I was outraged by this story. I'm not interested in debating it with anyone, I just wanted to put the story out there for those who are interested.

Washington Times - 16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

If you want to contribute to his legal fund send it to:

Roger Barnett Legal Defense Fund

1498 E Fry Blvd

Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

I don't have any real amount of money to send but I'm sure every little bit helps.

I keep asking that too, but apparently there isn't a good answer. Which we already know. :thumbup:

Aw ninner, you got a wink from Beth, I'm jealous:cursing:

She has never said he shouldn't be able to protect his property, she is submitting simply that something is afoul with this guys methods and that he seems to get off on it.

exactly thank you dan..:thumbup:

When you live on 12,000 acres, there is nothing wrong with what he did and how he did it. Nothing.

We're not talking trespassers here. We're talking illegals who are breaking federal laws and, in many cases, taking away HIS right to life and liberty.

According to Beth and me that is wink, wink

right now its he said she said that why its going to trial ...i dont know what happened i was not there..

if the cops cant get there in time to protect him he should go inside and lock the doors until they are removed and if they come in his house then i say he can point a gun or put his dog on them..

Have you never been outside of a city? Go inside and wait for the cops? I don't freakin think so. Typical victim mentality I'd expect from a liberal. Don't get me wrong where I'm at, I'm the minority and several of my friends are hispanic and yes some of there parents or grandparents were illegal. What many of you don't realize is that the days of the hardworking immigrant are coming to a close due to all of the drugs and violence that are spilling over the border. Some said you don't hear of them commiting crimes? Thats your ass. Try a google search and read a little before spewing that nonsence. Most of them are hardworking but a few bad apples will spoil the bunch.

Well, and the irony is that the very thing they were all about AND people and corporations were abusing them for is going the way of the dinosaur -- cheap labor.

Remember a year or two ago when there was that huge demonstration where illegals were demanding rights, one of those rights being a fair day's wages?

So... the very thing that got them here and kept them here -- well, the rules are being changed. So then what? Then you're talking 20- to 30-million people who are no longer cheap labor but simply MORE PEOPLE demanding what was once their whole reason for being here. :thumbup:

It's a tough call...and again, immigration is a problem all the way around. But, for this case, I don't think this guy was getting off on it.

If anything, I'd think it's a stressful place to be for him. His cattle were being killed off, trash was being piled on his property. He owns all that land and can't enjoy it.

What should he do? I disagree that he should hide in his house. I've called cops becuase neighbors were outside smoking pot and throwing beer bottles in my yard. The cops get there and the party-people are gone by then. What have I done? Collected the beer bottles and thrown them away. The first time. The second time, I collected them all and dumped them in their driveway.

Me, in his shoes - I'd be pissed about the loss of time, money and property. And, I'd probably beat the crap out of someone for harassing my dogs, and they aren't even a source of income for me like the cattle are for him.

I don't think so extremely as some, but I definetly see the need to defend ourselves from this kind of thing from happening.

I would image if these folks had crossed over and not made any trouble then he may have turned the other cheek. (My opinion...no way of knowing, though.) I just know I would have looked the other way if they didn't cause me problems.

But, this is their first introduction into the country and they're killing cattle and leaving a trail of trash.

I think I'd be grumpy, too. And after years of it, I'd be worn down, too.

Have you never been outside of a city? Go inside and wait for the cops? I don't freakin think so. Typical victim mentality I'd expect from a liberal. Don't get me wrong where I'm at, I'm the minority and several of my friends are hispanic and yes some of there parents or grandparents were illegal. What many of you don't realize is that the days of the hardworking immigrant are coming to a close due to all of the drugs and violence that are spilling over the border. Some said you don't hear of them commiting crimes? Thats your ass. Try a google search and read a little before spewing that nonsence. Most of them are hardworking but a few bad apples will spoil the bunch.

Google search will never prove a negative, for instance if you google lap band failures, you're going to get stories of lap band failures. There is no opposite search to do for illegals, what shall I google? hardworking immigrant works hard? no, the only stories that will show are those that make news, the bad stories. Please understand I'm not arguing illegals, I'm arguing google

Google search will never prove a negative, for instance if you google lap band failures, you're going to get stories of lap band failures. There is no opposite search to do for illegals, what shall I google? hardworking immigrant works hard? no, the only stories that will show are those that make news, the bad stories. Please understand I'm not arguing illegals, I'm arguing google

use my favorite search engine: elgoog. It's kinda like the opposite of google.

