Mexican Living: Lets Be Perfectly Clear
Readers often send me interesting and exciting e-mails about the op-ed pieces I write and manage to publish. As a writer, I get all sorts. Some are actually encouraging. Then there are those who say, "This is YOUR fantasy, not the reality I have seen." Or, they ask, "Your point is?"
Alas and alack, it is the lot of professional writers to suffer these comments all in the name of trying to write something someone wants to read (and buy!).
In my latest piece on the Minuteman Project, some readers took offense at my attempt to link Chris Simcox, one of the co-founders, with groups run by gomers like Glenn Spencer. In fact, one lady wrote and said,
"Your attempt to tarnish the citizens of the Minuteman Project by linking it to Spencer and the ABP is about as honest and courageous as spreading the stench of MS-13 over the entire illegal population."
And of course, everyone knows what "MS-13" is!
So, I am thinking, perhaps I was not as clear as I could have been. Perhaps this lady has a (small) point and I need to restate my position.
Therefore, your humble columnist is here today to try to right a possible wrong. So here goes, and let me be perfectly clear:What tainted this Minuteman Project from its beginning was that Chris Simcox was one of its co-founders. The evidence supports, in my view, that this man has another agenda.
I did not buy the "Observer and Report" goal of his Minuteman project because of the past behavior and rhetoric of this man. Never once has he recanted, apologized, or generally taken back what he's said and done in the past about the Mexican Immigration issue.
For example:
1. Chris Simcox has a federal arrest record. "Chris Simcox, the co-founder of the group he adulates, was arrested in January 2003, by Federal Park rangers for possession of loaded and concealed weapons, disorderly conduct, and interfering with law enforcement on federal land, according to Ernesto Cienfuegos of La Voz de Aztlan."
2. Los Angeles Times Magazine writer, Dan Baum, wrote on March 16, 2003:
?Chris Simcox won't stop fooling with his gun.
??whenever he is photographed by the media--which is often these days--Simcox makes sure the pistol is in every frame.
??but his body language is all about the gun. Sooner or later he's going to use it, he wants everybody to know, in a showdown with the illegal immigrants and Mexican drug dealers he believes are ruining the United States.
??If Simcox dies in a blaze of border gunfire, so be it, he says.
?At 42, he is owner, editor and publisher (and reporter, ad director and circulation manager) of the weekly Tombstone Tumbleweed, circulation 1,200. His Oct. 24 issue bore the headline: "Enough is Enough! A Public Call to Arms!" The paper invited readers to join a "Citizens Border Patrol Militia."
Let me ask the questions America should be asking:
Does Chris Simcox, from his past rhetoric, seem to be just an "Observe and Report" kind of guy? Has he once admitted and recanted this rhetoric? Has he admitted to any of this?
I would like to hear Mr. Simcox's public explanation of what he's said "on the record" and if he still believes it.I would also love to know why this man's past hasn't been reported in the press and especially on the "Fair and Balanced" cable news network, Fox News?
There is an expression, "The Fish Rots From The Head Down."
Let us watch and see what happens.
Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.
His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241
MORE RESOURCES:
 Los Angeles Times | Irishman Enda Walsh doesn't let words get in the way Los Angeles Times It was later in the writing process that Walsh introduced the element of farce and the notion of the father trapping the sons, forcing them to perform. ... Irish playwright Enda Walsh on playwriting and screenwriting |
 Contactmusic.com | Bruce Springsteen writing autobiography? Online Rock Radio Bruce Springsteen is reportedly writing his memoirs, according to The New York Post. An unnamed source said the project would be unparalleled in the rock ... Bruce Springsteen Reportedly Writing Autobiography |
 New York Times | A Torah Scribe Pushes the Parchment Ceiling New York Times Julie Seltzer at work writing a Torah at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. By BRUCE WEBER In Hebrew the word for Julie Seltzer's arcane ... |
Newspaper pay walls have a lot of confused writing on them guardian.co.uk So, this month, the pay walls begin to go up. The next edition of Retail Week you try to read on the internet will come as part of a subscription package, ... |
Rick & Newt: Writing the wrongs of Washington Dallas Morning News Rick Perry has a new writing partner. Perry and fellow Republican Gov. Mark Sanford teamed up as co-authors to bash Washington. In a December op-ed in the ... |
 guardian.co.uk | Enter, finally, the real Alan Bennett guardian.co.uk If writing meant passing this kind of kit inspection, I'd better forget it." Bennett didn't forget it, of course. But having observed Auden at close ... 'Love's a little boy' |
 Jamaica Gleaner | Winkler talks about writing Jamaica Gleaner "Writing is a funny business. I wrote it about a year ago, but I did not like it. When I was getting ready for Calabash I thought of it," Winkler said. ... |
Cross Inks License Partnership With FranklinCovey Products CNNMoney.com (press release) "Cross has world-renowned writing instrument and design capabilities and pairs extremely well with the FranklinCovey brand," said FranklinCovey Products CEO ... |
Swiss death metallers Omophagia have issued the following update about writing ... Metal Underground "I'd just like to tell you what's happening at the Omophagia-camp at the moment. As you all know we are working hard to get the new CD done as soon as ... |
Saturday Starter: Your Writing Origins Tucson Citizen After my visit, I took it home, had it carefully framed and it now hangs on my wall above my writing space, a constant reminder of my writing origins. ... |
Do You Know How To Write English For Global Audiences?
