Blackwater allowed access to closed road in fire area, while area residents blocked

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Here's part of an e-mail sent out by Carol Jahnkow of the San Diego Peace Resource Center:

"Dear Friends,

Just three weeks ago many of us traveled out to Potrero to support them in their efforts to keep Blackwater from building a training facility in their community. The first fire we heard about last Sunday, was as you know, the Harris fire which started in Potrero. The first death occurring from the fires was in Potrero. Meeting the people in the community and seeing the beauty of the area has made the events of the last week even more horrific, if that is possible. Fortunately, I've been able to be in contact throughout the week with Jan Hedun, Potrero Planning Board member and opponent of Blackwater West, who stayed in the area.

Approximately 300 people did not evacuate from Potrero, including immigrant families who never got the notice to evacuate. They have been without electricity, phone service in many cases and beginning to run out of supplies. Water has been an issue because many people are on wells--no electricity = no water. While some have backup generators, fuel supplies have been running low. Efforts by volunteers to get relief into their area have been hampered by law enforcement and other agencies. Several of us have had very frustrating experiences trying to get help for the trapped citizens.

Volunteers from the Chicano Park collection effort were asked by a sheriff at the road blockade into the area "why do you want to go into Potrero? There's nothing but drug dealers there." They were finally able to take in supplies under escort by fire fighters, entrance having been refused by the sheriffs. Some aid is now reaching Potrero, but the need for that community and other back country communities who have been ignored is great. BLACKWATER, on the other hand has easily made three deliveries of food, water, and generator fuel."

More information on the fight against Blackwater West is at: http://www.prcsd.org/mercs.html

E-mail: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]

[EFerrari]

1. "There's nothing but drug dealers there."

:wtf:

This gets more disturbing every day, doesn't it?

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2. It's horrible that someone would say that. There are many fine people who live in Potrero.

Just because it's right next to the border, people think Potrero is overrun with illegal aliens and drug dealers. That's not the case at all.

[EFerrari]

3. I tried searching for demographics for Potrero but

only find real estate sites. Who lives there and what is the are like?

[EFerrari]

4. Okay, I found some. 30% Latinos, mostly Anglos

and 40ish median age.

Why did that sherrif invoke the drug dealing thing? I wonder if Blackwater is paying of local law enforcement.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Becasue that is one of the main entry points in the back counry for the

drug cartels

I still remember a rescue on the other side of the border. We needed to search for lost Scouts... and got armed escort from the army

Nothing much more fun than trying to catch up with two scouts... who are used to traveling light and fast... when humping seventy pounds of survival and rescue equipment

And we did find the kids... so all ended well

[EFerrari]

8. I get it now. What is the countryside like? I asked you below.

n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Extreemly rugged,

Manzanita all over the place... when mature you cannot see beyond your nose due to the height.

And lots, and and mean lots of brush and native grasses. (why it burns so well)

Lots of loose rock and lots of snakes... (human and rattlers)

It has trails but little water, and the few that exists underground under pipes.

Getting to Potrero or the communities on the other side of the border is done mostly on dirt roads

Why Blackwater thinks IT'S Ideal since it is so isolated

Oh and there are canyons all over the place. A topographical maps does not make it justcie as to how hard that
area of the county can be

[EFerrari]

13. There seems to be a park nearby. Is it a real park or

just a piece of real estate.

I don't know why but this place has really caught my imagination. Shades of the Milagro Bean Field War.

And, you know, I've been trying to find links between BW and white supremicist groups because you gotta know they're there. Nothing concrete yet. Yet.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Well the further east you go in San Diego, the further

you enter white sumpremacist territory.

And they are rather active

Think where BW East is... in the center of that territory for the east cost as well.

I will not be too surprised if BW Center is in OH

[EFerrari]

15. BW East is in the very place where the term "white supremacist"

was coined. Coincidence? Nah.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. There you go

and Price is a member of the reconstructionist movement

Need I say more?

[EFerrari]

17. I'm not familiar with them.

But will look them up. Damn, I KNEW it.

Just the folks we want to send into IRAQ and into NEW ORLEANS and have AT THE BORDER.

And watching Condi Rice defending them last Thursday during her testimony before the Oversight Committee was NAUSEATING.

We're in real trouble here and people aren't getting it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Read Scahill's expose on these guys

it is scary shit.

[EFerrari]

21. I've been following his interviews on Democracy Now!

and lately, on Bill Moyers.

How did you make the connection between that scum and the Christian reconstructionists / white separatists? Was it in Scahills book or ?

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Scahilll says he is born again

many born again are part of the Dominionist movement, and a subgroup is reconstrutionist... he is definitely dominionist... and I am assuming from some of the things he's said, even in front of congress that he is quite the radical

He is dangerous... no doubt in my mind

[EFerrari]

24. Oh, I agree. I need primary sources is all.

He's been pretty successful at keeping his personal views out of sight.

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40. Have you seen these videos?

Trailer for upcoming documentary about Blackwater in Potrero:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GvIeWQQh8MA
or if that link isn't working, try:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/15/18454140.php

Interview with Brian Bonfiglio of Blackwater USA:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dYrloF4SXdE

Rep. Bob Filner (D, CA-52), whose district the site is located in:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tJAK5VQqUp8

Sort of a "music video" about it:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JNOt7hvRLdc

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25. That's about as accurate as saying "New York is all liberal Jews" or "Atlanta is all black"

There is a wide variety of people living in eastern San Diego County. People of all races and walks of life live there. Sure, statistically the majority of residents in the region are white, but actual "white supremacists" are very few or a tiny minority.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. I am refering to the few who are

and even control some of the loical power structures

And you and I know that.