"80% Victory for the rancher."

When dismissing the conspiracy claims, the court explained that illegal aliens have no constitutionally protected right to travel in the U.S. and that people, like the Barnetts, who live in close proximity to the border can make a reasonable assumption that large groups of people they encounter hiding or trespassing are doing so with the aid of smugglers, a federal felony for which a citizens arrest is authorized under Arizona law.

John Kaufmann, the lead trial attorney for Roger Barnett, systematically dismantled MALDEF's core contention that the plaintiffs were detained because of their ethnicity. The jury became aware that the poor and uneducated plaintiffs were being used by the Mexican government in a crude attempt to discourage border enforcement efforts.

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-17-2009/0004974130&EDATE=

A federal jury in Tucson ruled Tuesday that an Arizona rancher did not violate the civil rights of 16 Mexican nationals he stopped after they sneaked illegally into the United States, but awarded $78,000 in actual and punitive damages on claims of assault and the infliction of emotional distress.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/18/rancher-cleared-in-rights-case/

"80% Victory for the rancher."

No surprise that the Mexican government itself is behind this. Time to nuke 'em. :thumbup:

As for the judgment? Screw 'em. Just try to collect. I absolutely cannot believe that the guy was within his rights to do what he did, YET he has to pay these creeps a judgment for emotional distress??? Maybe HE needs to sue Mexico for sending their vermin across the border and damaging his property.

No surprise that the Mexican government itself is behind this. Time to nuke 'em. :thumbup:

As for the judgment? Screw 'em. Just try to collect. I absolutely cannot believe that the guy was within his rights to do what he did, YET he has to pay these creeps a judgment for emotional distress??? Maybe HE needs to sue Mexico for sending their vermin across the border and damaging his property.

That's a good point, Beth. It seems if anyone should be suing for emotional distress, it should be him and his family for having to put up with hundreds of trespassers using and destroying his property.

That's a good point, Beth. It seems if anyone should be suing for emotional distress, it should be him and his family for having to put up with hundreds of trespassers using and destroying his property.

Especially when it's being encouraged by a neighboring government. What's the difference between what's going on here and being invaded by a hostile country or government? I don't see one...

Good grief. No wonder some of you peeps don't think that Fox is right wing and think that the mainstream media is liberal.

I live in Texas, dudes. I know how much some Americans like vigilante law enforcement. But we don't need to step back in time when the cowboys who had the biggest guns made the rules.

You gotta understand peeps. I have Cherokee Indian in my genes. My people had to put up with your people long before Mexicans became a problem. This dialogue is good if it helps resolve the border problems and it's good that this lawsuit brings some of it to our attention. But the rancher will never have to pay a dime and I feel pretty certain that the original judge who handed down the judgement in this case knows that. He's just keeping the Mexicans off his back.

One interesting aside is that you all have a problem with one of us believing some of the Mexicans' story but you have no problem believing all of the rancher's story. And I'm a bad person when I claim racism is involved?

Good grief. No wonder some of you peeps don't think that Fox is right wing and think that the mainstream media is liberal.

I live in Texas, dudes. I know how much some Americans like vigilante law enforcement. But we don't need to step back in time when the cowboys who had the biggest guns made the rules.

You gotta understand peeps. I have Cherokee Indian in my genes. My people had to put up with your people long before Mexicans became a problem. This dialogue is good if it helps resolve the border problems and it's good that this lawsuit brings some of it to our attention. But the rancher will never have to pay a dime and I feel pretty certain that the original judge who handed down the judgement in this case knows that. He's just keeping the Mexicans off his back.

One interesting aside is that you all have a problem with one of us believing some of the Mexicans' story but you have no problem believing all of the rancher's story. And I'm a bad person when I claim racism is involved?

Why racism because I don't believe the law breakers?? I don't care WHAT color they are, they are law breakers and come into this lawsuit with unclean hands. They have a REASON to say that he did these things, because they are trying to prove a case in court. They have a REASON to lie because they were trying to win $32 million.

I personally don't care if he drove a wooden stake up all their asses and left them hanging there, but I don't believe he harmed ANYbody. Threatened with the dog? Yeah, maybe -- assuming any of them understand English. :blushing: But even then, I don't care. There were 16 of them and one of him. I would threaten to unleash my dog too if anybody moved.

In the deep south such as this, where he has thousands of acres of land to protect, what he did IS the right thing. You make a citizen's arrest and wait for the border patrol to come take them away. He's not in the city or the 'burbs.