Simpcox, MCDC, Propose 70 miles of Private Fencing - April 21, 2006

As many of you have probably heard, Chris Simpcox of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps has proposed a fence on 70 miles of private land in Arizona, for which he now has cooperation. Private funding will have to be raised for the fencing and surveillance equipment.

While I am not as of yet working with Simpcox on this project, I did meet him in last year's original Minute Man Project in Arizona and met with him last December to offer my then two-month-old Border Fence Project as stimulus. I praise Simpcox's efforts, but formal endorsement and participation will depend on future developments, a May 25 deadline for the federal government to secure the border, and cooperation from my board of directors. My organization's current position is that we can support surveillance camera contribution to private land projects as cameras are better protected there, and camera views of all 1952 miles of border is critical and should be centralized on one portal, so Americans can participate in the Cyber Minute Man experience anywhere with convenience. Both private and public video-viewing can be entertained depending on the desires of the private land owner. Contributions of donations to private fencing is not policy with us now, but the board may create future and separate funding for ranchers who prove lack of means to fund physical fencing.

The current Simpcox plan calls for 2 rows of chain-link fencing, 2 trenches, 2 large coils of concertina or razor wire, and surveillance cameras in the middle of the rows. While this is the most bullet-proof solution I've seen, making the fence more effective, 1952 miles long, would lead to several caveats:

• This solution will probably cost $150/per foot versus our $2.50/foot, still far more affordable than the proposed federal version at $1000/foot, but difficult for fund raisers to generate the revenue necessary for the entire southern border
  
• Private-only ranch fencing leaves some access roads and parks that extend far to the north vulnerable. Cooperation is building to compel the Bureau of Land Management to accept our offer to mend fencing already on the border but dilapidated, required as Department of the Interior policy. I have Standard Form 299 permits pending for all four border states and expect cooperation or will take every legal avenue available to enforce them
  
• The more ambitious fencing projects, even when on private land, sometimes receive grief from counties and environmentalists who claim concrete or other materials are somehow a hazard. This is less likely in Arizona but commonplace in California
  
• T.J. Bonner and other Border Patrol interests may frown on such effective fencing, probably fearing for job security for border guards, and many eager Cyber Minute Men may want opportunities to make many "busts" with our more approachable fence, inadvertently creating an entertainment incentive. I prefer the air-tight solution, but it may take many years to raise the money
  

Your suggestions and comments are most welcome. Please reply to this e-mail if I can help.

Please feel free to stay up-to-date by visiting http://www.BorderFenceProject.com anytime. Your donations and voluntary support are greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Jim Wood

NoInvaders.Org President

http://www.NoInvaders.Org

http://www.BorderFenceProject.com