Yes, they are a minority, but they even hold power.

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29. The county and most of the city are still in control of the wealthy white Republican Old-Boys' Club

But I don't see or hear from "white supremacists" around here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. They are present,

in some of the east county communites

They are less noisiy after their camp was closed some years back, but they are still present

Lemon Grove was one of the communities under their control,

As well as a couple places beyond El Cajon

After the feds smacked down one of the leaders for IRS vioations, they went down in some of the power they had

But they are still there

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37. Is that nutty Church of Unarius still around?

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36. Here are some aerial views; hope this helps...

[PinkyisBlue]

41. Maybe Blackwater is involved in drug trafficking.

And a lonely, desolate place next to the Mexico border would be a perfect place to conduct "business".

[DLnyc]

42. Yes, drug trade would be something to seriously investigate as far as BW

o In Vietnam, in Nicaragua, in Afghanistan now, unchecked power tended to lead to corruption which is attracted to heroin and cocaine dealing like flies to shit.
o Interesting the BW would want a place RIGHT ON THE BORDER and keep fighting for it even against fierce local opposition (why not move somewhere else? worth asking if the reason is that BW wants access to the border for convenient 'strategic substance transferral' so to speak)

I've seen this movie too many times already, but if I had to find a major arms/drugs ring, BW is the first place I'd start looking. And I've seen several hints already, even without really looking.

[begin_within]

18. Here is a photo of the property Blackwater wants to build on:

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. So they want the prime property in the areas

not surprising

And is that a winter, aka rainy season photo?

[begin_within]

26. The property is a former cow and chicken ranch.

Because of so much green shown, I assume that photo was taken in the spring. The west side (foreground in the photo) is at the perimter of the Harris Fire so I assume that side has burned, but the east side (background in the photo) was not burned.

[EFerrari]

22. Thanks, Bob. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Glad to see the supplies I sent reaching

even if this is a nightmare

By the way, this is where things will get interesting.

It is always when cameras are off, and when people ain't watching...

Oh and for those who think that only RICH people live here... try again

[EFerrari]

7. Nadin, I'm trying to get a fix on that community.

Who lives there? What do they do for a living? I found some demographics. But, could you fill me in a little bit?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Mostly rural, mostly retired

and mostly works in nearby fields, the few that exists

Oh and mostly poor, as in dirt poor.

[EFerrari]

10. Thanks. Seems like a perfect target for the BW predators. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. exactly

and this fire will be used for that...

[Alameda]

28. Sign the petition

I did.
http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/petition/Blackwater

[Disturbed]

32. Christian Reconstructionism

Christian Reconstructionism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Protestant Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all areas of life. The beliefs characteristic of Christian Reconstructionism include:

1.Calvinism as the basis for personal regeneration that is required to change people before changes occur in the broader culture,

2.Theonomy applying the general principles of Old Testament and New Testament moral law and case laws in the appropriate family, church and/or civil government,


3.Postmillennialism, the Christian Eschatology belief that God's kingdom began at the first coming of Jesus Christ, and will advance throughout history until it fills the whole earth through conversion to the Christian faith,

4.The presuppositional apologetics of Cornelius Van Til which holds there is no neutrality between believers and non-believers, that the Bible reveals a self-authenticating world-view and system of truth, and that non-believing belief systems self-destruct when they become more consistent with their presuppositions, (Bahnsen, Van Til's Apologetic, pp. 145-6, 97, 315-6) and
5.Decentralized social order resulting in minimal state power.<1>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Reconstructionism

[msongs]

30. ALWAYS video talks with law enforcement, for your own protection nt

[EFerrari]

31. Meet Black Water COO, Joseph Schmitz!

JOSEPH SCHMITZ, 49, became chief operating officer and general counsel of the Prince Group in September 2005 after a stint as inspector general at the Defense Department.

Schmitz was the senior Pentagon official responsible for investigating waste, fraud and abuse. Now he faces a congressional inquiry into accusations that he quashed two criminal investigations of senior Bush administration officials. The inquiry is continuing, according to a spokeswoman for Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Schmitz was a special assistant to Attorney General Edwin Meese III in the Reagan administration. He was awarded the Defense Department Medal for Distinguished Public Service on his retirement from the Pentagon.

Schmitz’s father, John G. Schmitz, was a two-term Republican congressman from California and a prominent member of the John Birch Society, an ultra-conservative group that flowered during the Cold War. He ran for president in 1972 as the candidate of the American Independent Party after its founder, George Wallace, was paralyzed by a would-be assassin.

John Schmitz’s political career ended with the revelation that he had a mistress who bore two of his children. He then moved to Washington, where he bought a house once owned by Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Edit to add link:

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=108028&ran=144012
Joseph Schmitz’s sister, Mary Kay LeTourneau, also became embroiled in a scandal. As a married teacher in Washington state, she went to prison after being convicted of having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student with whom she ultimately had two children. The two have since married.

[Rex]

33. So Blackwater is coming back here to replace the NG for a nominal

fee, of course. Will they be putting our police officers on the ground, after disarming them? Or do they only get to do that to our military? :sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

34. This is fun: why do I get 0 results for the search

Coffer Black counter terrorism. :shrug:

[Richard Steele]

38. Do it this way: "Coffer Black" + counter terrorism

209 hits. :thumbsup:

[EFerrari]

39. Cool! Thank you!