Minuteman FOUNDER laments path of anti-illegal immigration groups

Amy Taxin of the OC Register writes that Minuteman Project founder and former Congressional candidate Jim Gilchrist laments the direction of his organization.  AAmong other things, “[t]oday, Gilchrist is worried that a few self-proclaimed patriots might be carrying a gun. After seeing online videos that encouraged border violence amid calls to crack down on illegal immigration, the 59-year-old Aliso Viejo resident said he feels responsible for what started out as a publicity campaign and has since fallen prey to internal divisions and to influence by people he believed had `Saddam Hussein mentalities.'”

Gilchrist has been a high profile anti-immigration advocate. Last year, Gilchrist had a falling out with several of his former Minuteman Project collaborators, who accuse him of mismanaging the organization’s funds.

KJ