When you write for international audiences, mainly directly in English, you will need to develop an audience profile. In particular, you will have to show consistency and clarity in style/expression and you will have to be culturally sensitive.
Do I Have To Be A Good Writer to Market My Own Business?
Many of the most effective low-cost marketing strategies require writing. What can a small business owner do if they're not much of a writer? Can they still market their business themselves on a shoestring budget?Marketing is a form of communication.
Write Again! - The Art Of The Written Letter
Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper? We took time and thought into each note written. There wasn't email, text messaging, cell phones, or instant messaging.
Secrets Of Successful Authors
When the writing bug hits you, get out your pencil, typewriter,a word processor or tape recorder and go to work. Personal wants and desires, such as "How to Make Money" can put you on the road to success in the writing field.
Screenwriting - The Value of Structure
Structure in the form of frameworks, work processes and goals enhances creative output:a) Short term goals (incremental productivity) produce more output than a "do your best" approach. Writing four pages a day completes a words-on-paper first draft screenplay in one month.
I Am Biodegradable - My Writing Is Not
My dad was wrong. I just discovered that I am good for nuthin' after all.
Essay Types and Modes Youll Need to Write for College
~TYPES~You Want Us to Write What? Understanding the Task AssignedWhich academic essay writing types we use depends upon which disciplines (or classes) we write for. Each instructor or professor will assign papers that invite us to reveal in writing what we have learned/what we think about the material for that particular class:* ANALYTIC-A classic style used in art, science, history, psychology, education, and most other disciplines across the curriculum to explore and investigate an idea, process, person, action, or attitude.
Spiritual Journaling
Whether you keep a separate spiritual journal or just wantto add your spiritual postings in your regular journal, youwill want to read this.Personal journaling supports our development and growth.
Gut Check: Quitting Your Full-time Job for Your Freelance Career
It's 6:00 p.m.
Using Technology to Improve Your Final Draft
One Saturday afternoon, I sat in a packed conference room with about 150 other would be writers, listening to a conference instructor tell us the keys to self-editing our manuscripts. The number of people in the room spoke to how important it is to make sure your work is crisp, and as close to publishable as possible.
71 Ways For A Writer To Make Money
There are so many ways for writers to make good money by writing. Some people love to write, even as a hobby.
Building Character
Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we live, who we are.
Writing Without Style
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact, highly desirable for newspapers. The average reading level of newspaper readers is the sixth grade.
Creating Great Business Correspondence
Obtaining the skills for writing good business correpondence is important; a job seeker needs to send customised job application letters. A secretary needs to send out an official invitation letter.
Eight Ways To Write Your Novel Faster
I asked several writers how long it took them to write a novel they wanted published. One woman writer made a frustrated face at me, a couple others just stared at me (their novel wasn't finished yet), and a few just stared.
Screenwriting - Five Golden Insights
Originality emerges from structure. Once you have a story idea, you can expand the idea into a story by using structure.
Top 10 Tips to Complete a Creative Writing Project Without Losing Your Creativity
Have you ever started a creative writing project with great excitement, only to have your interest dwindle as the process, itself, interfere with your creativity? How do you keep the momentum going and continue to enjoy the creative process? Follow these tips for high creativity, fun and success!1. Create a writing environment that inspires you.
Break in with Fillers: The Best Market for New Writers
Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new area? You can't go past writing fillers. Fillers are one of the most overlooked opportunities in the freelance writing world and offer one of the best opportunities for new writers.
Does Your Plot Suit Your Characters And Vice-Versa?
Creative Writing Tips -When an idea comes to us for a short story, we either think of a story line first or a character first. Whichever we think of first, and later on build, we have to make sure the plot and the character suit each other.
How Can You Find Freelance Work As A Writer?
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they may find themselves feeling left out. There are simply not enough employment options available.
