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Minuteman Leader Jim Gilchrist Responds To Me

Posted October 26, 2009 by Patrick Young, Esq.

Tim Steller of the Arizona Star newspaper has a blog frequented by the Minutemen and those interested in them. He recently wrote about a Harvard University student group rescinding its invitation to speak to Minuteman co-founder Jim Gilchrist. The group cancelled the invitation when a student brought Gilchrist’s involvement with Minuteman Shawna Forde, who awaits trail in the murder of two Latinos, to its attention. I posted the following to Steller’s blog:
Gilchrist’s extensive associations with accused murderer Shawna Forde as well as his group’s contacts with her after the Brisenia Flores murder would raise question marks about his bona fides at any responsible educational institution.
— Pat Young 10/21/2009 08:32 PM
Gilchrist responded less than an hour later. Here is the relevent part of what he said:
Clearing the Propaganda and Educating the Uninformed:
Neither I nor the MInuteman Project ever had an “extensive” association with Shawna Forde. I met her in person briefly only three times over a four year period. The last time was in early 2008 as she sat in an audience listening to me and a retired career DEA agent speak. A phone call was made to her when I received an email that law enforcement was supposedly looking for her in June 2009. She denied any wrongdoing when confronted over the phone about that “inquiry.” That is essentially all the so-called “association” Minuteman Project had with Forde….
Jim Gichrist, President, The Minuteman Project
— Jim Gilchrist 10/21/2009 09:20 PM
Read this article from yesterday and determine for yourself just how extensive the Minuteman Project’s connections with accused killer Shawna Forde were.
More Links to the Minuteman Murders
Since the police first revealed the Minuteman connection to the murders of ten year Brisenia Flores and her father Raul, Long Island Wins has provided intensive coverage of this story. Here is an index of the most important articles we’ve posted:
The Crime
The shocking murder of a little girl and her father focused our attention on recent Minuteman activities in Arizona.
Minuteman Murderer Confesses!
The 911 call by a mother who had just seen her husband and child murdered.
Excerpts from the police reports on the murder investigation.
Death penalty sought in Minuteman Murders.
Shawna Forde’s defenders.
More on the Shawna Forde support group.
Anti-Immigrant Groups Deny Ties To Shawna Forde, The Mastermind Of The Murders
Extensive documentation of Shawna Forde’s links to the Minutemen.
Although Forde was a part of Minuteman from its early years, anti-immigrant groups around the country immediately branded her an insignificant figure, in spite of ample evidence to the contrary.
More on Shawna Forde’s extensive connections with anti-immigrant groups.
While the Minutemen depict her as a minor figure, their own web site described Shawna Forde as a person in the leadership.
Shawna Forde had close ties to Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minutemen. Is Gilchrist an important figure in that movement?
This article looks at Gilchrist’s communications with Forde after the killings.
Inside The Mind Of Shawna Forde
Video interview with Shawna Forde on “patrol” along the border.
Shawna Forde’s blog from the Tea Party a month before the killings.
And here is an article the main Minuteman Project website published from Shawna Forde.
Here are first person reports of the Minuteman rally in Everett Washington organized by Shawna Forde at which Jim Gilchrist was the keynote speaker.
Did Shawna Forde shoot herself to gain sympathy for her cause.
Did Shawna Forde fake her “rape”?
The Glenn Spencer Connection
Glenn Spencer, one of the founders of the “border protection movement” and the man who inspired Suffolk’s anti-immigrant movement had ties to Shawna Forde. She was arrested nearly two weeks after the killings immediately after visiting him.
Glenn Spencer speaks out on the Minuteman murders.
The Minutemen Speak
The weird response of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps to the media coverage of the murders.
The Civil War in the Anti-Immigrant Movement
The fallout from the killings has led to a brutal civil war among anti-immigrant groups, with vicious charges being traded by erstwhile allies.
Glenn Spencer’s aide takes on the leader of ALIPAC.
Are Minutemen beginning to threaten each other’s lives?
Anti-immigrant leader worries there may be more Shawna Fordes in “movement”.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy And The Minutemen
Steve Levy’s endorsement in 2006 by the founder of the Minutemen.
Steve Levy and the Suffolk Minutemen.
Border Storm-Our new three-part series on the history of the Minutemen
Part-1 How the Minutemen became the heroes of the Right.
Part 2-The Minutemen Splinter Amid Charges of Racism and Theft
Part 3 The Minutemen: Dissolution and Death
Other Articles
The New York Times covers the Minuteman murders.
Boston Globe editorialized against the “climate of vigilantism” created by the Minutemen.
Anti-immigrant leader worries that there are more Shawna Fordes.
Minutemen are both bumbling and dangerous.
Round-up of new information on the murders 7/12/09
Did Jason Bush kill Washington State teen?
Jason Bush, the Minuteman gunman, has been charged in two other white power killings.
Jason Bush claims he was not the killer.
The link between the Minutemen and the militias.
San Diego Minutemen and White supremacy.
National head of Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC) involved in fraudulent tax scheme.
Update on Minuteman Murders and tax fraud scheme. 8/20/09
Minuteman Problems Deepening.
Another Minuteman, this one with 15 felony convictions, Jailed while on his way to join Shawna Forde