by TChris

The idea of rounding up a posse to pursue the bad guys is a popular theme in movies about the wild west, but the modern analog can be found in Arizona, where armed volunteers, recruited by a website, intend to patrol the San Pedro Valley in search of "illegal activity." Calling themselves the Minuteman Project, the volunteers plan to rally in Tombstone before starting their month-long endeavor. They say they'll report their observations to the Border Patrol, and the volunteers have been instructed not to shoot anyone, even if they come under fire. The risk, however, is that some volunteers will decide to take the law into their own hands, bringing a return of "vigilante justice" to Arizona.

[L]aw enforcement officials and human rights advocates are worried about the potential for bloodshed. Critics contend the project may attract vigilantes. At least one white supremacist group has mentioned the project on its Web site.

Given the risk that a whacko or two will join the 800 to 1,000 volunteers that the project expects, the Border Patrol doesn't appreciate the "help" that the untrained volunteers are offering. If the volunteers fear that the Border Patrol isn't doing its job, they should seek a political solution. Running around the desert with guns isn't a productive response.

Update: (TL) David Neiwert explains why this has tragedy and disaster written all over it.