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Kansas City United Against the Minutemen
By Joe Carr
5 February, 2008
“No More Minutemen” we chanted as we marched down Broadway. “Get out your Green cards, ICE is coming” they shouted at us, interrupting our freedom songs. Though only a street in between us, our ideologies were worlds apart. But it was clear who spoke the loudest.
The Minutemen Civil Defense Corps (MCDC) is a racist vigilante group that carries out armed border patrols and harasses Latino/a workers and their employers. They have ties to known hate groups such as the KKK and Aryan Nation. Controversy over the group erupted here when Kansas City Mayor Funkhouser appointed Frances Semler, an active member of the MCDC to the city Parks and Recreation Board. In response, Latino rights group La Raza pulled their national convention from Kansas City, so the MCDC staged their first national leadership conference here instead.
Upon learning they were coming, the Kansas Mutual Aid collective called for an organized response. Quickly joined by others, we helped put together a coalition of over 30 Civil Rights, Migrants Rights, religious and progressive organizations and called ourselves the Common Table Coalition. It was the largest and most diverse coalition seen by this city in a long time.
Full Story
What's going on?
The Minutemen Civil Defense Corps (MCDC) is a racist vigilantee group that harasses Latino workers and their employers. The MCDC organizes armed border patrols as well as local actions that terrorize members of the immigrant and Latino/a community. They have strong ties to known hate groups like the KKK. The MCDC hosted a "Regional Leadership Conference" in Kansas City at the Uptown Theater on February 1st and 2nd 2008. This conference brought together 300 minutemen leaders from across the United States. Local progressive organizations united to respond to this conference in an organized and peaceful way. We let them know their message of hate and division is NOT WELCOME!
For more info:
What did we want to do?
With three events, a march, rally, and summit, we will let the MCDC know that we will not stand idly by while they use our city to further their racist and anti-immigrant agenda. We want to educate people about the truth of who the MCDC really are and why they should be opposed. We also want to educate ourselves and our communities about tolerance, peace, and justice, as well as about racism, white supremacy, and immigration for a more inclusive Kansas City area.
What can you do?
1. Attend and bring a friend to the Summit on Immigration and Racism:
The Common Table Coalition invites you to –--
SUMMIT ON IMMIGRATION AND RACISM: DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS
Saturday, March 8 – 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cristo Rey School
211 West Linwood, Kansas City , MO
Downloadable flyers in English and Spanish: www.umkc.edu/ labor-ed
Learn the truth about immigration, about the rise of groups that target immigrants and people of color, and who practice of the politics of division. Hear ideas on how to fix our broken immigration system and stop the hate spread by the Minutemen and FAIR.
PLENARIES:
Ø Voices of Kansas City Immigrants,
Ø Strategizing and Framing
Ø Where to go – What to do
WORKSHOPS:
Ø Political climate that discourages inclusion
Ø Why don’t they just get legal?
Ø Immigration History
Ø The anti-immigrant movement and the Minutemen
Ø Retreat from Civil Rights
Ø (Bilingual): Who’s stealing your job?
Ø (Spanish): Know your rights in the workplace
Ø (Spanish): Know your rights as an immigrant
MORE…….
Ø Panel of African refugees
Ø Racism and white privilege
Ø Politics: The immigration wedge
Ø Faith response to immigration and racism
Ø Youth activism and Civil Rights
Cost: $15.00 ($5.00, low income) Lunch included. Spanish translation. Children welcome.
REGISTER: Call (816)235-1470 or email ancelj@umkc. edu.
Sponsors: All Souls Immigration Taskforce, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Cristo Rey School Cross Border Network, Institute for Labor Studies, Interfaith Worker Justice, Latino Civil Rights Task Force, Missouri Immigrant & Refugee Advocates, New Sanctuary Movement, Sons and Daughters of Immigrants, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Urban League.
2. Participate in the Uptown Campaign
Help us pressure the Uptown Theatre to cancel this event and not host hate groups like this in the future.
a. 
Uptown Campaign.doc
(Sample email 
Dear Uptown.doc )
b. Update on efforts to stop MM organizing: Shut down Minutemen.doc)
3. Share information
a. Tell others why you don't want the Minutemen to meet in KC Talking Points
b. Show powerpoint to others about the Minutemen 
mm.ppt
c. Add more info., links, and resources to this wiki by emailing nommkc@gmail.com
d. share this wiki
Other local events on immigration: Fear and Learning at Hoover.doc W---UndocumentedDoc Flier.doc Where are you from.doc
Who are We?
The Common Table coaliiton is a variety of social justice groups from the Kansas City and Lawrence area. It includes Latino groups, human rights organizations, peace groups, student groups, groups from the black community, churches and other people of faith, and more!
Other links
These groups have signed a petition against Minutemen in KC-
Kansas Families United for Public Education
Westside Community Action Network Center, Inc.
Jewish Community Relation Bureau/American Jewish Committee Gina Kaiser, Chair Marvin Szneler, Executive Director Judy Hellman, Associate Director
Father Pat Murphy, c.s., Animator of Hispanic Ministry, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Shalom Catholic Worker House, Kansas City, KS
Kansas City Worker Justice Project
Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights
Center for New Community
Olathe Unit of the NAACP
Contact Info
nommkc@gmail.com
Labor Studies at 816-235-1470
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