militia is doing there?

John at Cold Fury makes the issue even simpler,

In all cases, the rise of vigilantes and vigilantism was because they (and the bulk of the people who supported them) considered the government unable or unwilling to enforce basic rules of order.

That is EXACTLY what is going on along the Arizona border with Mexico.

The right wing blogs need to stop whining about Bush calling the Minutemen “vigilantes� and take it right back him by basically saying “Yes they are, Mr. President. Now, are you going to do something about this problem or are citizens going to have to stand where you will not?�

I want to hear Bush respond to that question.

Get me in the pressroom and I will stand there in my pajamas, laptop in hand, and ask that question.

UPDATE: To any and all who might be confused as to where I stand on the Minuteman Project, just let me say that I do support them and their stated task. I would be joining them if not for my current fiscal obligations and that through past excursions I have learned that I have a deep seated dislike of desert environs.

I would also like to add that one of the potential buyers of my inventory of AR15 clone rifles, parts and accessories is the brother of a coworker who IS currently patrolling as a Minuteman. He has been offered them at a distinct discount for that exact reason.